Yearly Archives: 2020

Coquette is a very green filly. I expect she'll get lost around here and I'm not sure it's the right place to start her off.

Overall Puerto Banus has been disappointing but he is not badly handicapped. If he puts his best foot forward he wouldn't be without a chance.

Restorer usually runs well first time out and returns this time on a much lower mark than he did in 2019. He finished off with his best effort for some time at Chester last backend and a good performance here would not be unexpected.

Shaffire's run at Chelmsford, wearing a hood, the other day was so far removed from all her earlier form that I think we have to draw a line under it. Without it, she should not mind this longer trip.

Palavecino showed improved form before the lockdown with two excellent runs following a gelding operation. He made all to win at Lingfield last time and the extra furlong today today should be well within his reach. Another great chance for a Sangster-managed horse.

Swinley Forest had plenty of experience as a juvenile but he's come back this year much more settled after being gelded. He has improved a good deal and while the favourite will be hard to beat, I expect a big run. That would be nice for Manton Thoroughbreds' boss Sam Sangster and wife Maddy, proud…

Imperial Fora showed signs of greenness on debut at Newmarket last week, but has come out of the race extremely well. We are very hopeful that the Manton Thoroughbreds gelding can step up to win this from a decent draw.

Shifting Gold was quite consistent last year. She won on her only previous try at this distance at Lingfield two runs back and could well go close returning to a mile and a half tonight.

Quickthorn is a lovely big galloping horse and he showed plenty of promise at Newmarket last backend. Kempton might be rather sharp for him, but he ought to run a nice race.

Selsey Sizzler, a son of Nathaniel, gradually improved as he went up in distance last year. The step up to a mile and threequarters could be ideal and he looks to have a good each-way chance.

I hope they get a drop of rain up there today as it would help him. He's in good form and fit and I think the track will suit as he stays so well. Good each-way chance.

Sepahi did very well to make a winning return after the break at Kempton a week ago, finishing strongly over the six furlongs. She gets a 5lb penalty but has been raised that amount anyway for the win. This track might not be quite so much in her favour but she remains in top form…

Like our earlier runner, I expect Speech Room to benefit from the outing, which is his debut. We've had plenty of success with Sea The Stars horses and I think he'll be another to win races for us, later in the season.

We like Chairmanic but last year was a bit of a write-off as he had an injury. We did get him on the track for one run at the back-end at Newmarket and he's been gelded since then. I think he'll be okay but he might just need the outing.

Talbot is very nice and very sharp. We took him down there for a barrier trial so we are hopeful that he will be in the shake-up.

Shady McCoy is a shadow of his former self, but his rating is similarly a shadow of its earlier level. Richard Kingscote gets on well with him, so he could easily run a nice race in this grade.

Blue Laureate has ability but I always felt he needed toughening up and those two hurdles runs at the backend of the jumps season will have done him good. He's come back in good form and I hope he can win this.

Arthurian Fable should run a big race. He has been working well in preparation for today and has two solid runs on the track to his  credit as a two-year-old. He was a 100-1 shot when second in a competitive novice race over a mile before running third over this distance behind highly-rated Brentford Hope.…

Kipps is a very nice horse and we think he's better than this. One worry, so far it seems the colts might be a gallop short, but hopefully he'll be fit enough.

Treaty Of Dingle got her head in front eventually in a small race at Wolverhampton but is now 5lb higher and totally exposed. She is in the situation of giving weight to a horse that had the requisite minimum three runs, and now goes up in distance after a gelding operation. The betting shows what…