Yearly Archives: 2023

Young Buster won nicely over 2m4f at Warwick in May. Hopefully, he will stay today's trip this winter  - he did win a 3m point in Ireland - and if he does, he's the one to beat.

You can put a line through Sageburg County's last run, when he really didn’t seem to enjoy conditions. He has been in good form and schooling well at home since Warwick and will no doubt put in a much better performance today.

Contre Ordre started off running very poorly on his arrival from France but picked up a lot when 4th around here three weeks ago. His mark has come down a long way and it isn't that he's not capable of winning races - he was successful on the flat, over hurdles and fences in his…

Four of today's quintet at Sedgefield started out in France and unsurprisingly none of them will be bothered by these testing conditions. Coup De Coeur is the most recent arrival and after falling after tiring on unsuitably fast ground at Wetherby on stable debut, he ran much better here in 3rd earlier this month. He's…

Before Midnight was bought at the Dai Walters part dispersal in May and so far he has been disappointing. He was a classy chaser for the Sam Thomas yard, though, and it's probably only a question of when rather than if he will come back to his best. Hopefully today.

Secret Squirrel did it nicely on both his bumper appearances last season. This is a  great place to start him off hurdling. I expect he'll be green first time jumping and hope he's going to stay.

There might only be five runners but off top-weight, this is a really tough ask for Destroytheevidence. Three miles will help, though, and David Bass knows him well and the horse is in good form. Hopeful.

We've always thought a lot of Kamsinas and nothing he has done so far has swayed us from that opinion. Far from disgraced in 2nd at Cheltenham when he lost a shoe on the way round, he can resume winning ways here.

Finn Russell has been disappointing, latterly over jumps. Sometimes horses can be reinvigorated when they come back to the level, and certainly from this mark, he has the ability to show a little more.

Bugise Seagull's Irish point-to-point form was strong and while he'll improve for the run he should go well. Obviously, the Snowden and McCain horses are the ones to beat.

Coniston Clouds got his head in front in a hurdle race at Carlisle over this sort of trip last season. He jumps fences well and if he gets a clean run round on debut, could be in the shake-up. We've always thought a bit about him and there's still time for him to develop into…

Mr Grey Sky won well at Huntingdon but he was being challenged by New Found Fame two from home and it might have been close if that horse had not fallen. We take him on again in a far stronger affair than Huntingdon. That said, this ground will suit us better so every chance.

Zealander ran a close 4th in one of two tries on the Deauville AW surface before joining us but this will be a first as with Oneforthegutter in the UK. He won nicely at Goodwood over this trip two runs back and if he can get in and save ground in the first half of…

This is a tough call for Lady Gwen just a week after her last run/win. The race is right but I see loads of horses that could beat us. Hopefully, they won't. She seems very fresh and well so it's fingers crossed.

Rock Chant is probably best watched today.

Serious Ego won here on heavy ground 12 days ago and he has his ideal conditions again in a small field. The problem with him is he rarely runs two races together and this time he's not the only one who copes with heavy. Hopeful rather than confident.

Percy Veering surprised many by winning at Warwick a couple of weeks ago. I really hope he can continue that upward trend.

Night On Earth has shown glimmers of his old very decent sprinting form the last twice. He has dropped a fair way in the weights and if he can last the sixth furlong - all his wins so far have been at 5f - he would have a decent chance.

Evenwood Sovereign has been expensive to follow so far this season. If he could get everything right as in avoiding trouble on the way round and jumping as we know he can at home, he could be a contender.