Saturday 23rd October 2010

Doncaster 2-55 Racing Post Trophy (Group 1)

Racing Post Trophy is a group one race for 2yo’s run over a straight mile at Doncaster and over the last ten years has been won by the likes of High Chaparral, Motivator and Authorized.

The favourite has a good record in this race although there have been a few long priced upsets when the going has been soft or heavy. Virtually all of the last ten winners, eight out of ten, had finished in the first two on their last outing and there does not really appear to be any bias in the draw for this race.

As for a trainer who has done well look no further than A P O’Brien who has won this race three times in the last ten years.

Zaidan has won two of his three races, both of these were on good to firm going and includes winning a listed race at Royal Ascot when he finished 5 lengths in front of King Tours who has since gone on to win two group 2 events. Was beaten when even money for his next race on good to soft and today’s ground condition may not be ideal.

Karam Albaari is a colt who won a maiden on his first visit to the racecourse at Kempton on the all weather, won by a neck but none of the runners have achieved much since then. Stepped up considerably on that when running in a group two event next time out and was beaten three lengths by odds on favourite Saamidd.

Titus Mills has won two out of two, first was at Ascot in July and a few winners have come out of that race. Then went on to win a listed race at Goodwood in September, beat Surry Star in that race who went on to finish a short head second in a group three race at Newmarket. Trainer known for his two year olds and does have a good record here at Doncaster.

Native Khan is another colt who had his first race in a hot maiden at the Newmarket July meeting, five of the fourteen runners have since gone on the win races. Group success was not long in coming when he landed a group three race a Sandown on his next race. Trainers horses have not really been hitting the mark over the last few weeks but jockey has a reasonable record here at Doncaster.

Toolain had the misfortune of unseating his rider on first start when in a winning position but has since made amends. Won a listed race in July at Ascot but not so good when encountering soft going in his next race when beaten over four lengths in a group three. Both trainer and jockey are currently no strangers to winners enclosure.

Dubawi Gold has raced in three group of listed event and although has not won it could be said he has been a little unlucky that they were such competitive race. Was second at Epsom in a listed race where the majority have since won races and this is the same story for his next race which was a group two. Slight negative would be the trainers horse don’t always seem at their best here.

Seville is another colt from the A P O’Brien yard and has had two races on soft ground and both of these were in Ireland. Won on his second start on soft going at Tipperary when beating Triple Eight by over five lengths.

Master Of Hounds is another colt from the A P O’Brien yard who has raced four times in Ireland managing to win on his latest outing at Tipperary and while odds on he won easily by six lengths. Finished second to Dunboyne Express at Leopardstown in June who has since won a group three so would look to have a chance.

Dunboyne Express has won both his races to date including when beating Master Of Hounds by a short head at Leopardstown in June. Raced again in July when easily winning a group three at the Curragh.

Casamento is a colt who has some very good form in Ireland winning two of his three start and only beaten a head in his other race. Easily won a group two at the Curragh over a mile last month and has been booked to be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

Newbury 2-40 John Smith’s Stakes (Group 3)

John Smith’s Stakes run over one mile four furlong at Newbury and is usually raced on ground which is on the soft side of good. Is normally well represented by the big yards and the race itself tends to favour high drawn horses.

Whilst going through the previous winners I noticed a few had Sadler’s Wells in their breeding, those of you are looking for a relationship to pin point the winner might like to know that Dreamspeed, Clowance and La De Two also have a connection to Saddler’s Wells.

Poet is a 5yo horse who has had a number of different trainers over the years and has won five race between one mile and one mile two furlongs. Two of these were group three including at Haydock back in August when beating both Distant Memories and Rio De La Plata, both of these have won group races since. Tends to show his best when the going is soft or heavy so may not be ideal here today.

Whispering Galley is a 4yo gelding who this year has finished in front of both Halicarnassus and Pompeyano although has not won a group race. Did manage to win a listed event at Windsor in August and came very close to securing his first group race when beaten by a nose at Ascot last month.

Waseet has won two races but not really produced much in this class and out of four races in top class company his best performance came in a group 2 at Ascot last year over a mile and was beaten just over a length. Has been running over further since then and it makes one think why, after all the runners from that race have gone on to take some decent races. With that said he has managed to get the better of both Dreamspeed and Ted Spread.

Clowance is a 5yo mare which has not run since April and trained by R Charlton who does not tend to do so well here as he does at other courses. However, has won two races over one mile two furlongs including a listed event here back in 2008, none of those that contested have since won. Did run a very good race at the Curragh on soft going in a group one event in September 2009 when beaten half a length by Alandi.

Ted Spread is a 3yo colt who took part in this years Derby but was beaten a very long way and his two wins have come at Chester and Goodwood, so this course may not be ideal. Since his group three win at Chester in June has not really produced that sort of form in the last four group or listed races he has competed in.

Dreamspeed is trained by A M Balding and has won two of his seven starts, both of these wins have been outside of group company where he has never got any closer than about five lengths to the winner. With other horses with better chance here today I feel it will be the same story again.

Hot Prospect is a 3yo colt who got the better of Ted Spread in this years Derby, although he was beaten a very long way in that race. Did run well in a group three race at Windsor back in August, this race may however got amounted to much. Trainer does well at this course and appears in reasonable form at the moment.

La De Two is a 4yo out of Galileo who has not had a lot racing and finished second to Kite Wood who went on to win a number of group races. Has won two lower class races and was then beaten by a head by Free Agent who has won a listed race and although the jockey booked does not have the success of some of the others the trainer is in form.

Jedi has won two of his twelve starts for Sir Michael Stoute, the last of which was at Chester in May when winning a class four handicap. Ran well again at Chester in August but does not really seen up to this level.