In this regular Monday segment, SBC racing expert Scott Armstrong of The Sportsman service rounds up all the action of note from the weekend’s racing.
This week Scott unpacks the winners from York and Sandown and highlights three horses who have caught the eye and should be followed in coming months.
Moyenne Corniche was the fancy priced 25-1 winner of the Ebor Handicap on Saturday prevailing by a length when bravely staving off a group of horses who all held chances inside the final furlong. Trainer Brian Ellison was supremely confident of his fellow runner Saptapadi winning the race when making a Saturday morning television appearance though also stated Moyenne Corniche would assuredly finish in the first four.
The unlucky horse in the race was in-form Michael Bells four-year old Tactician. The plucky gelding attempted to make all under young Joseph O’Brien repelling a host of challengers and also sufferring the misfortune of a slipped saddle, though Bell would not use that as an excuse. Tactician’s was a very bold effort for a four year old facing many more experienced horses. Entered in the Cesarewitch Handicap in October he should go well over the extra trip based on this showing.
Other highlights from the weekend were 3-1 favourite and Frankie Dettori ridden Opinion Poll coming off best in a mighty duel with Duncan to win the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York. The main target now for Opinion Poll is the Group 2 race at Ascot on Champions Day.
Talwar proved his liking for the track at Sandown with a second course success in the Sunshine Coach Solario Stakes. This is a very nice two-year old who made all in an eye-catching performance in the seven furlong Group 3 affair in driving rain. Talwar had his three rivals struggling over two furlongs from home, including the well regarded Trumpet Major who was soundly beaten in last place. Running on strongly in the closing stages Talwar, the son of Acceleration is prepared to put his head down and battle and will have gained a lot of experience from Saturdays race in atrocious conditions which he relished. Talwar holds many big-race entries and should be capable of doing himself justice in respected company.
One of my favourite horses in training is Donald McCain’s Overturn who always thrills race fans with his redoubtable front-running performances and he produced an outstanding weight-carrying performance to lift the inaugural Scottish Summer Champion Hurdle at Perth when overturning a smart field. Overturn, winner of both the Northumberland Plate and Chester Cup on the flat has also previously proven his worth over obstacles having won the Galway Hurdle. On Saturday he simply made all, quelling the challenges of solid adversaries – General Miller and Australia Day to scoot home by five lengths. It will be interesting to see the route Donald McCain takes with his two stable stars, Overturn and Peddlers Cross this season, as they could prove to be more than useful chasers with the Arkle at Cheltenham a potential target for the mighty Peddlers Cross.
Trainer Gordon Elliott had his usual array of horses at Perth on Saturday and was triumphant in two races. Elliott’s record is quite superb at Perth with a 28.74% strike rate from 254 runners and £80 profit to £100 level stakes.
Barry Hills ended his distinguished 42 years training career with a winner when Na Zdorovie won the seven-furlong maiden at Chester, a track at which Hills has always enjoyed great success. If son Charlie can be half as successful as dad, he will be doing a magnificent job.
Three horses who could provide a boon to betting banks over the coming weeks and months are: Top Cop who won on his second outing on the track in a Class 5 Novice Stakes at Bath. I backed this horse on debut on the strength of reports that he was burning up the gallops at the Andrew Balding stables. He was pipped to the winning post that day, but it was clearly a sign of how well regarded he is when winning the Novice Stakes at Bath rather than taking his chance in a maiden. Desert Law is Top Cop’s half-brother and he also graced the winner’s enclosure at Bath on Saturday evening, successful in the Conditions Stakes Class 2. This was a steering job to justify favouritism at 7-4 and Desert Law can go well if he takes up his entry in the Ayr Gold Cup next month. Lastly Tom Dascombe’s Sir Trevor should go into your notebook following his debut fourth at Chester. He botched the break and encountered trouble in running yet flew home at the death of the seven furlong race and a maiden looks readily within his grasp.