Four At Ffos Las

It's a busy Tuesday evening at Ffos Las, with four runners at the Welsh track, although all four would probably be happier if some of the heavy rain showers hit the track. We have two in the fillies sprint, with both Ivors Princess and Madame Kintyre needing to find some form. Ivors Princess made a great start to her three-year-old career, winning her first two starts with ease at Salisbury but was absolutely hammered by the handicapper as she went up a whopping 18lbs. She then lost her confidence when racing in a higher grade and had a setback in the spring which has delayed her return to the track. Hopefully the smaller field will help her gain some confidence but she will probably strip fitter for the outing. Madame Kintyre has had a lot of problems since denied by a short-head at Windsor in June and although well handicapped, she has completely lost her way. Hopefully the small field will also help her gain some confidence as if returning to form she could certainly go very close but we will be happy if she just gets involved. Sweet Alabama went off too hard in first-time blinkers when fourth at Leicester, having looked likely to win entering the final furlong, which showed she's certainly capable of winning a race. She hasn't repeated the form on two subsequent starts and would prefer some rain today but off a light weight, she's capable of placing at least. Gaelic Ice has been in good form since the hood was applied, having a troubled run when second at Windsor and then got stuck a little wide when third stepped up to twelve furlongs at Ffos Las last time. Dropped into a weak 0-55 handicap, she should go very close and hopefully she gets off the mark as we could do with a winner, as we have found ourselves on the cold list, despite most of the horses running well recently.

Progressive three-year-old Astrum runs on the AW at Lingfield on Wednesday and although we would prefer turf, there are only eight runners and hopefully the weather isn't quite as hot as it will help reduce the kickback, which is particularly bad in the summer. As long as he handles the AW, he should go very close as it doesn't look the strongest of races and he was unlucky not to get his third win of the season when second at Pontefract last time as he was left with too much to do, having been hampered at the start. We also have Into The Wind at Sandown in the evening, the obvious question mark against her is the rise in grade as she is at her most competitive when racing at Class 6 level. However, she is progressing with age and her chance would be greatly increased if the thunderstorms hit Sandown as she loves soft ground. She had too much ground to make up last time and is better in smaller fields so she certainly won't be disgraced.

Dovils Unlucky In Third?

Dovils Duel was by far our best two-year-old in March and we were confident of a big run on his debut in the Brocklesby at Doncaster and while fifth of twelve wasn't a disaster, he showed signs of temperament. He didn't progress when beaten at Kempton next time and was quickly gelded. Although this didn't see an instant change on the track, his behaviour at home has been much improved in recent weeks and first-time cheekpieces seemed to inspire an improved effort when flying at the finish to take third at Lingfield on Saturday evening. Drawn in stall one, well away from the favoured stands rail, he was dropped in and had plenty of ground to make up with two furlongs to run. He wasn't helped by having to be switched for his run inside the final furlong but he stayed on impressively and in another fifty yards he would have been in front. Hopefully he improves from this better run as off a mark of 60, he could well progress up the nursery ranks.

We had a big outsider in the Super Sprint as Urban Dreamer was sent off at 100/1 and we weren't that hopeful as he had been disappointing on his most recent starts. However, he travelled extremely well in one of the fastest five furlong races run for two-year-olds and was staying on for minor prize money when hampered inside the final furlong, extremely frustrating for his owners. However, twelfth of twenty four was a pretty good effort and hopefully we can find a suitable race for him before long.

Chance Of A Friday Winner?

It's a relatively busy weekend with four runners and our best chance of getting a winner is Friday, with both Shavansky and Icebuster having good chances in handicaps. Although he was only eleventh in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock, it wasn't a bad effort from Icebuster considering he was stuck wide off a very slow pace and was only beaten six and a half lengths. That was an extremely competitive eighteen runner £100,000 handicap and dropped in grade at Newbury, he should go very close. The drop back to ten furlongs should enable a stronger pace and with only nine runners, he shouldn't have too much ground to make if he makes his customary slow start. He's ten pounds higher since the start of the season but his most recent efforts show he's still capable of winning off his current mark. Veteran Shavansky has had excuses on his last three outings, no clear run at Haydock and slowly-run races were no good to him the last twice. He's dropped to a mark of 85, allowing him to drop back into a 0-85 handicap and with only six runners, some potential front runners in opposition, he should go very well as long as he lets himself down on the firm ground.

On Saturday Urban Dreamer goes in the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint, a race we won with Lord Kintyre back in 1997. Urban Dreamer isn't in that class and did disappoint last Saturday at Chester. However, if he returns to his best form, he could sneak some minor prize money. While Dovils Duel bids to take advantage off bottom weight in the nursery at Lingfield. He has been very disappointing so far and hung across the track last time out at Haydock but he seemed to work quite well in cheekpieces at home, perhaps this could be the key as he certainly has the ability to win races off his current mark.

Long Priced Places

We could do with a winner but our two runners so far this week have run well at big odds. Isis Blue ran up to his best finishing third at 20/1 in first time cheekpieces at Kempton on Tuesday evening. He wasn't suited by the steady early pace but still stayed on well inside the final two furlongs, finishing three lengths behind the highly regarded Pomology, trained by John Gosden.

On Wednesday, Winnie Perry returned to form by finishing second at 16/1 at Lingfield, confirming his appreciation for an AW surface. He is well handicapped and is certainly capable of winning a similar event in the future.

Isis Blue Back On AW

Things haven't gone quite as well as expected for Isis Blue this season, although an impressive victory at Salisbury in May showed how good he actually is when things fall right. He's had excuses on his last two starts, it was very difficult to make up ground when fifth at Sandown and he saw too much daylight and probably failed to stay twelve furlongs at Salisbury last time. He returns to the AW at Kempton this evening, a surface that suits and has first-time cheekpieces to try and get a bit more out of him and if running up to his best, he has strong each-way claims this evening.

Having made a promising seasonal return when fifth at Wolverhampton, things haven't gone so well on the turf for Winnie Perry this season, his best effort a length third of three at Warwick, He has dropped nine pounds since that Wolverhampton return and back on the AW at Lingfield on Wednesday might just see a return to form in a weak looking Class 6 event. He certainly has the ability to win a small race.

Shahdaroba Second At Chepstow

Shahdaroba picked up some nice prize money (£3,600) when finishing second in a £19,000 81-100 Handicap at Chepstow on Friday, his first start over a mile. While it certainly wasn't a strong contest for the grade and just five runners, it was a solid effort over the new trip. Although his stamina wasn't tested as he dictated a steady pace, it was pleasing to see him stay on again inside the final hundred yards to suggest that he's worth preserving over a mile in the future. Unfortunately the handicapper has put him back up two pounds to 94, which won't make life easy in more competitive events.

After disappointing at Royal Ascot, Master Carpenter ran much better in the July Stakes, finishing eighth but only beaten five and a half lengths. He appeared to run to a slightly higher level of form than previously (RPR87 compared to previous best of 84) and while he's a useful two-year-old, he just isn't quite as good as we hoped. We will now lower our sights a little, with the valuable Sales races rather than pattern races, his new targets.

Lots Of Recent Places

It has been a few weeks since a news update and although we would like some more winners, the horses have been running well in recent weeks. It was a very narrow defeat for Gladiatrix when she was denied by a short head at Newmarket on Friday evening, with the rejuvenated Tax Free taking advantage of a reduced handicap mark but Gladiatrix posted a career best effort in the process so we can't be disappointed. She had been unlucky on her two previous starts, a bad draw at Sandown costing her victory when third and then got badly hampered at Salisbury next time out. Another homebred filly to be busy is Gaelic Ice who has posted solid second and thirds at Windsor and Ffos Las in the last ten days.

We took two of the Links Partnership's horses to Haydock earlier in the month and both Astrum and Icebuster ran good races, both finishing second to useful horses. Astrum was unlucky not to go one better when second again at Pontefract on Monday, unfortunately he got hampered at the start and was too far behind to catch the winner. His attitude has been brilliant this year and he has improved with every start.

Unfortunately we did endure disappointment at Royal Ascot as Master Carpenter was only fourteenth in the Chesham Stakes. It wasn't ideal for him to make the running on Ascot's straight track and perhaps he may benefit from dropping back to six furlongs but no obvious excuse has come to light and we will just ignore that effort and he will be out again shortly.

Another Kempton Success For Wyndham

After finishing fourth at Kempton seven days previously, we were hopeful Wyndham Wave would go close in an apprentice handicap at his favourite track last Wednesday. He got a strong pace to chase and Pat slotted him nicely in behind the leaders. As a gap appeared at the intersection, Wyndham quickened nicely and battled on gamely in the first time hood and cheekpieces to land a third career success. It was also a welcome winner for Pat, his second since turning apprentice and his eighth in all. Without a penalty and racing off a one pound lower mark, our hand was forced to go to Ffos Las five days later but he only finished fifth, perhaps the race came too soon or he is just an AW specialist.

Fanrouge Makes Winning Stable Debut

A new addition to the yard, the Chris Scott owned Fanrouge, made a winning debut for the stable at Warwick on the 17th June. The Red Club four-year-old filly had seemed a Bath specialist with four win there but showed she could win elsewhere when staying on strongly from the back of the field to land a competitive fillies handicap. Things haven't gone her way since, rain on watered ground was unsuitable when fourth at Leicester and the race probably came too soon when only sixth at Pontefract on Monday. She's a well bred filly and the aim will be to try and secure some black-type this season as she will make a lovely broodmare.