Seaham Bids To Bounce Back

Seaham showed plenty of ability on occasions as a two-year-old and it was disappointing that he failed to get off the mark. Hopefully he has strengthened up over the winter as he tended to find little off the bridle and his return to the track was inconclusive at Southwell. He was slow to stride and got pushed along early which doesn't suit his running style and he weakened up the home straight. He was beaten too far out to blame the trip and surface may not have been ideal so you can forgive that effort. It looks a pretty weak maiden at Lingfield tomorrow, he comes out top on official ratings and he should go close if running up to that mark of 73, something that he is certainly capable of.

Drop In Grade To Help Dovils?

After posting a career best when finishing third at Lingfield three weeks ago, we were hoping Dovils Duel had turned the corner as he looked a slightly unlucky loser as he flashed home inside the final furlong. Unfortunately he ran too keen stepped up to seven furlongs at Newbury and he still isn't producing his homework on the track. However, he drops back to six furlongs at Nottingham, down in grade and has a stronger jockey with Andrea able to do the weight. Let's hope this helps as he definitely has the ability to win races and a bold show certainly wouldn't surprise.

There is a valuable two day meeting at Salisbury on Wednesday and Thursday and we're represented on both days. On Wednesday, Ivor's Princess returns to the track where she won twice last season and has first-time cheekpieces on in a bid to rediscover some form. It's a weak apprentice race and although the ground will be quicker than ideal, she's capable of going close. On Thursday, Seaham also bids to return to form having disappointed at Chepstow last time. The undulations probably didn't suit and he has useful form at Salisbury, the best on offer in fact and although he gives weight to some unexposed fillies, it's a race in which he should go close.

We also cross the bridge into Wales on Wednesday and Thursday with runners at both Ffos Las and Chepstow. Madame Kintyre makes a quick return to Ffos Las having blown a winnable chance when trying to break through the stalls last week. Her earlier effort when only beaten three lengths at the track gives her every chance if she's on best behaviour. On Thursday, the luckless Urban Dreamer bids to land a bonus maiden, having finished runner-up four times already in his short career. He hasn't done much wrong, he was nailed on the line at Ffos Las two weeks ago and proven experience of Chepstow's unique undulations will stand him in good stead.

Unlucky Defeats For Two-Year-Olds

It was a slightly frustrating Saturday as both our two-year-old representatives were unlucky as Urban Dreamer and Seaham were second and third respectively. After his no show at Bath, Urban Dreamer showed much improved form when runner-up at Chepstow and probably improved again when second in a Bonus Maiden at Lingfield. He looked set to win entering the final furlong before been collared by Cool Bahamian, an Eve-Johnson Houghton newcomer, well inside the final furlong. Stall two, with the stands side rail such a big advantage and the ease in the ground, probably cost him victory and it shouldn't be long before he's off the mark.

Like Urban Dreamer, Seaham was very disappointing on his debut at Newbury, although in his defence that race was extremely competitive and he ended up racing on the much slower ground on the stands side. He was still green in the early stages at Warwick, which meant Andrea wasn't able to take the gap up the favoured stands rail as they entered the home straight. Unfortunately that gap had closed by the time Seaham had reached top gear and he had to be switched around his rivals. He was only beaten three quarters of a length in third and he should improve again for that experience and he's certainly capable of winning some nice races this season.

Hat-Trick For Poetic Verse?

As usual on a Monday, especially now Windsor is back up and running, we're very busy and have three runners tomorrow. The best chance would be Poetic Verse who runs in the finale at Windsor and this tough filly is going for three victories in a row. Having looked exposed off marks in the low sixties this winter, a step up to twelve furlongs has seen has seen plenty of improvement and she was impressive when winning at Kempton a fortnight ago. She is six pounds higher and eventually the handicapper will get hold of her but is extremely well in herself at the moment and certainly full of confidence. Small fields suit and her turf form over shorter distances was comparable to AW efforts over similar trips so that shouldn't be a problem and she has to go well again.


Meanwhile, if Gladiatrix hadn't gone over the top when third at Bath in October, she could be bidding for a six-timer, having won on her return at Southwell. We were slightly surprised that she won there, as the fibresand surface wouldn't have been ideal and it certainly augurs well for her this season. She is in a sixteen runner sprint at Windsor and it is by far her hardest test yet so it won't be an easy task. Some have suggested that she may be better at five furlongs but her first two wins were over Bath's extended five which is pretty stiff and she's normally doing her best work at the end of her races, so we don't think stepping back up to six will be a problem. She only went up two pounds for that Southwell success and we still feel she's well handicapped so we're hopeful she will go close, especially as we hope she can compete for black-type in Listed company this season.

Our third runner is Isis Blue at Kempton and unlike Gladiatrix, he failed to handle fibresand when a disappointing third nearly three weeks ago. He was slightly unlucky when runner-up on his handicap debut over course and distance in March and off a one pound higher mark, he is another with a solid chance tomorrow. He's a horse we really liked last year but was on the weak side and picked up a few minor problems but still showed some solid form on his first two starts. He has strengthened up nicely over the winter and we feel he's capable of exploiting a mark of 70 and progressing through the handicap ranks. It's a competitive handicap tomorrow and he needs to bounce back from a below par effort but he too shouldn't be far away, hopefully it will be a good day!

However, we didn't have much success on Friday and Saturday with the two-year-olds running well below expectations. Seaham was in a very competitive maiden at Newbury and probably ended up on the slower ground but he didn't look very comfortable at halfway and perhaps he will prefer a sounder surface. Meanwhile, Urban Dreamer got very upset in the stalls at Bath and while he showed plenty of speed, dropped away tamely from halfway. Hopefully both will leave these efforts behind next time. At Nottingham on Saturday, Astrum stayed on well for third and was slightly unlucky, getting shuffled back early on a track which favoured those racing prominently. He showed more resolution than when winning at Warwick and he should keep progressing off his low handicap mark.

Sharper Two Year Olds Make The Track

We already have one decent two-year-old in Master Carpenter and we have two more two-year-olds making their debuts today. Both Seaham and Urban Dreamer would be among our sharper sorts and have showed enough speed and potential at home for us to target them at the £10,000 Racing Post Bonus maidens. However, these races tend to be much more competitive than non-bonus versions and with few of these races so far in 2013, both races are strong on paper.

Seaham is a half-brother to two winners over five and six furlongs

and is Myboycharlie's, a very useful Group 1 sprinting two-year-old, first UK runner (has had winners in Southern Hemisphere and only Irish runner third). This Newbury maiden is traditionally very strong and this year's event has representatives from all the top yards and some expensive purchases so looks no exception. The only runner with experience is Paul Cole's Meritocracy and he finished third in a very competitive maiden at Kempton on Saturday (fourth Vodka Time won at Newmarket Wednesday) so sets a high standard. It certainly won't be an easy task and a mid-division performance is normally good enough to win an ordinary maiden but we're hopeful Seaham will put up a positive performance.

Urban Dreamer faces a field of fifteen rivals at Bath but his race doesn't look quite as strong. Obviously Beau Nash showed a useful level of form on his debut when second to Master Carpenter on his debut and with that form working out so well, he will be hard to beat with the benefit of experience. Urban Dreamer is also by a first season sire in Intense Focus and he is already off the mark with two winners from seven runners, while his dam was a very useful sprint handicapper in Ireland.

 

He shows plenty of speed at home and we're slightly concerned he might not stay a stiff five furlong on soft ground so might prefer it to dry out, although drawn out in stall fifteen, he might be better off if the ground is soft as they will come stands side, giving him a good draw. All in all, it will be very interesting to see how both two-year-olds get on and hopefully they put up a good show and show promise for the future.

 We also have Burnt Fingers in the sprint maiden at Bath and she made a very promising return when third at Leicester two weeks ago. That was over seven furlongs and we're not sure if dropping back in trip is the right thing to do, as there is a mix of speed and stamina in her pedigree. However, the form she showed at Leicester gives her each-way claims in a big field and this filly is likely to progress throughout the season and sure to be winning at some point.

At Wolverhampton last night, Ice Tres ran well on her handicap debut, finishing third in a 56-70 Fillies Handicap. She seemed to prefer a return to more patient tactics, although the slow pace meant it wasn't easy to come from behind. She's handicapped to win if things go her way this summer.