Liam’s Weekly Eyecatchers

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Liam looks at the last week of racing and talks about who caught his eye including a few from maiden’s that are going to win soon as well as a maiden event that he thinks will work out really well. There’s also a previous NagMe/Eyecatcher that he doesn’t want to give up on!

Clounmacon – A stride or two more and she would have won

Clounmacon split 2 horses with experience already under their belt in Vernet & Unless. Both had achieved decent R Figures on debut and it was clear that Vernet has improved for her debut effort. Taking all this into account, the run of Clounmacon has to be marked up as she was slowly away and behind a wall of horses with 2 furlongs to go. She under Ben Coen have weaved in and out in the final furlong and charged home best of all and narrowly missed out on winning on debut. With that experience of passing rivals and squeezing between a gap under her belt she should be very tough to beat next time in a similar race.

Tyrone’s Poppy – The winner wasn’t the best horse in the race!

When Wan’Em won at Catterick earlier this week, he was being given rave reviews and people were suggesting he could be very smart. He could well be, but I don’t even think he was the best horse in this race! Tyrone’s Poppy for Tim Easterby was also making his debut and after being slowly away and needing a bit of riding coming into the turn he picked up and was soon on the back of his rivals. He then got stuck on the inside and had no room at all until well inside the final furlong. Wan’Em was able to get going down the outside whilst Tyrone’s Poppy was still stuck in traffic. When he eventually got out he finished VERY FAST and was a never nearer 3rd. He wasn’t given a hard race, didn’t get a clear run and still finished just 3 lengths behind the winner. I am convinced with a clear run he would have won and hopefully he can prove this by winning comfortably next time. Trained by Tim Easterby we may find he’s a bit bigger price than he should be or if he was trained by John Gosden or Richard Hughes or Roger Charlton etc. My eyecatcher of the week!

Arrest – Not much between this one and the winner

A similar story to Wan’Em & Tyrone’s Poppy here. Nostrum was impressive on debut and is clearly above average but so is Arrest who arguably didn’t have the run of the race like Nostrum did and I think long term there won’t be much between these 2. Arrest was slowly away and then got squeezed out early on meaning Arrest was further back than ideal. Coming into the turn, the winner and runner up were already sitting in 2nd and 1st respectively whilst Arrest was back in 7th and a good 5+ lengths behind. Frankie nudged him forward to close down on the group in front and he did (too well) and ran into the back of Batemans Bay. This stopped his momentum whilst the 1st and 2nd were just winding it up from the front and getting going. Arrest had to wait for a gap out wide before he picked up nicely and started to run down the winner and 2nd. His effort flattened out a bit late on and he didn’t get past 2nd but Frankie wasn’t hard on him at all. A clearer run through earlier on and he would have definitely finished at least 2nd and a similar race is well within his reach next time.

Ami Des Flots – Not ungenuine, just bumped into a gamble 

Ami Des Flots has now finished 2nd the last 3 runs but I don’t think she’s ungenuine, this time at Worcester she has simply bumped into a gamble. Boomtime Banker had shown no form to date and yet was well backed into 9/2 from 14/1 and won comfortably. On handicap debut off 101 she tried to make most of the running before appearing to drop away into the straight but she continued to fight and rallied well late on to get back up for 2nd. She looks like she needs 3m already and a step up in trip should bring out more and you would be disappointed if she doesn’t go close next time (if there is no gamble in the race!)

Maiden to Follow – I think the front 2 are VERY SMART

Highbank beat Bold Act & The Parent at Newmarket on Saturday and I think this race will work out really well. I was very impressed with the way Highbank ran away from Bold Act & The Parent and he looks ready to run in a Group race already and could be one for this season whilst I think Bold Act will continue to improve as he looked big and strong but lacked the initial turn of foot. The Parent I think will still work into a nice horse and be contesting feature handicaps and Group races but the 2 in front are surely going to be aimed higher.

Iron Sheriff – Beaten by the draw

Iron Sheriff is at the opposite end of the class spectrum to some in this blog and won’t be winning anything decent soon but can certainly win a class 6 handicap soon. He ran a great race at Newcastle and travelled really well under Jonny Peate but appeared to be beaten by the draw as the far side all day was the place to be. Jonny got Iron Sheriff into a nice rhythm early on and picked his way through late on, with only the far side Reclaim Victory denying the pair. A similar race and Iron Sheriff can certainly make amends.

Divine Magic – They went too slow

This race turned into a crawl with Dubai Love and Good American going forward and slowing it down. Neil Callan sat at the back of the 5 runners and waited far too long in a race that was clearly going very slow. When they got racing Divine Magic took a while to get into full stride but when she did she closed all the way to the line and was unlucky not to get there. She was clearly the best Filly in the race and if the handicapper isn’t too harsh and she gets a better pace next time, she should be able to win a similar race.

Zanbaq – Go back to a handicap please!

Zanbaq wasn’t beaten because she was in a race that she wasn’t good enough to win but instead because Hollie Doyle gave the winner a cracker and Jim got things wrong on Zanbaq. Before they even turned into the straight Jim was looking around for a gap (his sign to layers that he’s going to run into trouble so get laying……I’m JOKING!) and when he came into the straight he looked at pulling Zanbaq out but Hollie Doyle on Jumbly was having none of it and held her ground and kept Zanbaq in. This resulted in Snooze and You Lose then coming out and causing Zanbaq to get squeezed up and at this point she was beaten and Jim never really got after Zanbaq afterwards. I am sure she would have finished a lot closer and is a Group horse but why not drop back down into handicap company and pick up a feature handicap off 105 (doubt she’ll be dropped for this run) before then coming back with an in-form Filly for a Group or Listed race to try and get some black type.

Venturous – Why come down the nearside?

There was a clear pace and middle/far side bias in the Jump Jockey’s Nunthorpe which was a worry for Venturous as he likes to be held up but he travelled well and started to pick up but for some reason despite having the option as he was out the back, Oisin Orr decided to come down the nearside with Venturous which was completely the wrong move. Be bold and stay straight and wait for the gaps like Ben Curtis did on the other eyecatcher Silver Samurai (7th) or go over the far side of the ground where there had been a bias. I never understand why jockeys don’t think about these biases or see that a race is being run at a dawdle and make a move mid-race to rectify it. Anyway, Venturous is likely to drop a pound or two for this year and there may be a concern he doesn’t get in the 6f handicap here in October and as such I hope he’s sent to Doncaster for the Portland where I think off his now low mark and with a good ride he can certainly go close.

A handicap that wasn’t even close

If you want to see a race that turned into a procession , go and check out the replay for the 2:12 at Newcastle on Saturday!

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