Sandown - 19:15 (31 May 2005)
Betfair Com Temple Stakes (1) 5f6y
Course Description
The flat course is an oval affair that extends for about 13 furlongs with fairly sharp and semi circular, right-handed bends. There is a 4½ furlong uphill run in - stamina is all important.
Effect of the Draw
11 handicaps run in 2004; the stalls were on the far side for all 11; the old advantage for high-drawn horses seems to have disappeared, with stalls 1 and 2 providing 2 winners each and plenty of winners challenging well away from the formerly favoured stands rail. The other factor to consider is pace with runners that like to run prominently strongly favoured
Analysis
Selection: Baltic King (1pt win)
A difficult race with a number of horses stepping up from Listed Class, plus a number dropping down from Group1 status.
There is not much pace in this race either, with only Nota Bene, Baltic King and Celtic Mill the ones that like to race prominently.
Nota Bene is an interesting runner who destroyed course record with impress success last time out at Newbury. My only concern that he is a 3yo running against older horses (not a good thing at this time of the year) and this is a big step up from listed to Group2 competition.
So at the prices and given that he has beaten most of the runners in this field already, I’ll side with second rated Baltic King to continue his recent progression. I also have a sneaking feeling that Celtic Mill will make a place position also.
posted by Slipperytoad @ 5/31/2005 06:26:00 pm
1 comments
News Feed
1 Comments:
Due to the fact that on paper (mainly pace) Celtic Mill looked a stand out contender, I have to admit to a ½ point win bet. The key learning here is to continue with the strategy that selects two horses in a handicap at level stakes. The other learning is that at certain tracks, pace is the key to the eventual winner of a handicap event.
Racing Post Comments
More evidence if needed that the top sprinters this decade are much of a muchness and as with the top handicap trend, the spoils continue to be shared around. While prize-money keeps many overseas speedsters at home, this was more evidence that there are prestigious prizes in Britain going begging. This again proved there is only a couple of pounds or a length or two between the lower Group-race performers here and when they meet in Group 1s they share it around with the stalls position and draw playing its part along with ground conditions. All the principals were drawn in the top six stalls here. The Palace House form from Newmarket earlier in the month played a prominent part but its winner Avonbridge was sadly missing from the line-up.
CELTIC MILL, fourth there behind both Ashdown Express and Ringmoor Down after blazing the trail, soon grabbed the running rail and, despite hanging left in the final furlong as it got tight, hung on well. He heads for the King's Stand at the royal meeting at York where the certainty is he will not be beaten far without warranting a cut to 7-1 from 12-1 by Corals.
Orientor got the fast pace he needs and he has shown previously here that the tough finish that makes this more like a five and a half furlong race is ideal for him. He would have prevailed in another stride such was his finish down the outside but he always needs races to fall right for him and a flying five is not his forte.
Balmont was the one to run straight as a dye and with the others edging left through the final furlong, he had a clear run up the inside rail. His stable are back in rude health and he showed his seasonal reappearance to be all wrong. He has proved himself on fast ground and all his wins have been over six.
Prince Aaron has not been given the credit for his efforts this season, certainly not on official ratings, and he is another whose best form has been over six furlongs. He ran accordingly here, staying on stoutly from an unpromising position at halfway. He remains progressive and it will be a travesty if he can not add a Group win.
The Tatling did best of the penalised runners and he was reined in late as the winner and Orientor left him nowhere to go in the last strides but it was a shade disappointing still as the race was his for the taking as he travelled smoothly up to Celtic Mill into the final furlong ahead of the closers. He remains the benchmark in this division and Coral agreed in cutting him to 5-1 joint favourite with Aussie possible Fastnet Rock (from 6-1) for the King's Stand, which he won last year.
Ashdown Express remains just off the top of his game as he was found wanting under pressure in the final furlong and noticeably wobbled when put under pressure having travelled with his trademark ease off the fast pace.
Var showed pace and will no doubt come on for this seasonal return against rivals who had their eye fully in for this. He showed good pace before tiring and will be a different proposition later in the season. Nothing else threatened to land a blow although Etlaala had a barging match with Baltic King when looking for a run down the midtrack into the final furlong. It did neither horse any good with Baltic King immediately eased, although he looked a shadow of the horse who had won so well at Windsor last time at the expense of many of these. Fayr Jag anticipated the start and looked to break the doors which did him no good and the run is best forgotten. It also looked to put off Etlaala alongside him but both were drawn out of it in any case.
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