The Spring Mile - Redcar (25th March 2006)
2:10 1m - William Hill Spring Mile (Handicap) (Class 2) 4yo+
Course Description and Draw Bias – See Lincoln Handicap comments below
Analysis
In reality a poor race with many attempting this grade for the first time.
Short listed - Barathea Dreams, Harvest Warrior, Davenport, Always Esteemed, Freeloader
Up for consideration - Granston and Wing Commander.
Tissue
9/1 Barathea Dreams, 14/1 Harvest Warrior, Davenport, 16/1 Always Esteemed, Freeloader
Two reasons swayed me toward the selection of Barathea Dreams and Always Esteemed (apart from the price).
First, there is little pace in the race and both selections are the only two confirmed front-runners in the field and both are drawn toward the favoured middle. They may cut each other’s throats competing for the lead but I’m betting that they wont. Barathea Dreams is the class act of the field with excellent form on soft going.
They say that you should not back a horse to do something that it has not done before. Always Esteemed form figures on grass are abysmal however, I can’t ignore the fact that the handicapper has dropped him 14 lbs and he has competed at this level on turf and sand at a much BHB higher mark.
Like the Lincoln, I’ll be keeping stakes very very small in the season opener.
Labels: Principle Races
posted by Slipperytoad @ 3/25/2006 10:15:00 am
1 comments
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1 Comments:
As soon as the stalls failed to open I wrote this race off..
Racing Post Comments
This was run in a time eight seconds above standard, suggesting the ground was soft, and they finished well strung out. There was a false start when one set of stalls opened late and two horses were withdrawn because they virtually completed the course. As expected, the field congregated towards the centre of the track and there was no obvious draw bias, with the winner coming from stall two and the runner-up drawn 20.
MEZUZAH hasn't always impressed with his attitude, but he goes particularly well on soft ground, and after travelling well up with the pace, he quickened away in the last two furlongs for a decisive win. This was only his third success and he'll face much stiffer tasks when reassessed.
Granston had never run up to his best onsoft ground, so this was a decent effort, though he tended to edge left in the closing stages and didn't look entirely at ease in the conditions. Still, this was a good start to his season and he'll be even more effective on quicker going.
Harvest Warrior goes on soft and is better than the bare form, as he was bumped coming out of the stalls but stayed on well. He's been hard to place since his juvenile days, but this better showing suggests he'll be found a race or two this season.
CommandoScott is another who has been out in the wilderness for some time, but he's back on a fair mark and has always been suited by give in the ground. Although unproven over the trip, he ran a sound race to finish a clear fourth, and a drop back to seven furlongs won't inconvenience him. He's worth keeping an eye on if he has his favoured ground in the next week or so.
Boundless Prospect ended up near the stands' side rails and ran on from well off the pace to finish a creditable fifth ahead of Everest, who was also doing his best work late on.
Davenport never really threatened, while Alfonso chased up leaders Barathea Dreams and Always Esteemed but, like them, dropped off the pace in the last two furlongs. High Dyke again refused to race.
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