Newmarket 5^th October 2013

Good weather and fast ground with a minimal tail wind.

In the £300k Tattersalls Fillies there was not much to choose between Wedding Ring, Night Song and Zawiyah. Experience held the call with the former taking the spoils. Night Song was never in the hunt. Zawiyah is sprint bred and could be one to note in fillies events next year. In July, I marked Manderley down for a nursery and she blew a handicap mark of 76 in finishing second. Mind you, she did cop £66k in place money which looks the better of the bargain. She was going in her coat but was otherwise fine.

Oklahoma City took the £500k colt’s version and he was well suited by the drop back in trip, having contested the one mile Beresford Stakes just 6 days before. He is a strong stocky sort and more of a sprinter than a miler. Extremity had done well but failed to show. Currently 82 he should not go up much. Postponed impressed me at the July Meeting and he looked much more a racehorse with the puppy fat off. He now looks more like his sire Dubawi and should make a nice 3yo. Again, he blew a mark of 85 but did cop £110k in the process

The horses for the 8f maiden contained plenty of backward types. Three that will come on hugely for the run include the Galileo colt– Battersea trained by Roger Varian; he is a half brother to Gitano Hernando who won the big Group One at Kranji Singapore. Battersea looks sure to figure in middle distance events next term. Dance of Heroes – trained by Jeremy Noseda is a Danehill Dancer out of Helena Moloney who was placed in a 11f Listed race for John Oxx. Middle distances beckon for the youth. Protected, trained by Richard Hannon was possibly the most backward of the lot and is a good sort.