Good Morning, Friend,

Well, Uttoxeter was generally a frustrating day at the office!

A large enough chunk of you have previously indicated you'd like more 'eye-catcher' / 'horses to follow' type musings, and hopefully you've noticed a few more ramblings on that front in recent weeks, including the Royal Ascot report which has fired out numerous winners (I need to go through them and check, but a positive moving forwards).

As such, what follows are some reflections on yesterday's Uttoxeter card. There are no horses mentioned to be backing today, so if eye-catchers and adding horses to your notebook are not your thing, you can stop reading!! :)

You long suffering readers will know my heart is generally more jumps, and my head is now moving over to all things jumping, as the main season looms into view. There may be the odd flat note but these jumps eyes need to start sharpening up again.

Having said that, before I get onto Uttoxeter... flicking through yesterday's results I see that Tosen Wish won in the Racing League at Southwell. I was consumed by all things jumps yesterday but you may remember he was a 'TTC' pick when he last ran - he finished a decent 2nd that day, ahead of the rest, and running as if well handicapped. Who beat him that day? Helm Rock. What did Helm Rock do next start? Hacked up in that deep London Mile final at Kempton last weekend. 'Hot Form' - and it can sometimes be a useful addition to the punting armoury. Maybe someone out there had picked up on that and had a go, alas, I missed the sod! But an example of how it can all work out. I'm not sure how he was 6/1, but i'm saying that having seen the result of course!

First up Shan... evidently me being dragged in front of the Sky Sports cameras pre race was a curse but at least I didn't tell everyone to lump on! I thought 7/2 was tight, let alone 2/1 fav, not sure where all that money came from but none of it was mine. He looked fine pre-race, but Jack reported him to have felt very flat from very early on, never travelling with the zest he can, and certainly nothing like his recent starts. He jumped better than he can, but didn't pick up and hung left again, which he hasn't done for a few starts. Maybe he resented the changes we made - CP/TT back on, a bit more patient on him. This game! Drives you mad at times.

He's now settling in at Dr Newland's, where the poor sod needs a holiday. I don't think he's had 2-3 months off in his life since going into training and maybe it looks like we've gone to the well one run too many, that his 11th start for us since end of last November. He's had a few 40-50 day breaks in that time, but has been in a training routine for the duration, and given he always tries his best when running, has probably had enough for the time being. 8-12 weeks in a field will do him the world of good. We're also going to get his breathing checked again before he goes on holiday, as we've got a hunch there could be something there holding him back.

We will try him on the AW when he does make a return in the New Year, and see if a 1m6-2m handicapper there, which his breeding suggests there could be. He's a half-brother to Italian 8.7f/1m1f winner Balerion; dam unraced sister to 9.4f AW winner Caribana (dam of 1m4f Group 3 winner Cubanita) out of 1m4f winner, is granddaughter of of Yorkshire Oaks winner/Irish Leger second Key Change. Maybe we've been running him in the wrong code all along!

The link below is also from a piece of work he did in June, he's nearside. The horse in the middle was a recent 1m4f winner off 63, now rated low 70s, and he cantered all over her. It gives us hope! You can watch that HERE>>>

Uttoxeter...Future Winners?

2.25 -

Isabella Bee, who I left on price grounds but who did make 7/4 look value, hacked up here to my eyes. Loads left in the tank, an ok race, and shaped here as if could be even more improvement, even more so if/when stepped up in trip to 2m4f. Looks like Good is important, so may not have many darts to fire this season, but one they'll have fun with for another summer yet you'd imagine. Obviously as a LTO winner she may not be much of a price next time but not sure i'd want to oppose, if well placed.

My Only Fools was very well backed and at least finished top 3, a bit sweaty pre race and keen enough in it, but maybe they can find a small race for her. Needs to settle better, maybe one for next season as matures further, as a 5YO. This is low grade racing of course, these animals no world beaters, but even so, she showed more here.

Apologise - could be the well beaten one for the notebook. First start of the season, never put into the race, but moved well and settled ok. He won on the flat in Ireland over 1m4f as a 3YO, in soft, and that would tend to make you think as a hurdler he'd need further than 2m in time, and he certainly shaped that way here, outpaced from 3 out. I also think he may want softer ground. He struggled to settle last season, his first for the superb Greenhall & Guerrirro team, but looks be getting the hang of it. He's a low grade handicapper but one to keep an eye on when stepped up in trip, and maybe on softer ground. He's a previous winner at least and I suspect could leave a mark of 100 behind at some stage, and he may drop a couple of lbs for this effort. He'll be fitter next time also and this was an ok race for the grade.

3.00 -

Emotional Memories - fast finishers are usually noticed by everyone of course, but still, he moved and finished like a well handicapped horse, clipping heels turning in which didn't help and maybe cost him. First start of season and he could have done with a stronger pace. Looks to be wins at 2m4f there, but the breeding on the dam side suggests 3m could be within range at some point. Lightly raced, should get a mark after this, and I suspect it will be workable, for all not sure what this form will be worth. Still, has ability, travelled well, jumped well, and tried - that's worth plenty up in that 0-115 range.

Red River Valley - I spoke to Fergal at start of the meeting on arrival, he's always very friendly and very honest. He expected Isabella B to win, and liked his other one, but initially couldn't remember this ones name! I don't think much was expected, and having seen him in the paddock I could see why - my word he's a brute. He's clearly taken time but I can see why he won a Point to Point. He's got future chaser written all over him, a unit. Who may want softer also. This was an ok run, travelled well, outpaced. He also still looked a bit tubby to my eyes. Do note him for when he sees a fence, as if he stays sound and can jump, that's where he'll be doing most damage. Maybe they're handicapping him over hurdles before throwing him into a novice handicap chase?

Incidentally Charles Byrnes was also here and I did go and say hello before our race, to see if we were all playing for second. He kept his cards close to his chest as you'd expect, but said his lad's jumping was the issue to date. His was very weak and let's just say I think a win may have been a surprise, I don't think the money was down, but maybe he's just moderate. Bumble Bee Bet - he's a bumper winner, I'm sure he'll pop up one day! But, this was a so so race as it turned out.

3.35 -

Ah, haha. Well you'll have noticed my mention of Getaway Luv, who I backed on-course as hit 6s as one stage. He was winning this when Sean somehow UR after 2 out. He jumped well and appreciated the step up in trip, but I doubt will go unmissed next time sadly, for all has his level.

Inishbiggle - he was my main fancy at bigger odds, ran ok, but I think this ground had dried out too much for him. He got outpaced a bit but did run much better than his last chase start and generally jumped better. He'd still be of interest if/when racing on proper soft, as I suspect room in this mark as a chaser.

Creative Control was meant to be winning in November/December, alas! For all he was booked for 2nd.

4.10 -

Hmm, nothing I really want to take forward here, Glorious Zoff ran ok but is hard to win with - he could have done with a much stronger pace, or maybe a stiffer finish. He will pop up again, prob one for EW betting, but does need a lot to fall right it seems, as is the case for all hold-up horses over 2m.

Nothing of note in the 4.45, the Fav UR when jumping into the back of one early on, and given how this panned out, I suspect would have hacked up. Still, Talkingthetalk did look a picture in the race beforehand.

5.20 -

Well, I ended up backing the 1-2-3 in this but did not do the £2700/1 trifecta, more fool me! Obviously I was on Jack The Farmer (nose defeat, urgh) and Mactavish (20/1, urgh) from the email, but did also then have a £5 on Wot You Wearing, simply based on paddock looks. I did tell the seven Shan owners in attendance I was backing him on looks, no-one listened to me! My paddock eyes are not too bad, could be better, but he looked stunning beforehand, fit as a flee, great in his coat, making handicap debut first go over 3m, having run well in bumpers - good bumper efforts can often indicate a stayer in the making, which is worth noting more generally. I probably got lucky and for you good reader's would have preferred one of the other two getting up!

Mactavish is obviously well handicapped, but probably won't be missed next time, on this evidence could get 3m2f or so. He will win a few from this lowly mark for the Sheppard's, on this evidence anyway. No issues with his stamina here.

Stiletto - the final one I'll mention. The three who fought this out all came from right out the back, suggesting a strong enough pace. Stiletto was the only one who raced up there, and led from 3 out, who stayed close by and didn't drop away. Tom may have pressed on too soon, I'm not sure. The horse is 0/19 in his career, now 0/4,1p over hurdles - he could just be a rogue who never finds much, you have been warned! They've been very aggressive with him to date and maybe a more patient ride would help? He appears a bit tripless also but there could be a 2m4f-3m handicap hurdle in him when it all falls right. He does tank along and has shown some ability, but again, he's a 87 rated jumper, so moderate, but plenty of weak 0-100s. Good ground appears important for now, so again, could run out of time soon, but he could pop up somewhere.

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That's all for today, hopefully I've said something useful/informative moving forwards! I'll try and flag them in time but don't rely on me to do so, do add to your trackers if desired!

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Josh