Monday racing tips: Andy Ayres picks out his best bet for today’s racing while updating us on all the latest gossip from the tracks as Newbury’s never-ending building work comes in for criticism
Don't miss out on all the latest talk from the tracks as Andy Ayres discusses his latest batch of juveniles to back next time out
IF YOU love cliffhangers then Saturday’s action was bang on the button.
We had a dead-heat for the Ayr Gold Cup and the finishes at Newbury produced enough photos to keep Bonusprint in business for a year.
To be honest, Newbury was a quieter than a monk’s reunion on Saturday. While that was partially down to diabolical weather, this course has managed to alienate plenty of its regulars.
The track executive has made a dog’s dinner of managing never-ending building works – the new paddock has had more facelifts than Donatella Versace - and on a busy day parking your car feels like a Krypton Factor challenge.
A good pal of mine heard one of the courses head honchos moaning about the rain on Friday as they’d watered twice earlier in the week.
Quite why you need to water when Saturday’s forecast was for a biblical downpour is baffling and didn’t help trainers, owners or punters.
LATEST IN HORSE RACING
William Haggas would probably disagree as his Young Rascal is happier than Michael Phelps on a wet surface and produced a gutsy effort to win the Arc Trial.
He’d have as much chance as me in that race, but connections have spied a 1m7f Group 2 at Longchamp on the same weekend and that could be right up his street.
The John Gosden trained Kessaar is another who could be on his Gullivers after out-staying True Mason to win the Mill Reef Stakes.
Kessaar has options in France and Italy on his dance-card and is worth keeping busy as he’s improving with every run.
LINING THEM UP John Gosden outlines his plans for the end of the season for his star-studded stable
Charlie Fellowes is a glass half-full type of bloke and was bullish about his King Ottokar (8-1 to 9-2) before the 7f novice event here.
He wasn’t wrong either, as the big colt edged home after a cracking tussle with Raise You to land some lumpy wagers.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Solid Stone is one to take from this race. No two-year-old from this yard is going to be knocked about first-time and Ryan Moore gave the handsome colt a kid gloves ride to finish fourth.
He’ll improve plenty and will be a different proposition when racing on a surface that doesn’t resemble the Somme.
Monday Magic
ALEXA ROSE (3.40 Kempton) ran a cracker from a tricky draw on her debut at Windsor and looks a useful prospect.
There were more smart youngsters at Newbury on Friday than you’d see on Child Genius, Charlie Hills’ Breath Of Air being the pick after his runaway win in a 6f maiden.
He floated to post and showed enough to make William Buick whisper a few sweet nothings in the trainer’s ear after the race.
The Ed Walker team went for a punt with Came From The Dark (8-1 to 5-1) in the other division of this contest and might have been unlucky as he was done up like a kipper when attempting to challenge.
There’s something likeable about this grey colt and he’s definitely one to keep on-side.
ALEXA ROSE finished a place ahead of Came From The Dark on her debut at Windsor three-weeks ago and will be hard to beat in the 7f novice event (3.40) at Kempton this afternoon.
Jeremy Noseda’s filly is built like a Russian shot-putter and is bred to be right at home on this Polytrack surface.