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April 2nd SUMMING UP
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The first chance of the new season to see runners with solid form from
previous races in oppostion. Fast Freddie and Pernomente
ran in similar races at this course 24 hours apart. Both events saw quickish
first furlongs before the pace settled down on the turn downhill and then
the leaders kicking on into the straight.
Fast Freddie looked a straightforward, smallish but well built, type in
being one of those leaders and finished a good second. He had everything
go his way in that race and has a tougher job here from stall 8 but a repetition
of his quick break on debut would see him set a good standard here. The
trainer's decision to use a 7lb apprentice seems slightly odd but he looked
as easy ride so perhaps the weight allowance will be a real positive.
Pernomente managed to get to second from stall 6 behind Bazroy who ran
a similar style of race to Fast Freddie in a taking win. That winner showed
more quickening ability than Fast Freddie had done the previous day and
left Pernomente behind. The question then is how would Pernomente have
fared against Fast Freddie? The way he faded in the last furlong suggested
he might have paid for trying to go with Bazroy and was better than the
result. The video of the race shows him to be a scratchy mover in front
and lacking a change of pace because he did not stretch out (which probably
contributed to the fade). Either way, we will found out more in this race
but he looks less straightfoward than Fast Freddie.
Everyman made his debut in a weak Brocklesby on soft ground but
even in that relatively slow race left the impression that this downhill
5f wouldn't be to his advantage. He looked a horse with potential but over
longer distances.
Of the others the most likely to show up well on debut is Bertie Swift
for a trainer who tends to have his 2yos competent and mostly ready FTO.
He is a relatively expensive purchase for the trainer (who raced the dam)
and the booking of JP Spencer probably has a some significance.
It would be a surprise if any of the others were good and forward enough
to win on debut but Miss Kool Kat and Circle Of Truth should
both be assess for their ability to win on their second outings.
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RACE QUALITY:
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A Median Auction race whereby the entrants all carry normal weights according
to gender. However, they qualify to run by the sire having a Median price
for his yearling sales below a certain value. Which means that although
the race has a Class 6 rating relatively expensive horses can run. For
example, Fast Freddie cost 35,000gns but his sire's Median was around
12,000gns.
This type of race also allows owner breds to run which have not been through
the sales ring at all. This, in general, is a good thing because it lessens
the need for horses to be put into sales and then have the owner, or a
representative, bidding for their own property. This is just about acceptable
if they press on to purchase their horse at any price but pretty dubious
if the horse is sold to someone else. How would you feel if you paid 10,000gns
for something at an auction and found out the only person bidding against
you from 2,000gns was the existing owner?
In summary, this type of 'Median Auction' has the potential to have a wider
range of quality of individuals than a 'Maiden Auction' (where the runners
qualify for the race and carry weights in line with their own sales
price. In theory, the price should reflect the ability.....). The final
point is not to see this as a 'Class 6' race because of it's title and
judge it on the performance merits. This isn't a Class 6 handicap where
everything has proved they belong in that Class.
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TRAINERS:
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The bulk of the field represent the usual group of trainers and an early
season Lingfield AW race will normally include runners from some combination
of BR Millman, WGM
Turner, PD Evans & JS
Moore. All except Mr Turner (who had the second in the first race of
the season here) have had an AW winner already (Mr Millman at the new Kempton
track).
R Millman runs two fillies - Elle's Angel & Peppin's Gold -
who were both relatively cheap purchases at the Tattersalls Ireland sales.
Jockey A. Munro rides Elle's Angel and he is usually aboard the first string.
WGM Turner runs two with Circle Of Truth & Lord Charles. He
bred the first of these and Lord Charles was owner bred by one of his long
standing patrons. Mr Turner normally uses apprentices to ride his 2yos
and appears to have settled on 3lb claimer R. Miles as his current first
choice and he rides Circle Of Truth.
There are some interesting trainers amongst the other runners. K Ryan
was the top story amongst 2yo trainers in 2005 and he has his second southern
AW debut runner with Miss Kool Kat. This is a departure from his normal
methods and it is interesting to ponder why he has changed. In general
only his very best 2yos win FTO and his two runners to date have shown
some promise without ever looking capable of getting into the race. His
very earliest runners are usually winners of some sort in the season.
New trainer TJ Pitt had his only 2yo runner (Fast Freddie) ready
and competent on his debut here and he was backed strongly. He ran well
in just losing out to a M Channon 'natural'. Jockey JF Egan rode on debut
and the trainer poses a question here by switching to using a 7lb apprentice.
Does he really think that Fast Freddie needs 7lb off his weight to win?
J Gallagher has had only a small number of 2yos in the last 4 seasons
and no in that period. In the last two seasons he has got his early runners
fit and ready to compete on debut. Bertie Swift cost 13,000gns and is an
expensive buy by the stable's standards.
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SIRES:
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First season sires :-
Act One has a non precocious
pedigree and 2yo race record and Everyman has been his only runner to date.
Tobougg was a 7f winner
as a 2yo on his debut in August. He has his first runner with Elle's Angel.
Former US based sire Exploit
has his first British raced 2yo with Miss Kool Kat. He was exported to
Korea in 2005.
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