4.45pm £8,000 DUKE GRIME MEMORIAL HANDICAP 1m 6f 175y
GOING: Good
for the best odds go to www.BritOdds.com
BP= the best price at the time of writing
1(5) -(1)(2)054 SALUTE Pat Murphy 8-9-09 Robert Havlin
In good form through the winter, winning thee times from five starts on the Polytrack on rating s from 66 to 76. Has seemed one-paced since and is now in the handicapper’s grip even with a 1lb drop since last time out - current rating 83. BP= 16/1
2)(8) 110-60 RATIONALE Stuart Williams 4-9-09
Landed a four-timer last season from a mile to a mile and three quarters rising 23lb in the process. Has shown little in two starts this term and is best watched at present. BP= 16/1
3)(4) (3)100-0 NOBELIX James Fanshawe 5-9-09 William Buick (5)
Easy winner of a Haydock handicap over the trip last term and scored twice over hurdles during the winter. Appeared not to stay when eased in the Ascot Stakes over two and a half miles last time and is now 2lb lower in the ratings. Trainer in form. BP= 7/2
4) (9) -(3)3140 GEE DEE NEN Mark Tompkins 4-9-09 Eddie Ahern.
Found the heavy ground against him last time out at Newbury. Won a Thirsk five-runner handicap in May and is usually consistent - may prefer two miles rather than this shorter trip. BP= 9/1
5)(3) (1)(1)(3)-04 VELVET HEIGHTS John Dunlop 5-9-09 Ian Mongan
Has won three times on the Polytrack since a turf win as a juvenile. Has dropped in the handicap and was not disgraced last time. He has fair form on turf and must have a chance, especially as there are plenty of horses in this race who likel to go off in front BP= 5/1
6)(2) (2)(2)(1)/3 BULL MARKET Jamie Osborne 4-9-07 Philip Robinson
Ran well on Salisbury return after 18 months on the sides. Must go well again if the bounce does not get to him. Steps up another two furlongs. BP= 17/2
7)(6) -41321 OSOLOMIO Alan Swinbank 4-9-06 Seb Sanders.
Front-runner who has won two 12-furlong handicaps this year but been beaten over this trip an d 13 furlongs so his stamina could be suspect. He is racing off a 7lb higher rating today as well. BP= 11/2
8)(1) 554-10 TRIBE Paul Webber 5-9-05 Pat Dobbs
Went up 11lb for winning easily at Pontefract over 18 furlongs in April but was tailed off last time out over the same course and distance on softer ground. May find this trip on the short side. BP= 12/1
9(7) 14-234 INDONESIA Tim Walford 5-9-01 Tony Hamilton
Races very consistently. Hampered at a crucial stage last time out at Catterick. Was second off a mark of 73, over course and distance in May. Now on 75. BP= 5/1
SUMMARY
An interesting little handicap in which plenty do seem to have things against them. The safest and best value wager looks to be an each-way one on Velvet Heights.
GOOD LUCK
AGE NO BARRIER TO THE TATLING’S AUDI STAKES CHANCES
*BARKER CONSIDERS GROUP THREE SPRINT FOR MECCA’S MATE*
Trainer Milton Bradley is hoping to show that old-timers still have plenty of dash as he prepares veteran sprinter The Tatling for a second success in the £50,000 Group Three Audi Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday, August 2.
The venerable Monmouthshire handler is hoping the rain stays away from the south coast so that his 10-year-old speedster can attempt to repeat his 2003 victory in Goodwood’s premier five-furlong dash.
Bradley revealed today: “He’d be a very likely runner providing the ground starts to dry up a bit. Like everyone else, we’re hoping for a bit of sunshine!”
The Tatling has mixed it with the best sprinters around throughout his career and also boasts a triumph in the 2004 Group Two King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on his fantastic record.
The gelding is in fine heart this season, winning a conditions event at Musselburgh in May and again running with credit in the King’s Stand Stakes, in which he was eighth to Miss Andretti, before going down by only a length and three quarters when fourth to Hoh Mike in the Group Three Laurent-Perrier Champagne Stakes at Sandown on July 7.
Bradley said: “The Tatling ran quite well at Ascot in the King’s Stand and I think he could have been a couple of places closer if he’d been pressed but what’s the point in being hard on him to finish sixth instead of eighth?
“I think he had very bad luck in running at Sandown last time, which no-one seems to have noticed. He ran up the back of some horses and had to be snatched up and then switched left and he was only beaten in a photo for third. I think he’d have been second with a clear run.
“He’s not getting any quicker - a bit like me - but to be honest, his last two runs have been right up to his good form if you take into account the bad luck in running. I think he’ll run a big race at Goodwood, so long as it dries up a bit.
“He’s in good form and is really well. We would have liked to have run him at Newbury today in the Hackwood Stakes but you can’t do what you can’t do.”
The Tatling has contested the Audi Stakes four times and followed his neck 2003 victory with a close third to Ringmoor Down 12 months later. He was unable to overhaul Fire Up The Band when the neck runner-up in 2005 and last season saw him come with his usual late run to take fourth, a length and three-quarters behind La Cucaracha.
Bradley’s charge could be joined in the field by the David Barker-trained Mecca’s Mate, who was fifth in the 2005 Group Three Audi Stakes.
The six-year-old mare scored over the distance in Listed company at Ayr on July 8, before coming home fifth to Theann on soft ground in the Group Three Cuisine de France Summer Stakes over six furlongs at York on July 13.
North Yorkshire-based Barker revealed: “Mecca’s Mate is the most likely of my horses to run there at this stage as she would get a good fast pace at Goodwood.
“She’s in good form and ran okay at York the other day. The sixth furlong just got to her. It was a slow pace which didn’t suit her and then stamina got the better of her.”
The Audi Stakes was first run in 1911 and has been won by some exceptionally fast sprinters down the years such as Ahonoora (1979), Soba (1983), Primo Dominie (1985) and Silver Fling (1988).
More recent winners include the brilliant Lochsong (1993 & 1994), who went on to secure the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye following each success, as did Hever Golf Rose after taking the Goodwood prize in 1995.
Last year’s winner, the Barry Hills-trained La Cucaracha, had won the previous year’s Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York, while the runner-up, Desert Lord subsequently landed the Prix de l’Abbaye for trainer Kevin Ryan.
The £50,000 Group Three Audi Stakes will be shown live on Channel 4 at 2.50pm on day three of the five-day Glorious Goodwood Festival, which runs from Tuesday, July 31 to Saturday, August 4.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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