The second race at Newmarket today throws up an intriguing contest, with one horse in particular standing out among the 13 runners. This George Boughey filly looks perfectly suited to the distance and the conditions are on her side.
This four-year-old filly was a major eye-catcher when sent off at 15/2 fifth favourite in an 11-runner Class 6 handicap over this seven furlong trip at Lingfield 20 days ago. She normally runs up with the pace but uncharacteristically blew the start and rounded the first bend in last place about eight lengths adrift of the leader. She then had to travel wide throughout to pass runners and also went very wide rounding the home-bend. She did well to make up so much ground around the tight bends at Wolverhampton, which suits runners who are up with the pace.
It is usually difficult to make up ground and come from behind over the short two furlong run in there so, considering she eventually only finished a length down in 4th, it is fair to assume she would have won if breaking on terms and holding a better position during the race. She is up in class but looks well treated, receiving plenty of weight from her main rivals running off the same mark here and I think she could go close off bottom-weight.
The George Boughey yard are in good form (29% strike rate over the last two weeks) and he has a good record with the horses he sends to the track. WIDAAD will be fit on her third start back from a 122-day break, she is open to further improvement, the capable Nicola Currie is booked for the first-time, and the seven furlong trip on ground on the easy side of Good looks ideal.
This four-year-old Richard Hannon trained gelding appears to have been improved by a gelding operation over the winter. He won on his seasonal debut over this trip at Doncaster, before finishing second, 2.5 lengths clear of 10 off this 7lb higher mark on the all-weather at Lingfield just 15 days ago. He is lightly raced so may still have more to offer with Dane O’Neill taking over in the saddle for the first-time.
He likes it here having finished a half-length 2nd of 10 off 3lb higher last October. And that was over C&D (C meaning horses who won previously at the course and D being ones who won over the same distance). He also won over this trip off 1lb higher, in a higher Class, on the July course here last summer. He is versatile ground-wise and is fit from the all-weather so could easily be involved in the finish today.
Glen Coco is a 7-year-old gelding on a long losing run not having got his head in front since winning this race off a 6lb higher mark two years ago. However, he has been knocking at the door in his all-weather campaign recently, with three second place finishes in his last five starts. He could go well returned to turf, off a workable mark, with Kieran Shoemark a very good first-time booking.
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