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Buy £145,000 Ah Whisht is aiming for two wins out of two for Tom Symonds at Plumpton on Monday; Gay Kelleways Haaland looking to get back to winning ways in Wolverhampton; Watch every race from both meetings live on Sky Sports Racing
17:05, United Kingdom, Sunday March 12, 2023
Sky Sports Racing’s Elliot David has picked two winners in each of his first two columns and returns with five to remain on the side at Plumpton and Wolverhampton on Monday.
AH WHISH
1.50 Plumpton
Monday is all about Goodwin in Plumpton as the owners of Chris Gordon’s new hurdler sponsor the card. The owners have an enviable 33 percent batting rate on under-rules runners in the UK, particularly Betfair Hurdle winner Aucunrisque.
After sending some useful performers in Smurphy Enki and Unanswered Prayers to win the recent renewals of this competition, Gordon relies on the appropriately named ones Goodwin Racing, who landed a first hurdle victory on the second attempt on February 26th over a shorter journey in Fontwell.
In the opposition, coached by Venetia Williams Hermes Du Gouet hit the bull’s-eye in tricky ground conditions in Exeter on January 10 but 0-17’s 14-day stable form must raise concerns about how they are going at the moment. His previous hurdle efforts at Chepstow and Leicester weren’t up to par and you couldn’t be sure he’ll repeat the Exeter effort.
Instead it is the mare of Tom Symonds AH WHISH The appears to be a key contender, having impressed many in a debut 13-length hurdles win on February 9th.
The Necarne point-to-point winner, who cost a whopping £145,000, comes from a family of quality and endurance. Her dam Listening has produced five winners out of five foals including 3 mile winner Hear No Evil and Nicky Henderson’s useful Attacca.
I would say Connections will eventually eye a black guy for their prized mare and she would certainly need to win this to continue down this path.
THE STREET
3.35 Plumpton
In Last Time Out Winner midnight reflection And Gerico Ville You’ve got a pair worth fighting for preference in this handicap hurdles contest. Ben Case’s eight-year-old mare Midnightreflection has taken advantage of a class drop to finish second and first in her last two starts, but at a mark of 124 she remains 5lbs below her career high of 129.
After being ridden by Harry Bannister at Doncaster on February 22nd, for which she was penalized 4lbs, she has 7lbs taken off her back courtesy of Charlie Case, but there would have to be some concerns about her endurance in the predicted soft ground above give three miles and a furlong trip. If she hits soft ground three miles or further, she was hit by 15, 44, and 27 lengths.
My speculative interest lies in Emma Lavelle’s returning seven-year-old THE STREET, who is on a small rescue mission after falling and being pulled up, when last seen in November and December. The two falls came over fences on his two starts and the pursuit experiment was quickly called off. I can forgive a pulled-up effort at Fontwell following that and after a break he could come back from 117 refreshed and nicely handicapped.
HAALAND
6.00 Wolverhampton
I can’t understand Gay Kelleway’s projected 4/1 price Haalandthis competition being dramatically easier than the handicap he contested over course and distance on January 30th. At Tabaretta (90) and Mighty River (87) he only encountered horses in a slightly different league on that occasion, but drew seven lengths away from Andrew Balding’s Logistical in fourth place in a run that did not disgrace him.
I thought that run was another step up from his two wins at lower altitudes and he has none of the quality of this pair here. In fact, Balding’s Logistical gives us a closely comparable moldline here, beaten by a leg by Charlie Johnston time wave on January 17th. In this race the three year old from Johnston had an easy time at the front end, something he doesn’t see guaranteed here and his price point by contrast looks meager in these conditions.
Stan Moore won the race Mirabello Bay on March 8 seemed to fall apart as the front quartet drove too fast and set it up for horses ridden by that pace. While the leading quartet finished fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh, Moore’s attack from behind came through late. In the end, I’m flattered by the result. In my opinion, this looks like an excellent placement from Kelleway and Haaland can claim his third win of 2023.
Savannah smiles
6.30 Wolverhampton
This looks like open competition, as you’d probably expect for a three-year handicap in the basement. With her stable in decent shape, Tom Wards Savannah smiles is now making each-way appeal back down in Trip after failing to race her past seven furlongs when last seen.
Third of three on her debut, we now know she probably didn’t stand a chance in Bath that day as May Hill Stakes winner Polly Pott came home victorious. Her Southwell run on Jan. 23 is by far a “career best” yet, beaten by just over a length from Karl Burke’s Shine Honey Shine with subsequent winners at McLean House and Wreck It Ryley.
She went up seven furlongs at Southwell on February 21, took what appeared to be too sharp a stop and ran a muddled race. It’s not the first time she’s done this and she may have to be delivered late. From a wide draw in 10, Sean Levey will likely have to opt for a hold-up ride, but with pace offered by players like low-drawn pair saywaan And She’s a rocketshe looks like she’s about to get a good move in this competition.
GASTRONOMY
7.00 Wolverhampton
It might be a tough task for Roger Varian’s four-year-old to win this in his first start since returning from gelding surgery in August, but I think he’s got to be one for your tracker for the 2023 flat season.
He made a good step forward from what was only an ‘okay’ debut and finished fourth over 10 furlongs at Nottingham in a strong looking rookie competition. He was looking just a little outdated that day on a rattling fast ground similar to what he encountered on the debut and he could very well welcome a move to the tapeta here
By Ulysses out of Cantal, who was herself half-sister to two Group 3 winners, he is half-brother to two elegant horses in Perfection and Molatham. His dam comes from Pivotal, a cross that we experienced as enormously successful in his young stallion career when paired with Ulysses. Out of 14 Pivotal mares, Ulysses has sired six individual winners, including Holloway Boy (group-placed two-year-old) and list-placed Maid Gwan So.
As mentioned, it’s entirely possible he needs that run and the throwback to the extended mile doesn’t necessarily fit here, but with the handicapper assigning a mark after this run I’ll keep him in mind for the 2023 turf season ahead.