Meeting Review: Roscommon - June 8th, 2008

Positives: The opening 7f maiden was hardly the strongest affair but Hidden Door caught the eye in coming from off the pace to grab third. The other horses involved in the finish were all on the pace throughout and also had the benefit of experience, whereas the Jessica Harrington runner was making her debut. On breeding (by Montjeu) she’ll enjoy going up in trip and you’d expect one from this yard to improve a lot for the run. Emmet McNamara could be criticised for easing his mount Nortburn near the line in the 7f handicap and allowing Funatfuntasia [WON Bellewstown, 5/7 - 11/2] to get up on the inside but even so the Joanna Morgan-trained 4yo would have been an unlucky loser. Travelling much the better than his rivals, he didn’t get the run of the race but picked up well when seeing daylight. Morgan says that he doesn’t do much in front so he might benefit from the strong handling of a senior jockey as he had here but he won’t be getting much of a hike for this and can win again soon.

Negatives: Signora Frasi was a disappointing market leader in the maiden and is starting to look tripless – she didn’t seem to stay 7f here whereas last time out she’d shaped as if wanting a mile. With her connections, the Indian Ridge filly will continue to be favoured in the betting but it will be a bad race that she wins. Unwritten Rule was inexplicably backed into 3/1 joint-favouritism in the 1m4f handicap despite his trainer having said he didn’t stay the trip last time. He looks regressive and a mark of 102 seriously over-estimates his ability. I quite liked Silent Wind in the 2m handicap hurdle, not only because he seemed to have gotten off lightly with a 9lb hike for an easy win last time but also because his connections have done well with this type of summer horse in the past (see Buster, Barrack or Folly, Cunningham’s). The 106-rated flat horse jumped well but his old tail-swishing antics returned (he earned the immortal formbook comment ‘swished his tail vigorously throughout final 2f’ in Germany in June 2005) as he was asked to battle up the straight and certainly isn’t one to trust. 2 wins from 13 starts is a disappointing return for a horse of his ability and while more forcing tactics might suit, he looks a type who may want to win on the bridle which is obviously difficult in the competitive type of race he’ll be running in.

Pointers: As suggested previously, the form of the Curragh handicap won by Captain Cole on 2,000 Guineas has worked out well and Ragged Staff gave it another boost in landing the valuable 1m4f handicap. He might well be able to win again as he still looks well-in on some of his 3yo form but there are a few horses that finished behind who are also of interest, granted their conditions. The third Phantom Lad ran a big race at 20/1 and took his first time out record to:3323. Head Of The River dead-heated for fourth and continues to run well in this sort of race – the 4yo needs cut to show his best though and has never finished in the first three on ground quicker than good-yielding. The other dead-heater Definate Spectacle is especially interesting as he’s dropped to a mark he can certainly win off – he’ll prove best at 9 or 10f and runs especially well at Leopardstown where his career figures read:212014. Grantsville was a well-beaten eighth but I wouldn’t give up on her just yet – the former listed winner is rated just 75 and simply doesn’t stay this trip. 10f would be right up her street. What a trainer this Joanna Morgan is! The aforementioned Funatfuntasia formed half of an across-the-card double with Dbest at Cork (whose form figures at Mallow now read:1111) and what amazes is her ability to extract further improvement from seemingly exposed handicappers. Miss Gorica found in hard to win after a couple of wide-margin victories last term but the drop to 6f worked the oracle at Navan on Friday evening and I’d be particularly interested in Alamgiyr when he gets a handicap mark over hurdles. Dbest is likely to try to exploit a ludicrous flat mark of 55 in the coming weeks and while Raise Your Heart was his own worse enemy by not settling over hurdles, his cruising speed will surely serve him well when returning to the level.