Firefright, one of 16 'decs' for a Maiden Stakes over an extended six furlongs of 'good to soft' Newbury this afternoon, was also entered for a tasty two year old race on 'good' ground Doncaster, which has divided.
Placing is the name of this game and trainer Jeremy Noseda wants to guarantee Firefright makes it fourth time lucky; that might have been difficult on Town Moor where once-raced, Sir Michael Stoute-trained Swiftsure looks the answer in division one.
Doubtless there was a phone call between the aforementioned Newmarket-based trainers and, hopefully, it leaves the way open for punters to target punters with a couple of real 'beauts!'
If either gets beaten I'll be disappointed, if neither wins, gobsmacked, but racing is all about negotiating stumbling blocks, we're a hardy breed and tomorrow will be another day.On my redoubtable time-handicap Firefright is clear 'best-in' judged on a career-best' effort six weeks ago over a similar distance, at Doncaster.
Jamie Spencer is again booked and we expect this to be procession; Swiftsure is reckoned a potential classic colt and his second, on a soft surface at Salisbury last month, smacked of an encouraging debut.Incidentally Stoute has often taken decent types to that picturesque Wiltshire course, throughout his career, to 'test the water!'
Of course trainer Richard Hannon is always a force and tries (yet!) again with consistent, hitherto luckless, Tafaakhor, in the second leg. 'Stoutey' runs a newcomer, Mirage Dancer, and both his juveniles are mounts of Ryan Moore. Watch the market for significant moves.
Tafaakhor runs in colours of Hamdan al Maktoum and we've heard the 69-year-old Sheikh is set to make quite a few changes, right from the top, and so watch this space, as they say.Two fascinating eight race programmes which contain seven juvenile races, my ideal of 'manna from heaven!
SELECTIONS
9.50 Firefright (nap)
10.35 Swiftsure
11.10 Tafaakhor (e.w)