‘Bravo’ for Adam Kirby

Shouts of ‘Bravo’ could greet jockey Adam Kirby on his return to the winners’ enclosure at Leicester today! Kirby will be the fourth jockey in as many outings to partner Bravo Youmzain when Marco Botti’s charge faces three winners in the Novice Stakes over six furlongs of ‘good to firm’ ground which has been ‘watered!’ On my time-handicap Bravo Youmzain has a clear-cut chance of going one better even allowing for improvement from debut winner, Secretinthepark, and the fact Doncaster winner, Kimberella, will be fancied, being the mount of Jamie Spencer.

 

 

It’s that time of year when stables need to clear out some moderates but others are under pressure from unsuccessful owners who eventually come to terms that owning racehorses is an expensive hobby; ownership, though exciting, becomes extremely costly and the pitfalls far outweighs the pleasures for the majority. Purchasing a thoroughbred isn’t the problem, at a time when budgeting costs, keeping them is the crux given the average cost is at least £60 a day; there are some bargains to be had and the Selling Stakes over seven furlongs appears to rest with consistent, somewhat luckless Ficelle, recent winner Marford Missile and Lady Layla a recent beaten-favourite for which Spencer is also booked. Realistically Lady Layla justifies a serious each-way punt with three places on offer; it’s inconceivable she could be out of the placings.

 

 

Running in tandem with this seven-race programme are ‘heavy’ Hamilton and Kempton; both have marathon eight-race cards which, for the most part, are already in the ‘too difficult’ tray. An exception is the Maiden Stakes over nine furlongs and an obvious opportunity for William Haggas-trained Danchai, formerly trained by David Lanigan. Once-raced Danchai has, apparently, been working really well and so it’s surprising fellow Newmarket trainer James Fanshawe also journeys Kept a ‘million miles’ from Newmarket to challenge a neighbour. What’s going on? 

 

 

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