Patience is the supreme virtue for punters and they're advised to exercise plenty by waiting for Ferjaan, one of eleven 'decs' for division one of the Maiden Stakes over six furlongs of Kempton polytrack tonight.
Usually we incorporate ground conditions into our opening paragraph but with all-weather racing it's consistently 'standard' unless extremes of weather prevail; AWR is the best way forward for serious backers but never play in handicaps of more than eight runners.
Racing round bends brings obvious problems, for instance jockeys aren't able to get the 'pozzy' they want; given all horses are handicapped to dead-heat every 'negative' that occurs in-running represents a setback which smacks of bad luck at the time.
Maidens are different, by process of elimination there are often only two or three with a realistic chance, thrice-raced Ferjaan stands alone on my time-handicap every box is ticked.
This Oasis Dream colt is owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, mount of champion jockey, Paul Hanagan, and trained by John 'winning machine' Gosden, currently leading the trainers championship; best form of Ferjaan was achieved only eight days ago!
The second leg of this maiden looks a tad more competitive; consistent, hitherto luckless Fraserburgh appealed at first glance, once-raced Exactement was runner-up 133 days ago and then it became obvious this is within capabilities of Mundahesh, owned by 'Hamdan' and ride of Hanagan!
Mundahesh looked the part on debut three weeks ago when this Tamayuz colt apparently 'surprised' trainer William Haggas by running a close third, beaten only three lengths, by Van Dan Neer, a rare runner for Richard Hannon, at Yarmouth!
According to the TH Mundahesh doesn't need to improve but probably will and therefore qualifies as a 'professional special!'
There are only two handicaps on an eight-race programme and so it seems the executive is listening to punters who have boycotted Kempton; it often resembles a graveyard.
Ayr races on 'soft (heavy in places)' but Duke Of Yorkshire should be worth chancing in the opening Maiden Stakes over a mile, especially with useful apprentice Neil Farley riding for his guv'nor Declan Carroll; a 3lbs allowance could weigh heavily against his moderate rivals, with exception of Al Thumama and the dynamic, apprentice championship-chasing Amy Ryan.
SELECTIONS
R2 (1) Duke Of Yorkshire
R30 (3) Ferjaan
R31 (3) Mundahesh