Tai Sing Yeh is expected to build on a promising, somewhat unlucky, debut effort in division one of the 2-y-o Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs of Lingfield polytrack this afternoon; clear 'best-in' and strongly-fancied by in-form trainer, Charles Hills.
Son of the legendary Barry, whose career tally of more than 3000 winners when he retired with a winner at Bath in August 2012, Charles will never match such statistics but 'Faringdon' has been on fire throughout this month and Hills, to be fair, consistently places horses to advantage.
Amazing how often there is always one yard that seems to leap forward during the last weeks of a turf-flat campaign, patience has been the key, without doubt.Barry is 'still there' and remarked on several occasions throughout the summer period 'these horses aren't right...!'
Many trainers weren't aware of their problems but during the last three months have voiced concerns about 'the virus' which, of course, prevailed at Hills' complex; Barry knew!
There would have been a time when an in-form stable would have 'run out of season' but that's not the case anymore; from 1989 an all-weather fixture list altered the dynamics and instead of switching to the National Hunt scene (jumpers!) we can take advantage of flat-racing form right through to the end of every year.
During my halcyon days that would have been ideal because backing jumpers before Xmas was always hazardous guesswork; not until about the second week of January did 'fashionable' trainers like Walwyn, Rimell, etc, really hit a seam on the run to Cheltenham.
Martin Pipe NEVER complained!
Tai Sing Yeh didn't go to York unfancied 19 days ago; but for being hampered about 300 yards out, under Michael Murphy, this imposing, easy-moving, colt would certainly have made the frame instead of finishing well into fifth. What beats him, and William Buick, will win!
In the opening Maiden Fillies' Stakes over seven furlongs cutely-named, Sir Michael Stoute-trained, Mittens will be tough to beat; she, too, impressed 'first-up' at Newmarket earlier this month and, realistically, could be anything.
Later another eight-race programme on 'poly' will be staged around Chelmsford, where a long-distance visitor from Richard Fahey's Malton yard, The Feathered Nest, has been journeyed with purpose; beaten favourite on debut and expected!
SELECTIONS
9.40 Mittens
10.10 Tai Sing Yeh
1.40 The Feathered Nest