Thoughts of Monkey Miss

Monkey Miss starts off the week with a trip to Bath on Monday 6th May in the 2.15pm. Richard Kingscote takes the ride on this filly in the 3 year old Handicap over 5 furlongs and 160 yards.

Monkey Miss has run ok on both her starts this season from difficult draws on the all weather. She looks to have a much better pitch today. We are slightly concerned about the going as its potentially heavier than it is being called. The clerk is calling it good to soft, soft in places. Which is the same the as it was called on Friday morning. However the going stick is giving a reading of 3.9. It has only been recorded as lower than that once in the last nine seasons according to Turf Trax.

It seems hard to believe the going is not softer than the official description, especially when the last meeting was 4.4 and called soft, and there are many instances of Bath racing on soft going. Of course by keeping the going description the same as on declaration morning it does mean that horses have to travel to the course as they can’t be made an non-runner. Now once a horse is at the track its much more likely to run. The racecourse benefits from bigger fields financially, so obviously they have an incentive to keep the going report the same as it was at declaration time to avoid non-runners. It seems the more commercially run tracks are therefore at risk of being compromised in terms of giving an accurate description.

The race looks open, none of the field are recent winners, but several having been running relatively consistently in similar contests and not finishing too far away. Probably a race that will go to the one who handles the ground well and gets a bit of luck in running. Anglesey Lad and Forever Eighteen are amongst the more likely.

Monkey Miss runs in the colours of owner Wayne Clifford and was bred by Sarah Clifford at their Byerley Stud. She will be led up by Epona Miller who cares for her daily at home.