Thoughts on today’s runners

Two runners today. Nyala is up first at Bath in the 5:35 at Bath. William Carson who gets on well with the filly retains the ride. A winner at Brighton over a mile she has often shaped as if she would get a mile and a quarter yet on both occasions she has just tied up in the final half furlong. Although most of her form has been on fast ground she did run well at Haydock on a day when the rain poured during racing and the official description was pretty inaccurate by the time she ran. She seemed effective on that day and therefore perhaps the stiff test of running on easier ground over a mile may be an interesting combination. We have removed the hood, earlier in the season there was tendency to over race and the application of a hood has helped her to settle. It can remove a bit of response towards the end of a race however, therefore with the big field and coming back to a mile we’ve decided to see if she has matured and gone without today.

With their having been very little opportunity to run on softer ground this summer there are a few horses that are unexposed on a softer surface which makes this a difficult race to assess. Pure Shores is the obvious form pick based on a good victory last time out but has only one poor effort to her name on soft. Side Effect is bred to handle it and is an interesting option as she is lightly raced, whilst recent rival elation has won on good to soft. Dashing Poet is solid in these conditions and has solid form at this level and should run her race. Culdrose drops in grade and should handle the ground.

The admirable Chitra is the second runner in the 7:15 at Newcastle. Richard Kingscote rides in the six furlong nursery. The game hardy filly takes her racing incredibly well and has won twice and been second twice in recent weeks. She gets to race from the same mark as when going down a short head from a very wide draw at Catterick last week.

Chitra has had several of today’s rivals in behind before and it’s the handicap debutants who probably present the biggest dangers. Mattymiller wouldn’t have to improve a whole lot for the extra furlong here and is perhaps the most obvious of a quartet of handicap debutants to step forward. Picture Hat stared his career at Glorious Goodwood which perhaps suggests despite his ordinary effort that day that a he must have been showing decent ability at home given the size of the yard he hails from.