Two runners at Wolverhampton today
We have two runners at Wolverhampton, today (Friday 11th of November). Martin Harley will be riding both, he is an excellent rider and we are delighted that he will be riding both. We have a pool of talented jockeys that we use on a regular basis and try and aim for consistency on each horse and also to fit horses to jockeys. At times getting a jockey can be a bit of a circus. Plans are obviously fluid when it comes to declaring and there are always going to be last minute changes, so their agents do have a somewhat thankless task. However, some agents really don’t help themselves, failing to inform trainers of possible problems. Martin is represented by the excellent Neil Allan and it would be very rare for him to leave you in the lurch, without a jockey at the last minute. The fact that one of his charges Luke Morris has more rides than anyone every year also proves that his early planning and willingness to explain any possible problems as soon as possible does no harm to the number of rides a jockey has. He also only has a handful of jockeys on his books, something which seems to work out best for flat jockeys on the whole.
Mutineer runs in the 4:15 a seven furlong maiden, it will be his second start. He is a strapping gelding with plenty of fire in his belly, when he channels it the right way he will develop into a good racehorse. Unfortunately on his intended last start at York he got lit up coming across the Knavesmire, which can be a daunting walk for an inexperienced horse. He took a fright in the stalls and had to be withdrawn. We have done plenty of work since then and he passed his stalls test with flying colours. The quieter surrounds of Dunstall Park will be an altogether better place for him to be in. He did his stalls test at the track, partly because it set him up nicely to come here for this run.
If the atmosphere is quiet, the opposition sadly isn’t. Zefferino looked a very smart horse when he made his debut and wasn’t disgraced in a better race on his next start either. Cliffs of Capri ran a promising race on debut and probably is a decent type, having gone down just a neck to a more experienced rival. Horses don’t come much better bred than Althib who is out of an Irish Oaks winners who is also a full sister to Nathaniel. Being by Dansili one would expect him to enjoy the all weather. Archer’s Arrow has also been second twice and also warrants respect.
Throw in a couple of decently bred newcomers into the mix and an expensive China Horse Club representative (Enhancement). It’s race that will throw up lots of winners down the line and a mid division performance would rate as a decent effort.
Sonnentanz runs in the 6:20, a nine and a half furlong classified race. Sonnentanz has been a long term project who was always going to need a bit further. She has been strengthening up in the last few months and should be suited by this longer trip. Maidens were always going to be a bit beyond her and she should be more competitive in this type of event. Our one minor concern is that her best run was on the turf.
In events like this its generally the horses with a bit of recent form that fair the best, Kay Sera and Deftera Lad fit that profile the best, the former over further the latter over shorter. Scent of Power might be the best over this trip. Wild Bloom falls into the same category as Sonnentanz – unexposed three year old’s whose pedigree suggest the extra distance may bring an improvement.
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