Friday 14th September

rossom

1.15 Doncaster

Sound of Guns 10/1 NAP

I've said before her last two races that I think Sound of Guns could prove to be a very decent prospect and I still think this filly could be top, top drawer. Ed Walker's 2 year old made her debut back in June when a rather well backed debutant as she finished a 5.25L beaten 6th at Goodwood over 6f. From a wide draw, she shaped very well for a long way and showed good cruising speed to get up close to the pace after being settled in the rear before looking as if she got tired late on and she was given an easy enough time by Martin Lane. That Class 4 Maiden looks an extremely hot race. The winner Momalorka ran a fantastic 3rd in the Weatherbys Super Spring going down by a neck. Furthermore, the next 4 horses home have won subsequently and it looks like a far above average maiden. Given the form of this race, its clear it was an extremely promising debut effort for Sound of Guns and she improved for the experience when I thought she ran out an extremely promising winner of a maiden at Yarmouth.

Her win was very, very impressive as she had to overcome a lot of adversity but she scored in the style of a classy yet inexperienced horse. At Yarmouth over 6f in July, she broke slowly and ran a bit green at the tail of the field. After this, she pulled the arms of William Buick for quite a while before having to be switched as she came with what looked an effortless challenge. When asked to quicken under hands and heels, she drew alongside the leader Vestibule and once Buick gave her a smack of the whip she pulled about half a length clear as Buck nursed her to victory by 1.25L, with the front 2 drawing 6L clear of the remainder. It was clear as day that this filly had a lot left in the tank and I think Ed Walker could potentially have a top, top filly on his hands. Although the 2nd Vestibule has disappointed since, two other horses have won since from in behind so it doesn't look the worst of races. However, it was the visual nature of her performance that really took my eye that day.

Her final start came last month in a Listed contest at Newbury over 5f when she went down a 0.75L beaten 2nd behind Rosdhu Queen. I said that day that I felt it was going to take a very, very good horse to beat her and it seems the winner could be just that. After breaking a step slowly, her high cruising speed was again on show as she recovered the ground quickly. She tracked the eventual winner and after being asked for a maximum effort from Luke Morris she hung to the right a bit as she couldn't quite close the deficit. There is a possibility that Rosdhu Queen had a bit up her sleeve but it was still an extremely gallant effort in defeat in a race where the form has been very strongly franked. The winner Rosdhu Queen has subsequently extended her unbeaten record to 3 when landing the Group 2 Lowther Stakes in very taking fashion and in hindsight Sound of Guns lost absolutely nothing in defeat. The 3rd Sandreamer (beaten 1L) won a Listed contest in Italy the other day to strengthen the races form once again. Further to this, if looking through Sandreamer's previous race where she finished 2nd to the very useful prospect Maureen, a line of form can be established with today's 2nd favourite Hoyam. Sandreamer finished 1.25L ahead of Hoyam that day and given that she was beaten by Ed Walker's filly in this Listed contest at the very least she seems the value call given she is more than twice the price of Hoyam

Today Sound of Guns is again upped in class to contest this Group 2 event over 5f at Doncaster and its clear she is going to have to raise her game to land this. To my eyes she has definitely shaped as if she will improve with every run and I'm very confident that a race of this nature is within her sphere of ability. William Buick takes over in the saddle again after being unavailable for her last effort and although Luke Morris gave her a fine ride the last day, Buick seemed to get on with her extremely well when partnering her to victory and he is riding extremely well at present. Purely on form lines through Sandreamer, she is vastly overpriced at 10/1 and rates the value call in the race but I really, really rate this filly very highly and I envisage her having an excellent career ahead of her. I think if she was trained by one of the bigger named trainers she'd probably be half her price but I'm a big fan of Ed Walker and I think he's a great trainer in the making. With her trainer in good form at present, I really rate this filly's chances and see her putting in a tremendous run and I will be very surprised if she isn't very close at the finish. She's taking on some proven top class performers today and I think after her run we'll find out just how good she is. I don't get extremely bullish too often about a horses prospects but I really think Sound of Guns has what it takes to make it at the very top level.

rossom

Will try get write ups done for these at some stage.

2.20 Doncaster Saddler's Rock 3/1 NB (big bet)
3.05 Sandown Dixie's Dream 18/1
4.05 Doncaster Galician 12/1

Colonel Sanders

Hey Rossom

Are you forgiving Saddlers Rock's last run due to the ground?

How is the ground today? Hasn't it rained the last 2 days?

Howjoe1

Cheers. I'll chance and few of them and Force of Habit which was mentioned on another thread.

But I'm a bit wary too of backing Saddler's Rock without the Gd/firm ground.

Gringo180

Buick gave Caravan rolls on a horrendous ride in the last race, would of won otherwise!

rossom

rossom wrote: »

‎7.15 Sandown

Educate 33/1 NAP

Ishmail Mohammed's 3 year old is the biggest monkey in the world and if you look at his last two starts you'll see exactly what I mean but I think he is clearly a very talented horse and if his trainer has rectified his quirks in the past 20 days then I think he could go extremely well at a massive price. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, if Educate is ever gelded then I'm going to be all over him as it should definitely settled him down a huge amount. However, after clearly showing signs of significant inexperience in his 4 starts to date I'm hoping his precocious nature will have hopefully settled down. This colt made his debut over tomorrow's C+D less than 2 months ago on soft ground at Sandown when running a very eye catching 7th. After being posted out wide, he was outpaced slightly before getting the hang of things in the home straight. He tried to make a forward move but on at least 3 occasions his path was blocked and he clearly had an absolute ton left in the tank as he came home in nearly a walk to be beaten by only 8L. That looks a pretty good maiden with the top 3 rated 90, 85 and 83. However, he made no mistake on his next start as he got off the mark in style.

12 days after his debut Educate was again campaigned over 10f this time on good to firm ground at Yarmouth where he ran out a ready an impressive winner. After sitting just behind the pace, he travelled into the race extremely well and when asked to quicken and go and win his race he hung a bit and again showed he was still very green. He eventually responded to O'Shea's urgings and he readily drew clear in impressive fashion to score by an easy 6L. The form of that race doesn't look too bad with the 2nd finishing a neck beaten 2nd on a handicap after this. Regardless of the form, he definitely won like a horse with considerable talent.

His last two starts are where his quirks have come to the fore and its clearly a major concern tomorrow but I think that is factored into his price tag. He made his handicap debut off a mark of 82 at Newmarket Class 3 event on heavy ground on the 14th of July. After settling towards the rear, he was rather keen for the first 4 or so furlongs and he was still clearly a bit green. Turning into the long home straight, Educate made some eye catching progress on the bridle and when Tadhg O'Shea started to get at him under hands and heels he was making progress better than anything. Then the whip came out and Educate lost the plot. He veered left and right multiple times back and forth and he ended up throwing his chance away. He was eased in the final furlong but despite all this he still managed to finish only an 8L beaten 5th in what I think looks a decent handicap, although much of the form hasn't been tested. A week later he came back to the same Newmarket course and it was no surprise to see a visor applied for the first time. Under Jack Doyle, Educate was settled in the rear of the 6 runner field and he seemed to settle much better. With about 3f to go, Doyle angled Educate out and he began to make progress before Doyle brought the whip through into his left hand. As soon at that happened, it appeared as if Educate was spooked and he hung violently to the left. Knowing his chance to win were gone, Doyle stop exerting maximum pressure and after all of this he was only beaten by 4L in what again looks a decent handicap. The winner Prussian and the 4th Prophesy home both ran very good races as Glorious Goodwood to give depth to the race.

In his 20 days off the track, I really hope Mohammed has worked tirelessly to remove the quirks of this recalcitrant character as its preventing him from reaching his full ability. It could easily be a case of him being afraid of the whip but he seems a rather wound up individual. The visor remains on him and hopefully he's garnished enough experience to allow him to race straight under maximum urgings. Ismail Mohammed is a new enough trainer to UK shores but he had great success in his native Dubai including training the winner of the UAE Derby and 1,000 Guineas so he clearly is a talented trainer. He's only had runners in the UK since May and from his 42 runners to date his only winner has indeed been educate so it seems as if he finding his feet. However, his last 2 horses have finished 2nd so it seems as if he is getting the hang of things. Although Ahmed Ajtebi is having his first ride in the UK for Mohammed, he is a very eye catching booking in my eyes given that the pair regularly teamed up in the past to success in Dubai. Tomorrow's favourite Royal Empire could easily turn out to be a Group horse given his impressive debut performance but I've got to take him on on his turf debut off a mark of 90 at is current price. Although significant risks are clearly attached to him, I think he's got a much better chance than his current 33/1 quoting and if putting his best foot forward I envisage him running a massive race off 81 which should hopefully see him return to the winners enclosure. If not, I can see his balls being chopped off very soon

FFS I didn't see he was running. His balls got chopped off and he wins today at 10s. How the hell did I miss him

dchris

rossom wrote: »

FFS I didn't see he was running. His balls got chopped off and he wins today at 10s. How the hell did I miss him

I was on it today because of your previous post. (You probably didn't want to hear that)