Saturday 6 June 2009

2:30 Brighton (7th June)

A small field of maidens for this extended 5f on a turning track.

This looks out of two horses: Ailsa Carmel and Curtains.

Ailsa Carmel ran very well on debut in a stakes race. She looked a decent prospect and easily capable of winning a race but disappointed at Leicester. Channon's filly was never travelling that day and something must have been amiss. You have to take the view that the trainer knows best and consider a better showing today.

Curtains has experience of this course and was unlucky not to win on debut. That was a strange race as the leaders went off at a crazy pace and Dow's filly ran on later and after her disappointing run at Bath I wondered if she had been flattered on debut. Her last run at Lingfield, and the fact that she was entered to run in the Woodcote listed race at Epsom, makes me consider she has ability. She is a lovely-looking sort and progressing with racing. The slight downside is that she pulled very hard at Lingfield for a good couple of furlongs. Against potentially decent opposition, that could take the edge of her chance. Dow's juvenile will run well.

The race that Pullyourfingerout contested at Goodwood was a bizarre affair. I can't get a grip of what happened that day but something wasn't true about that running for a lot of horses. The third, Just The Tonic, disappoint next start and the fact that Pullyourfingerout has been entered to run in selling races makes me consider this colt has been flattered. I may be wrong and he runs a stormer but I would be very careful about backing this juvenile at these restricted odds. I think he will drift markedly in the betting.

A watching race.

Race review: 'Good to see Curtains finally get a win although it was something of a battle with Ailsa Carmel. Pullyourfingerout didn't run any kind of race.'