Friday 15 May 2009

6:35 Doncaster (16th May)

A maiden auction race for juveniles costing £50,000 or less over 5f on GD-SFT ground.

No doubt Bronze Beau will be trying to make all, which he struggled to do last time at Newcastle. A juvenile with plenty of pace, he will probably have most of these on the ropes and then try to hang on for grim death.

Gower Sofia has run two fair races and narrowly missed a win on both occasions. She isn't the biggest of fillies but battles and is the type to run on at the finish if settled. It may not be the best idea to take on Bronze Beau for the lead. On Beverley form she holds Masked Dance although he showed good speed until fading in the final furlong and may strip fitter today. It is difficult to know what to think about the Southwell disappointment. Perhaps the surface or the draw played its part that day. He certainly needs to bounce back from that.

Of the unraced, it is worth noting that Fahey won this race last year with a very capable juvenile. He has a big string to choose from and must be respected. As should Patrick Haslam's Whispered Times a purchase at the recent breeze-up sales and well bred for this type of race.

A watching race.

Race review: 'On The Bounty done well to win this race on debut against a number of form horses. Seemingly struggling to go the pace this colt ran on well against the rail to deny Gower Sophia and the improved effort of Rio Caribe. Fahey is a very capable trainer with his two-year-olds on debut and won this race for a consecutive year. There was good late money for this horse on Betfair and this juvenile may well progress from here on. Rio Caribe improved a good deal on his Redcar start and this was a fair effort for an auction race. Gower Sophia ran her race and done well against a number of bigger colts. Mel Brittain's filly ran better for being held up and wasn't ideally positioned wide but nonetheless ran on well and looked to have a chance of winning. She is rather small and gets unbalanced all too easy, which doesn't help her cause. In an auction fillies race she will have a decent chance of finding a race. Masked Dance ran his race but wasn't good enough and Bronze Beau wasn't suited by these different tactics and would have done better blazing a trail. Patrick Haslam's Whispered Times is an attractive colt and ran a fine race. A decent event for an auction race and a few winners will come from this.'