Day 11 of The 30 Day Challenge. Been a while since our last update but few chances of late.
An EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes over 6f on Standard going. Nine two-year-olds take part: all raced by one debutante. Jeremy Noseda is a class trainer. Rouge Noir was fancied to go well first start but disappointed somewhat, a few lengths away in fourth. This daughter of Showcasing cost 68,000gns at the yearling sales. The betting is important and if priced 13/2 & less has sound each-way claims. Better will be needed today and there's hope this drop in distance and a couple of weeks on the sidelines will find improvement. If particularly weak in the betting, I'd take a watching brief.
5:40 Kempton - Division II. Quite interested in Henry Candy's Artist's Model. This daughter of Dutch Art defied her odds when a gallant third at 16/1. This breeze-up purchase cost £38,000 by the trainer in the ownership of Girsonfield Ltd. The betting suggests this is very much a three-horse race and if this April foal is an each-way price has sound claims.
Rouge Noir (each-way bet if priced 13/2 & less) 4/1 8th (ran too bad to be true)
Artist's Model (each way bet if prices allow) 7/2 3rd
Henry Candy is a calculated trainer and especially good at placing his two-year-olds on their second start. Perceived showed promise on debut and is expected to improve for her debut run. This daughter of Sir Percy has been backed and if starting at odds of 13/2 & less sp has sound win and place claims. The handler has Cape Xenia in the next race (3:10) and this looks a decent each way double. William Haggis' Picture Postcard could go well in this race and may also make a decent each way selection/alternative for a juicy double.
A Maiden Auction Stakes over 6f 212y on good ground (good to firm in places). Twelve juveniles take part, including three horses who make their debut. Henry Candy is a superb trainer and Warrendale caught the eye on debut at Newbury when fancied in the betting. This bay filly, a daughter of Three Valleys, was purchased by her trainer at the yearling sales for £16,000. She is out of a winning, robust, mare who raced over one hundred times in a lengthy career. This March foal could well have won on her racecourse bow but for a terribly slow start which left her with a mountain to climb. However, she touched short odds in-running after travelling smoothly only to tire in the closing stages. The form of that race has been a little patchy but Candy's two-year-old looks the type to improve for an absence of over fifty days. This extra furlong is likely to suit and running in a similar race type to last time should see a bold show. Perhaps the biggest negative is a relatively wide draw although running a little off the rail didn't seem a disadvantage here yesterday. Ideally, Warrendale would make a great each way selection although the betting on the exchanges gives the impression that will be unlikely. Time will tell and if support comes for one or two there may just be a chance. A confident candidate for a place and live hope for the win.
A Maiden Fillies' Stakes over 6f on good to soft ground. A purse of nearly £13,000 for the victor sees a number of talents take their chance in this thirteen-strong field. Henry Candy is a class trainer and he knows how to buy exceptional horses for very little money. Often he has sold them to eager patrons but Valonia didn't slip through his fingers. This chestnut daughter of Three Valleys is a good, strong two-year-old, a real stamp of a horse, especially for the fairer sex. Candy purchased this juvenile at the yearling sales for 5,500gns. He could quite easily sell her before this race for 100,000gns. It speaks well that he sticks rather than twists and confronts the opposition today. She may have been a 33/1 shot when making her debut over 6f at Newmarket but there was little wrong with that display. Always up with the pace, she would have pressed the winner if her jockey had resorted to a battle of the whips. However, this astute trainer puts his horses first and a enjoyable racing experience was the order of the day. To finish half a length behind Qawaasem (who went close at Listed class next start) beating Oriel by more than two lengths was about a good a debut as you get. There should be improvement to come and a high draw gives a prime opportunity to show her worth. Make no mistake, this is a strong race but Valonia is worth an each way bet if prices allow.
