Flat Trackers #1

Meydan 31/03/12 
Al Quoz Sprint 5f: If they go an end-to-end gallop in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot in June, and it'll be mad if they don't, ORTENSIA should go very close, if her last-to-first & going-away-at-the-finish victory here is anything to go by. We've become used to Aussie sprinters coming over here and showing what you can do if you breed for speed. (Still the European Pattern has no 6f Group 1 for the 3yo generation - WALOS!) Though not considered top drawer in Australia, Ortensia will still more than likely be chalked up too short, but we'll watch the market with interest all the same.

Dubai Duty Free 9f: Unusual for a 6 year old, but is it possible CITYSCAPE has improved? That looked the case after he pummelled the opposition in the Duty Free, without a prep run, over the in-between trip of 9f.  Connections have the exceptional Frankel on their books, so Cityscape may be campaigned abroad. Wherever he goes, it'll be interesting to see if future markets under-rate this impressive effort.

Doncaster 31/03/12
Spring Mile: No doubt every notebooker will be on CAPTAIN BERTIE (4) (84) next time out after seeing this curtain-raiser to the new Turf season. Backed from 9/1 into 13/2F Bettin' Bob Winston managed to run him into not one, but two collapsing pockets mid-race. Snatched back to the rear, the game looked well and truly up, but the money was down and he soon got rolling again, fairly motoring home to finish 4th. The token descriptor "eye-catching" barely does this justice, so he's unlikely to be much of a betting proposition next time out. But we should keep a watch on him nonetheless. 

Doncaster 01/04/12
0-85 7f: Nibbled from 20s into 16s, AERODYNAMIC (5) (76) travelled smoothly into the race until his run was checked by Ellie In The Pink. He ran on again to finish a never nearer 6th. Has shown improvement on the sand this winter and may not be done yet for that old bastard Mick Easterby.

0-100 6f: Jamie Spencer gave way to his showpony double again here, and overdid the waiting tactics on KING OF JAZZ (4) (96).  Travelled notably smoothly out the back, and made his move around the field on the far side, but two others, more prominently ridden, beat him home.  This was a decent effort over 6f, though, from a horse campaigned mainly over 7-8f last term. (NB: his only career win also came at this track.) In the same race EL VIENTO (4) (91) ran a little less smartly but kept on well to finish 6th. An unconsidered 28/1 in the market, it would be no surprise if his trainer Richard Fahey (who used to be bent & unfathomable and is now merely tricky) found a race for him somewhere early this season.