It’s a Saturday evening on the Polytrack for Sky Sports Racing’s ambassador Hollie Doyle, who has six rides at Chelmsford City.
WATSON FILLY ‘KANDOO’ A QUICK SPRINT DOUBLE
The way KANDOO is improving suggests she can defy a penalty in the EBF Fillies’ Restricted Novice Stakes (5.45) at Chelmsford City on Saturday. She’s progressed in both starts for Archie Watson since arriving from Ireland, failing narrowly on her stable debut at Bath before going one better in a 5.5f maiden there a couple of weeks ago.
The daughter of Kessaar likes to go forward so should be at home around Chelmsford, which favours prominent racers, and she’s certainly drawn to be handy in stall two.
BRIGHT DAY AHEAD FOR DUNLOP’S GRAY
Ed Dunlop’s GREY GRAY has been in great form this year and holds a clear chance of winning for the fourth time in the Eco Dec Solutions Nursery Handicap (6.45). She supplemented wins on a sound surface at Lingfield Park and Musselburgh with a course and distance success in early August under 5lb claimer Morgan Cole.
Grey Gray may not have the benefit of a rider’s claim this time and has a 5lb rise in the rankings to contend with but looks ready for this step up in grade. She could be the best of a few good chances for Ed.
HOPING KISS CAN FLY HOME FOR IMAD
Archie Watson has found a nice opportunity for my boss Imad Alsagar’s FLYING KISS in the Joe Scanlon Birthday Celebration Fillies’ Handicap (7.15). A tough filly, she’s run well in 5f novice events on turf and went close to getting off the mark in a Nottingham maiden back in July.
Another daughter of Kessaar, she also ran well over this 6f on her debut in January and looks well drawn for this return to the longer distance off a workable mark of 67.
ALL-WEATHER BRINGS BEST OUT OF PHILOS
PHILOS loves the All-Weather as he proved when registering back-to-back wins earlier this year so should acquit himself well in the Full Works Supporting Great Ormond Street Handicap (7.45). Ed Dunlop’s gelding has had a break since disappointing at Lingfield Park earlier this summer and resumes on a mark only 3lb higher than the one he won off at Wolverhampton in May.
He should have no problem seeing out the longer trip of 13.5f on a fairly easy track. He was a little too free in first-time blinkers in a small field when I ride him over slightly further at Southwell in the spring but has left that form well behind.
HOORAH GUNNING FOR FIRST HANDICAP SUCCESS
LAST HOORAH bounced back to form at this track last week and can hopefully build on that in the Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Handicap (8.15). Archie Watson’s four-year-old stuck on well to be third over the same mile under stable apprentice Taylor Fisher and remains on an unchanged mark.
He’s yet to win a handicap and this is a better race but he’s been knocking at the door and this track seems to suit his prominent style of racing.
Earlier, BELVOIR KITTEN needs to find improvement for a step up to 7f in the Alfred Burns Memorial Nursery Handicap (6.15). Ed Dunlop’s son of US stallion Bobby’s Kitten should also appreciate the switch to the All-Weather after running a little too freely on his handicap debut at Windsor.
That was his first start since being gelded so I’m hoping the combination of a new trip and a change or surface will help him defy a lowly mark of 51.
Mostahdaf holds off Nashwa (right) and Paddington (left) to win the Juddmonte International
WINDSOR MONDAY THEN A SHORT SPELL ON THE SIDELINES
I’m planning to head to Windsor on Monday where I hope to ride Archie Watson’s newcomer VIENNOISE in the restricted fillies’ maiden (5.30). This daughter of Zoffany, who hails from a smart French family, should give a good account of herself on her racecourse debut, live on Sky Sports Racing, and is one of a few decent chances.
Next week will be relatively quiet for me as I serve three days of a four-day suspension for using my whip once too often on Nashwa in last week’s Group 1 Juddmonte International. I missed a day’s racing this week and will be sidelined again from Wednesday to Friday.
