Ermington Charm looks the goods in Norway

Hello everybody and welcome to Norway for what is sure to be a great day, today’s feature is the Grade 3 Nasty and Bold handicap for all 3yo horses and up, to be ran on fast dirt over 6 furlongs for prize money of $125,000. Today’s track has been rated as fast and the weather is fine. Let’s go down to mounting yard to see what looks to be ‘The Goods’.

PP#1 100922 SUPER TORNADO super25 J Ruckriegel 7/1
A.P. INDY x DANZIG x FORTY NINER
Very impressive looking 4yo chestnut colt who last time at Maryland didn’t quite run up to expectation. He sat just off the pace but didn’t have his normal finishing burst on a wet track, we can forgive him for that. Before that he managed to pull out a stakes victory with a rating of 103 in Michigan. Although he is a 3 time stakes winner he looks like he has not quite handled graded racing and he will need his jockey J.Ruckriegel (12.8%) at the top of his game for a victory here. It will be interesting to see if he sits he takes up the lead or would prefer to take the sit in what could be a race of tactics.
PP#2 38530 IN THE ARMY NOW super9 H Knott 6/1
POLISH NAVY x FOREST WILDCAT x PENTELICUS
Not the best looking brown horse I have ever see but what he lacks in looks he shore makes up for with speed. In the Army Now is another horse out of the super stable and is also coming out of the same grade 3 race as Super Tornado and Senorita Si Na Dren. The wet track at Maryland didn’t look to be affected by the wet track as he came from 6.5 lengths back to get within 3 lengths of the winner. At the start before that he put up a great performance running a 104 to win a stakes race at Delaware but before that his form had been very much up and down. Although I don’t think he is quite up to graded stakes anymore he is a Grade 3 winner and should not be counted out because the best jockey at this track H.Knott (20.2%) has the ride.
PP#3 90872 CALL THE SHOTS devry R Gibson 4/1
LION CAVERN x DEPUTY COMMANDER x MEADOWLAKE
Another very plain looking brown horse that is looking to take the next step and grab his first graded race since his 3yo days. Last start you would have to say he was very disappointing as a heavily backed favorite he could manage only a 4th place with a 99 sp in a race that you would have to say is less quality than this race. Having said that though the trainer has decided to bring back call the shots after a 5 week break and he will be hoping that the evergreen Ralph Gibson will put in a grade 1 ride and get call the shots over the line. I expect to see him sitting just off the pace but I find it hard to see him picking up a victory today.
PP#4 33202 GOLD MEDAL EFFORT(IRE) dundey5 W Church 7/1
PERFECT SOUL (IRE) x SEEKING THE GOLD x STORM CAT
A huge brown 4yo colt who stands at 18.2 hands, who has a habit of either winning or fading out as he has had 16 starts for 8 wins and not a single placing. 2 starts back he was found wanting in a very tough res vs res race, but last time out he showed his true colors win a stakes race at Iowa with a very nice SP of 105. Before that he was very impressive in 2 allowance races winning both races and recording very high sp’s as well. There would have to be a question mark over the horse’s ability in this class of race but jockey Willie Church (12%) is very confident that this huge colt has what it takes to win.
PP#5 97938 MILL ROYALE shadowclaw D Wall 9/2
ROYAL ACADEMY x NUREYEV x MILL REEF
Interesting 4yo colt who started out as a turfer before being switched to dirt. Once he changed to dirt he showed his trainer shadowclaw just what he is made of winning 3 races in a row mid way through last year. Since then he has ran top 3 in all 6 of his starts all at stakes level including a win 2 starts back with a massive 109 sp. Today is his first foray into graded racing and in what looks to be a weak field you would have to consider him a chance. Dave Wall(6.0%) has the ride and he sit back in the field and look to make a finishing burst down the outside, and with what is sure to be a hot pace he could be the swooper running down the outside swamping the leaders. Back him each way.
PP#6 107239 SENORITA SI NA DREN bmw K Shirley 8/1
BERTOLINI x SONG II x LUNCHTIME(GB)
Very lightly raced 4yo colt who has been steadily improving. Last start he had what is possibly the best race of his career so far running a close 4th on a wet track at Maryland in the Grade 3 Count fingers sprint. But that was on a wet track and he is going to have to prove he can do it on a dry track. Before that his best 2 races on dry tracks were impressive wins but only in allowance class. With all that in mind I don’t like his chances but the horse is in fantastic condition and trainer bmw done a great job by getting Kevin Shirley(17.6%) to ride. He will be sitting on the pace looking to hold off the swoopers.
PP#7 103461 ERMINGTON CHARM pigeon1 C Miller 5/1
SILVER DEPUTY x MOUNTAIN CAT x SEATTLE SLEW
Here is the horse that I would consider the favorite in my eyes, but the bookies have rated him a 5/1. After winning 2 allowance races pigeon1 stepped Ermington Charm up in class, he ran a 2nd place in the Grade 2 Pablo Verces Handicap with a massive sp of 108. Last time out he ran a nice 3rd over 7 furlongs leading half way up the straight only to fade in the last furlong. Today he is back his preferred 6 furlong distance and Craig Miller(7.7%) is very happy he drew the 7 gate so he can sit just next to the leader. He is the horse to beat.
PP#8 74681 CIVIS ROMANUS SUM devbarn R Steiner 14/1
STORM CAT x IN REALITY x HERBAGER
Another very lightly race 4yo who’s trainer (devbarn) is still trying to find what the horse is best at. 3 starts back he won an allowance race on a wet track with a nice sp of 101 and followed that up with a 102 again at allowance level this time on a fast track. Last time out he stepped up to stakes level this time on the turf and was soundly beaten. Back to the dirt today will help but the step up in class concerns me as does the jockey Ron Steiner(2.5%) who is in career worst form.
PP#9 74594 ECTON RATS drdj J Gibbs 5/1
ECTON PARK x HALO x BOLD REASON
A grand old war horse from the drdj stables, Ecton Rats is a 3 time stakes winner who made a comeback from a lay off of just over 3 years. Back in his early days he was very good horse and now he is just staring to recapture his old form. Last start he ran a very nice 2nd in his first stakes race since December 2003. drdj is now trying to see if his old charge still has what it takes to compete at graded level. It is however unfortunate that Jack Gibbs(3.8%) has the ride as he is another in career worst form. But this is not that strong a race and this move by drdj could just pay dividends.
PP#10 131829 DEVIL’S SOUL(IRE) mamaxerxes T Connor 53/1
PERFECT SOUL (IRE) x DEVIL’S BAG x ALLEGED
The only 3yo in the field Devils’Soul is racing out of his own age group for the first time. With a career high sp of just 90 I cannot see how this horse will be a factor in this race. Last time out he came in only 5th in a restricted allowance finishing 5 lengths from the winner. Unless Trevor Conner(12%) can get this horse to the lead I don’t see him as a factor. How would I rate his chances ? he don’t have any but he could be a nice horse if he placed properly

Well this is not the best Grade 3 I have ever seen, there are a few horses with question marks hanging over them. If I have to choose a single horse I will go with Ermington Charm nut this is one of those races that could go to anybody