THE WOODY ASH SPECIAL Stakes,2 yo Open Newmarket
Well here we are in the good old UK, to take in THE WOODY ASH SPECIAL STAKES , an open stakes for 2yo`s ran over 5.5 furlongs on the lawn. This is the tenth race on the card, which later in the afternoon also sees the grade 3 Lil` Drummer Boy Handicap, from the spiritual home of Britsh racing, Newmarket. The weather is forcast to be fine and a keen crowd is anticipated. We have 10 youngsters declared and ready to go in search of their first stakes win. Lets have a closer look at them in racecard order. In the inside drawn one is the Wyndaway3 trained debutant MILLVIEW TWINS (TAPIT x CHIEF BEARHART x CENTURY (AUS)). Difficult to weigh up this scratch bred with no form to go on and could be anything. Gets the benefit of the experienced T Heck on board and is a 19/1 shot Next up drawn in 2 is FASTING FOR WHAT (FASTNET ROCK (AUS) x VISCOUNT (AUS) x ZABEEL(NZ)). Trainer Laramie has raced this first son of a grade F mare twice, just going under by a head on his first trip to the track in a valuable maiden before going one better next time out in a $23300 maiden in Sweden. He recorded a 61 on both occasions over this trip. H Jackson gets the leg up on this 9/1 shot. KO BULL (HOLY BULL x K. O. PUNCH x HOLD YOUR PEACE) is in 3. Jokerromeo`s charge is also making his debut today. Out of a grade D mare Our Mouth, this is another that really could be anything. D Meade is booked to take the ride on this 23/1 shot. In stall 4 is our nicely bred favourite, JUNIOR EWING (RAHY x GONE WEST x BUCKPASSER). Has the benefit of a run and a successful one at that. Won a small maiden at Portugal (always prominent) in the first week of April, recording a 64 on the rain affected turf. Trained by that wily claiming king astinator 9, Junior could be spot on after nearly 8 weeks to prepare. Ni Ambrose is on bard this 5/2 favourite. Topicountc`s TOURNAMENT (DEHERE x SEEKING THE GOLD x STORM BIRD) is in the 5 box. He found success at the 2nd time of asking when taking a decent 5.5 furlongs maiden at Eastern Kentucky on the sloppy dirt with a nice 71 after being held up and coming from off the pace. Out of a grade E mare this one tries turf for the first time today. Owner/trainer topicountc has crossed the track division to get a run into this one. Could this be a clue to how well thought of he is at home, or were there simply no other options available? J Bradley is booked to take the ride and is 4/1 to get this one home. In stall 6 we have yet another debutant. A stablemate of the horse drawn in 1 (both race under the Deep Rocks Stables banner),MILLVIEW PLNS (SINGSPIEL(IRE) x DIKTAT (GB) x COSSACK WARRIOR (AUS)) is trained by millview2. This scratch bred is the favoured of the owners 2 runners at 10/1 and I Weinman looks a good jockey booking. CU LATER V (MEDICEAN (GB) x MONTJEU (IRE) x DISTORTED HUMOR) is in 7. A most interesting runner,this one has the most experience in the field with this being his fourth run. He is stakes placed lto over 6 furlongs turf (recording a 73 sr), and the time before that won a 5 furlongs maiden in South Africa, leading from trap to wire and recording a 74. Trainer Fusion has jockey L Sullivan booked for the ride and he is a 7/2 shot. DIZZY WORLD (MEDICEAN (GB) x MONTJEU (IRE) x DISTORTED HUMOR) fills the 8 box. 2 runs 2 wins says it all about this improver. Sticks1 sent this one out to win a valuable allowance lto at Ostend 6 furlongs turf. He settled handy that day a couple of lengths off the pace and quicking up 1 1/2 out before going on to score with a nice 74. On that form he deserves his shot at stakes level and he looks to have the pick of the jocks with A Craig on board this 7/1 shot. In 9 weave the Perdico trained newbie MILLVIEW RUDY (PHOENIX REACH (IRE) x EXPLODENT x SECRET HELLO) , also racing under the Deep Rocks Stables banner. And like the 2 before this one is also making his racecourse debut. According to the bookmakers this scratch bred is rated Deep Rocks Stables least fancied, but in these type of races that means nothing. D Harvey is booked for the steering job on this 20/1 shot, but my advice to anyone thinking of having a bet on any of Deep Rocks runners is come racing on Saturday and follow Deep Rock around the racecourse. When he has a bet listen in with his conversation with the bookie and see which one of his own he is betting on. Lastly but not least we have in 10 BARB’S A COOL CAT (TACTICAL CAT x RED RANSOM x CHIEF’S CROWN). Successful lto at the 2nd time of asking in a 5 furlongs maiden Arkansas (always handy, ran on to score by 1 1/2 lengths, recorded a 67), trainer Heffbarn also takes this one over the great track division in pursuit of stakes glory. If he can find a little improvement for the slight step up in trip he may well be in the shake up. T Cooper is booked for this 8/1 shot. Pogo predicts I predict its a very difficult race to read, with newcomers who could be anything,horses unproven on the surface, one moving up in trip and one moving down in trip and horses that should be all improving, anything could happen.I must admit i wouldn`t touch this race as a betting proposition, but im a pundit so Ive got to stick my neck out.Im going to go for 7-8-2 Good luck to all participants