Eight line up for The STAMPING FOR SLEW Handicap Stakes

Eight fillies and mares line up for The STAMPING FOR SLEW Handicap Stakes, 10 furlongs on fast dirt. Not the most illustrious of fields to be honest and the bookies seem a little uncertain of the outcome with some close odds on offer.  It will be interesting to see if the two 4yo fillies can get the better of their older rivals. The betting is:  

7/2 Tick The Box(ARG)
4/1 Blushing Kasey
4/1 Romance Is Diane(KY)
5/1 Seattle Strife
6/1 White Witch(IRE)
7/1 S R No No Oil(GER)
7/1 PB’S Lady
9/1 Alex Slayer(FL)

Analysis

7/2 Tick The Box(ARG) – #6
Trainer: scootboy1
(Brown Arc x Briartic x Quadratic)
A lightly raced 4yo filly from Scootboy Stables who was bred by tatty2 as a 3yo.  Started her racing career in a maiden claimer but wasn’t claimed and has since won 4 of her 9 races.  She hasn’t yet managed a stakes win and looked strangely out of sorts in her last 2 races, though they both had extremely tough fields.  A return to form could see her front running to victory.

4/1 Blushing Kasey – #2
Trainer: tallin
(Sadler’s Wells x Rahy x Generous(IRE))
Tallin Stables send out this 6yo bred from a G class mare. Probably been a bit unlucky to only have 5 victories from her 36 runs and surprisingly this is her first stakes entry.  Most of her races have been over a mile and I don’t think this extra distance will particularly suit her so she could struggle for speed here. 

5/1 Seattle Strife – #1
Trainer: cnlkf
(Smarty Jones x Seattle Slew x Storm Bird)
Kf Stables have entered this 5yo who has 5 wins from 30 runs, though that does include a stakes victory.  Seems a little inconsistent and another mare who may struggle with the distance.  Another front runner so she will be challenging the favourite most of the way.

6/1 White Witch(IRE) – #5
Trainer: goldeneye1
(Barathea(IRE) x A.P. Indy x Raise A Native)
A 5yo from The royalstables of Ostend bred by shades from a G class mare. She changed hands a couple of times as a 3yo in claimers but only really started performing well in allowances with her current trainer, but she has yet to finish in the money in a stakes race.   Finally broke the 100SP# a couple of races back and a repeat of that could see her in the top 3, though she was easily beaten by Seattle Strife in her last race.

7/1 S R No No Oil(GER) – #7
Trainer: rocket724
(Lando(GER) x Our Native x Kings Lake)
A 5yo from The Big Oil Conglomerate [Ft. LordPye] who has 6 wins from 27 runs.   She won a stakes race last year and looked to be hitting a rich vein of form but has shown herself to be temperamental and inconsistent since.  One of those types who when you expect good things runs badly, but when not expected to do much runs out of her skin. 

7/1 PB’S Lady – #8
Trainer: ashford
(Summer Squall x Dubai Millennium (GB) x Sharpen Up(GB))
A 6yo from Ridgecrest Champion Stables bred by peepshold from a G class mare.  Didn’t achieve much for her original stable but has turned into a good breeding points gatherer in allowances since being claimed for $30,000 as a 3yo.  Astute placement has seen her gain 5 victories from her 37 runs.  She could well be in contention if she runs at her best. 

9/1 Alex Slayer(FL) – #3
Trainer: capsized
(Closing Argument x Mineshaft x Mill Reef)
Bred from a G class mare this lightly raced 4yo has won 6 races from 13 runs – a good return at any level.  Won a stakes race in her last race when still a 3yo and she has looked very consistent for some time.  She must surely improve in her first race as a 4yo and if she likes the fast going could turn this race on its head.  At these odds definitely worth a bet.

Summary

The outcome of this race very much depends on how the runners take to the fast going, especially as there seem to be a lot of inconsistent sorts here.  The favourite, 4yo Tick The Box(ARG),  very much seems to be the class horse of the race and it will take a top performance from one of her rivals to catch her if she runs her normal aggressive race.  The other 4yo in the field, outsider Alex Slayer(FL), looks to be the perfect each way bet – lightly raced and certain to improve on her 2008 debut.