5th January

pippa666 ♦ January 5, 2015

Runners at Southwell and Sedgefield tomorrow….

Istimraar enjoying himself at Sedgefield on Boxing day – can he score again tomorrow?

We are looking forward to tomorrow with three really good chances to get on the scoresheet again, and it would be great to see Istimraar put himself into the picture for the Cheltenham juvenile handicap with another good display. Adam Nicol is reunited with him – and this time its a step into novice company after a handicap last time. Attheraces  take this view:

ISTIMRAAR held a future winner by 10 lengths over C&D and a 7lb penalty might not be enough to scupper his double bid on that evidence. He shades the vote over Grove Silver, who bounced back from a disappointing display on his hurdling debut with a solid runner-up effort at Carlisle and can go close with continued improvement. Never Never is largely consistent but will have to be on song to concede weight to the field, so the dropped-in-trip Tommy O’dwyer makes more appeal as he is entitled to strip fitter for his first outing of the season at Musselburgh

Transient Bay last winter, photo by Miles Johnson

In the same race we run our ‘big horse’ Transient Bay (Stenna) and his 20 Owners will be hopeful of an improved performance  after he has been rather stuck in the mud the last twice at Hexham. His bumper forms tells us he is better than those runs and Phil told me he was ‘bouncing’ last week. he was 4th here on his racecourse debut.

The 4 year old ‘Sakhee’s City’ runs in the last for

Sakhee’s City on his first start at Newcastle

Keith and Jayne Sivills and he must hold a sound chance after an encouraging 3rd on debut at Newcastle last month, he is currently 9-2 2nd fav.  The form has worked out well with the horse in 2nd that day absolutely bolting up in the bumper at Musselburgh today. The Crawford horse looks decent (paper favourite) although the horse it was beaten by on its debut had been well beaten in two previous bumper runs before that day. It should be interesting, we also run Preachers Belle who hasn’t shown much yet this season but ours were all wrong then and she is going better at home. James Reveley rides her.  The ATR verdict on the race reads as follows:

LEGACY PHOENIX looked to have the ability to land a bumper of this calibre when finishing a close second (pulling well clear of the third) on her debut over track and trip in November. She is tough to oppose, but Sakhee’s City does look a solid alternative after making a promising enough debut at Newcastle last month. Lawless Island – a winner between the flags in October 2013 – showed potential when third at Market Rasen and is entitled to improve for that outing here.

The Sivills also have an important  runner at Southwell as their gelding Enzaal won here on his last trip out and he is currently 5-1 favourite  with Paddy Power. Its a competitive 14 runner handicap and we are drawn widest which wouldn’t be great but at least if he can jump out well and tack across he will be out of trouble and the kickback. Joey Haynes partners him again.

I have been meaning to write this for a few days now but WELL DONE to all connected with

‘Fly’

FREEDOM FLYING who won for Russ and Kyle James at 100-1 last week – a cracking little mare that we used to train a good few years back. ‘Fly’ has had all sorts of problems (had 1022 days off with them until 2013)  but this is proof that patience with racehorses can pay off, and she has repaid them handsomely. We hope she goes in again for them – she is 12 years old now, what a performance.