SPRING IS IN THE AIR!
31-03-2017
THIS WEEK Sunshine, daffodils and with Aintree just around the corner - Spring is well and truly in the air! With more runners over the weekend and plenty to look forward to next week things are looking up... REPORTS Ruby Yeats wasn’t able to land a blow in the ultra-competitive Mares Final at Newbury on Saturday. She had raced in snatches on her previous two starts for the yard and the strong pace took her off her feet from an early stage. Ruby managed to latch onto the main pack turning for home, but when the field quickened again she couldn’t pick up. She remains a novice till the end of April, so will drop back in class to give her a confidence boost before her summer break. She is a big strong mare and her future lies over fences in the autumn. Tierra Verde ran a huge race on debut, to finish 4th at Bangor on Saturday. She took up a handy position under jockey Jerry McGrath and travelled very well. As the race developed she looked to have every chance but got forced wide at a crucial stage. She stayed on powerfully late on to almost grab 3rd on the line. It was a very likeable debut, around a track that didn’t play to her strengths. She should come on for the run and be competitive next time out. Vbadge Treat finished 5th on debut at Market Rasen on Monday. She took up a handy position under jockey David Bass and travelled in eye-catching fashion from an early stage. The field went a good gallop from flag fall and when the early front runner dropped itself out down the back straight, more pace was injected. Vbadge turned for home going as well as anything, but when David asked her to go on she couldn’t go with the leaders, eventually coming home in 5th. She was found to be lame after the race, which may well have affected her finishing effort. The lameness isn’t serious and she should be out again in the coming weeks. ENTRIES Blandfords Gunner is set to face 2 rivals at Fontwell this afternoon. He ran well considering he got too far back last time out, so he will race more handily this time. The drop in class should suit him and if he takes to the figure of 8 track, he should run well. Nico de Boinville rides him for the first time and the good ground should suit. Flower Ball will have his first handicap start at Stratford tomorrow. His best run came at Chepstow when he got his favoured better ground and granted that here, his mark of 94 looks workable. He is in good form at home and will wear first time blinkers. Farbreaga makes the trip to Uttoxeter tomorrow. He hasn’t run since he finished down the field at Chepstow in November, but is ready to hit the track again. He has fallen down to a mark of 113 and is another who runs in first time blinkers. Being an older horse he will come on for the run. Benefit of Luck is being aimed at a maiden hurdle at Ascot on Sunday. He was very relaxed at Southwell, but didn’t enjoy the soft ground. The forecast good ground should suit him and granted he takes the preliminaries well, he should take another step in the right direction. Peal of Bells has entries at Huntingdon and Newton Abbot, with the former looking the more likely option at this stage. She won at Taunton last time out, despite a very tricky passage through the race and her revised mark of 97 still looks attractive. The good ground is important to her, which is why she hasn’t run since December and she should have a decent chance of getting her head in front again. Until next week...