THERE`S A “COLD MARCH” HEADING TO IRELAND

20-04-2018

THIS WEEK After the continued April Showers we have been delighted to see a few rays of sunshine appearing this week as Spring has finally sprung!  And although a number of horses have started to be turned out for the summer we still have plenty to run.  We'll be putting in plenty of miles over the next week with runners at Ayr over the weekend followed by Punchestown next week so it's all go! REPORTS Ruby Yeats finished 9th on her latest start at Chepstow on Saturday.  She raced keenly in the first time blinkers and jumped well in the main.  The tempo lifted leaving the far side and Ruby was outpaced.  She stayed on up the home straight to finish 9th.  She remains short of her best form at present. Let’s Get At It finished 4th on his 2nd racecourse start at Carlisle on Tuesday.  He was a bit keen in the early stages, but once he got to the front he settled nicely.  He set a good gallop under jockey Harry Bannister and led the field to the 2 furlong pole.  He couldn’t quicken with the winner Lily’s Gem, eventually coming home in 4th. ENTRIES Spirit of Rome holds entries at Southwell and Huntingdon.  We swerved her flat option at Kempton earlier this week in favour of one of these handicaps.  She schooled well this week and is ready to start her handicap hurdle career off a mark of 105.  She’s fresh and well off the back of her mini break. Tangoed holds entries at Southwell, Newton Abbot and Taunton in the coming days.  She was disappointing on her handicap debut at Market Rasen and will be ridden differently this time. Her preparation has gone well and if she can recapture some of her bumper form, she should be very competitive off a mark of 90.  She needs a sound surface to be seen at her best. Jumbo Davis holds bumper entries at Southwell on Friday and Sedgefield on Monday.  She is a 5yo daughter of Doyen who has joined the yard after finishing 2nd in an Irish point to point.  The form of that race is working out nicely, her preparation has been good and we are looking forward to getting her out and learning some more about her.  She is a scopey mare, who will make a chaser in time. Bigmartre holds two entries at Ayr tomorrow.  He ran well for a long way at Cheltenham on ground that didn’t suit and has been training nicely in preparation for his final run of the campaign.  He is in the 2m Listed Handicap Chase, but the 2m 4f Novices Grade 2 looks very tempting at this stage.  This is his last chance to run in Graded Novice company and the drying ground should really suit him. Anemoi is entered in a bumper on the same card at Ayr tomorrow .  He was an impressive winner on debut at Huntingdon on ground that was softer than ideal and has been in great form since.  The step up to 2 miles on decent ground should suit him and if he takes his chance he should be very competitive.  He is a nice hurdling prospect for next season. The Grey Enforcer holds entries at Wincanton and Market Rasen on Sunday, Ludlow on Tuesday and Warwick on Thursday.  He is by the French sire Gris de Gris and like many of his progeny he has plenty of speed.  He’s been working nicely and we are looking forward to seeing him run. Charlie Papa Lima has been ready to run for a little while but soft ground has put his chasing debut on hold.  He’s entered at Stratford on Sunday, but is more likely to run at Taunton on Wednesday.  His schooling has gone well and he looks nicely handicapped off a mark of 105.  There’s plenty more to come from him this summer. Hoke Colburn is entered at Sedgefield on Monday, but is more likely to take his chance at Huntingdon on Tuesday.  He was an impressive winner on his penultimate start at Southwell, before getting stuck in soft ground at Huntingdon last time.  He is a relatively unexposed horse still and granted better ground he is well capable of improving on his rating of 112. Cold March is set to have his next start at Punchestown on Wednesday.  He pulled up on testing ground last time out at Newbury, but he has had a wind operation since.  This is a step back up in class for him, but he has been competitive at this level in the past.  This will be a fiercely competitive handicap, hopefully the wind op can help him get back to some of his best form. Johnny Rocco holds an entry at Warwick on Thursday.  He is a 4yo gelding by Shirocco, out of a 5 time winning Milan mare.  Johnny is an athletic horse who should be suited to a decent surface, his work has been good and he has a good attitude.  If he doesn’t run here there are other options for him in early May. Until next week...