1. Paddocks Patent: 23rd September
16:20 Goodwood
The first race we take in is a mile-and-a-half handicap at Goodwood where there
are currently eight runners set to run.
This race on paper looks somewhat easier compared to the challenges that both
Notarised and Sennockian Star have raced in recently. Notarised has previously
won over 1m6f this season and won the Old Newton Cup at Haydock on good to
soft ground; he looks the pick of the Mark Johnston pair with Sennockian Star
having stamina to prove having been well beaten at this trip when he’s tried it on
two occasions. Tactically the race on this sort of ground could see horses on the
front end take some beating, so with both of them liking to front run then they
may prove difficult to peg back.
The three-year-old Scrutinise won well at Thirsk on similar ground over this trip.
He is relatively unexposed compared to the others in this race and could prove to
be a good opportunity for Ed Dunlop’s runner to double up. His first two career
starts came in October last year suggesting he is either a late maturing type or
one that prefers cut in the ground. If he can sit handily then he can defy his 6lb
rise in the weights.
Sir Mark Prescott’s Alcaeus hasn’t been seen for 439 days when finishing second
to Hassle over 1m6f at Ascot. In 2013 he was an improving sort winning six
times and has the stamina. He’s won with cut in the ground in that sequence of
wins however the absence may be slightly off putting with concerns over his
fitness and condition.
Advice: Scrutinise (E/W 9/2+) WON 7/4
16:55 Goodwood
We stay at the west Sussex track for a competitive six-furlong handicap.
This race looks well contested but one of these could prove to be very well
handicapped, that runner being Milton Bradley’s Divine Call. His recent form
figures don’t look inspiring but considering his last win came over course and
distance off a 3lb higher mark suggests there is possibly another win in him.
When winning he in May he quickened away from the field nicely and won going
away. Franny Norton rode that day and gets the leg-up here too. The blinkers are
put on the eight-year-old for the first time replacing the visor. The draw in stall
13 isn’t ideal with lower boxes preferred but he should give his running off this
mark of 65.
Don’t discount top weight Flying Bear. His last two wins have both been at
Chelmsford and Lingfield respectively. He has a very good record here at
Goodwood; from his three starts he has one win and two seconds. His win here
was the first of his career and as a juvenile he was second to Mecca’s Angel in a

2. Haydock maiden. Gary Mahon takes off 5lb here taking his mark to one that does
appeal and after 79-days off the track has been freshened up nicely to give his
running from a low draw.
Barbs Princess represents Charles Hills, whose sprinters have excelled this
season however this five-year-old hasn’t got too much good form in the book.
Her last two wins came in January when winning on the artificial surfaces at
Southwell and Wolverhampton, so a return to the all-weather may suit her but
she does have a bit of course form with a win her in June 2013.
George Downing, back on Pour La Victoire, with his 3lb claim would give some
appeal and ran well on quite soft ground at Brighton finishing second. He has
place claims, as does Vincentti, a Brighton winner three starts ago. Henry Candy’s
Cape Xenia would ideally want the ground to dry out.
Advice: Divine Call (E/W) WON 20/1
19:55 Kempton
Our final selection runs on the polytrack at Kempton in a mile-and-a-half
handicap.
George Baker’s Eton Rambler has been very consistent of late and has been
unlucky to bump into English Summer on his last two starts. He tends to be
running on late, so he’ll be hoping Lisamour and possibly Cranach go forward to
set a strong pace. He’s a son of Hard Spun from a Smart Strike dam and both of
these sire’s progeny tend to go well on the all-weather surfaces. He is drawn well
in stall five, so if Pat Cosgrave can keep him in a good position then he is likely to
hit the frame again.
There would seem to be a lack of pace in this race but as mentioned above
Lisamour could potentially be the one after making all to win at Nottingham in
June, however that was over a shorter trip so has stamina to prove. Cranach has
had recent problems after a long lay-off but when winning at Redcar in 2013 was
another to make all of the running, so he could go from the front. Again he has
stamina to prove at this trip.
Two others at the bottom look fairly interesting. They are the unexposed Clovelly
Bay, who has only had four previous runs but showed the best form on handicap
debut at Goodwood when finishing second to Dark Amber. His half-sister
Mundybash won a Listed race over this distance, so he should stay and is worth
watching. The other to mention is Bold Runner, who was a place behind Eton
Rambler at Epsom. He is drawn very wide here but Tom Marquand is able to
claim a vital 3lb taking his mark down to 68. He has previously won off 69 at
Lingfield over two furlongs further, so has extra stamina. Tactically if he can race
prominently and use that extra stamina he would be worth a small bet.
Advice: Eton Rambler (E/W 9/2+) WON 6/1