The Flat cards Newmarket and Kempton (AW) are left to fly the flag for racing in Britain on Wednesday after the meetings at Fontwell, Worcester and in Ireland at the Curragh were abandoned.
We’ve got a trio of fancies from what is left of the midweek programme, including Sea The Thunder for in-form trainer Ralph Beckett in what could be a decent little maiden at Newmarket.
15:00 Newmarket – Sea The Thunder @ 5/2
A typical late-season offering from Newmarket this afternoon and the Visit racingtv.com Maiden Stakes could be graced a promising newcomer in Charlie Appleby’s Tribal Star. The already gelded son of Sea The Stars cost 550,000 gns and is well-related but he’ll need to be above-average to get the better of those with experience today.
They include The Hun, third at Pontefract in a 1m2f novice this month – a race from which the front pair are well fancied in the British EBF Ruby Anniversary Nursery that follows this contest – and Sea The Thunder, with preference for Ralph Beckett’s Kingman colt here.
He was well beaten on debut at Ascot (7f, good to firm) last month, though that did come in a race won by fellow debutant and next-time-out Group 2 Royal Lodge winner Ghostwriter (the form overall also looks quite strong).
Sea The Thunder headed next to Salisbury (1m, soft) and was only denied by a promising David Menuisier-trained newcomer in Goodwood Odyssey – the pair clear. He should improve again now and can provide his in-form trainer with another success.
16:10 Newmarket – Zouzanna @ 10/3
A Fillies’ Handicap over the mile trip here in which Zouzanna is taken to gain some compensation for a luckless third over 7f here 18 days ago.
Roger Charlton’s daughter of Zoustar had won 2-4 previously this season, scoring at Haydock (1m, good to firm) in her comeback in May and going in again at Ascot (7f, good) in September from the progressive runner-up Kimnkate.
On her first run here, she was held up in rear by Oisin Murphy and got very short of room a couple of furlongs from home before running home strongly once in the clear and finishing third as a short-head, head and a nose split the first four home.
A couple of the beaten horses have come out and run well since and, from 1lb higher and with a return to the mile sure to suit, compensation may await Zouzanna now if she handles the forecast soft going.
18:30 Kempton – Chalk Mountain @ 3/1
Evening fare is from the Polytrack at Kempton Park and Chalk Mountain looks one to be onside with for trainer Stuart Kittow and Rob Hornby in the 7f handicap that is race four on the card.
The three-year-old gelding has proved most consistent this year, with his all-weather figures reading 13221.
He was second over this C&D in September on his return from a short break, travelling wider than ideal but still looking set to collect the prize only for the well-fancied King Of Ithaca to run him down deep inside the final furlong in getting up to win by a neck.
Unperturbed, Chalk Mountain went to Wolverhampton three weeks ago and was a stylish winner in Hornby’s hands, moving ominously well into the straight and coming clear in ready fashion. This new mark of 69 represents a career-high perch but he still has scope for better and can justify inclusion on the Most Napped table via the Betfred Betfinder by adding to his tally.
