Photo: Michael Stevens FOUR excellent winners for the horses to follow notebook in the past week. SPERRY (7/2) (left) confirmed the promise she showed at Ascot by winning at York and could now head for the Royal meeting. Another John Gosden horse, GENRES (5/6), was another nice winner when he made all the running at Windsor for Ryan Moore last Monday. He looks a progressive type and is one to keep firmly on your side as the season goes on. BILLY CONGO, highlighted in this column two weeks ago, went off at a generous 9/1 after drifting badly in the market but still won nicely at Stratford today. And WESTERN RESERVE (5/2) confirmed his debut promise by making all and winning with a bit in hand at Chelmsford for Lady Cecil.
Elsewhere, Copacobana was fourth at Wolverhampton and Merritt Island a close second at the same meeting. Beaverbook hit the crossbar at Newbury at odds of 12/1, just being run out of it by Richard Fahey’s Birchwood. That was probably the warmest juvenile race of the season so far. Today, another notebook horse RISK ADJUSTED aims to make it third time lucky at Redcar. He should go very close. Here are this week’s list…
Genres wins at Windsor. Photo: Michael Stevens
SEQUESTER: David Lanigan’s chestnut four-year-old won a class five handicap at Bath with ridiculous ease. She is clearly improving with age and should be up to defying a penalty if she reappears quickly.
SYNODIC: Showed definite promise albeit in a fairly average looking maiden at Doncaster where the first three pulled clear. Could be interesting when pitted into handicaps.
SEAMOUR: Brian Ellison’s four-year-old won two from two in juvenile hurdles during the winter and reappeared in a warm York 1m 4f handicap off a rating of 85. He was badly drawn and forced to race wide most of the way before staying on late without getting to the leaders. I think this horse could be well handicapped and is certainly one to note in decent quality staying handicaps as the season progresses.
SIR ROGER MOORE: Ran such an eyecatching race on his debut in a hot maiden at York won by Seastrom. He fell out of the stalls and then pulled like a train before still managing to quicken up to finish third. If he can learn to settle this Kodiac colt looks to have a serious engine.
CRYSTAL ZVEZDA: Ryan Moore has now ridden the first five in the ante-post betting for the Epsom Oaks. Legatissimo, Diamondsandrubies, Together Forever, Found and this filly who was visually very impressive scoring at Newbury. Michael Stoute was unusually bullish about her future after the race and I would certainly support her wherever she goes next, Oaks or no Oaks.
