Cammidge Trophy: Aletta Addie 2.20
Performance last time out in a weak maiden race is not enough to suggest he is good enough to win here. Conditions do not suit with heavy going underfoot, needs a faster pace to be in with a chance here as he steps up in trip.
Article by G L Morgan
Yes that’s rights folks. It’s been a long time coming but the Starters Orders Pro League is back. Starters Orders 4 was released late December and many have been hammering away the seasons trying to find that Champion horse for the start of the new league.
There are lots of changes to the league this year. Colm O’Dea (President Of The SOPL) has answered many peoples prayers this year by bringing in a Handicapping System. Colm has appointed a team of three in Jacob Cohen, Steve Speight & Conor McKenna that will look after and monitor all ratings. We now have Race Stewards in myself & Mike Westwood which should hopefully stop all handicap fiddling (Sorry ESA). The schedules for all 3 leagues have been improved by Craig Allen, Tim Carnes & Steve Speight.
Rich Coates (US) & Jim Donaldson (UK) will continue as Race Secretaries whilst we have a new Race Secretary for the NHC in Mike O’Sullivan. Davy Robertson, Jeff Galarneau, Conor McKenna & Pete Hannan will continue as the leagues commentators. Mike Westwood & George Morgan will be this year Bookmakers.
David Archibald creator of TOM will continue in his role as TOM Support and our Chief Colm O’Dea will continue as President of the SOPL.
This year has seen a few old faces return in Jason Valler, Mike Westwood, Mike O’Sullivan & Colin Pereira and plenty of new trainers taking part in this new era of the SOPL. The number of trainers taking part this season is the most the league has seen so this season promises to be even better.
The SOPL Times will be back in action again from now on and I’d like to announce the new faces to the team this year in Steve Speight, Ryan Tahmassebi & Craig Beckwith. Steve Speight will be producing the racing reviews in the work of art that is Racing Ahead which will soon be incorporated into the SOPL Times. Ryan, Craig & myself will be working on racing previews, stable tours, trainer specials etc…
George Morgan will be back with Speedys Bismarck. The Bismarck boasted a 100% record last year so hopefully George can continue that trend.
I think that is all for now. Good luck all this season and may we all have a winner especially the newbies. Thanks to all who helped getting this season underway.
Article by J P Burke
Congratulations to Steve Young aka Daxosho. His tipping this season has been outstanding.
Steve will win either £2,000,000 or an extra stable spot for next season. Steve to confirm.
The Irish trained Tomato finally got her reward today in the SOPL US Juvenile Dash. Her trainer Colm O’Dea from Carlow in Ireland has been restricted with races for his filly all season. The 5f horse has only raced over this trip four times in the SOPL with form figures of 1272. Her last two racecourse appearances have been over 6f which has not been ideal. Today she faced stiff competition with sprint specialists Jason Burke & Lee Cara both entering Robin De Biercy & Passionate Person.The Steve Young trained Quack Quack & the Rich Coates trained Beveled Leggins also lined up making it an exciting race for the neutralist. Tomato in stall 12 was restrained and tucked in by P Jacinto. The Leon Van Rensburg trained Cult Hero started well upfront making the running. After 2 furlongs Tomato was 3rd from the rear with plenty to do. Heading down to the 2f poll Tomato was being pushed to take closer order. The leader was still Cult Hero. Tomato was making ground fast but had to find the gaps. Heading towards the 1 furlong marker Tomato saw daylight and began to go up a gear. The fast finishing filly put her head in front entering inside the final furlong. Quack Quack looked the only danger but was racing wide. Quack Quack was finishing well but never looked like catching Tomato. Tomato crossed the line first to a roar from the travelling Irish support. Quack Quack finished 2nd 3/4l off the winner with Beveled Leggins taking 3rd. The winning trained was very happy and said”She has been knocking on the door all season. She deserved to win one & I am very happy she has done”
The Melbourne Cup was won today by The ‘Dodgy Dave’ Archibald trained Laria. The Kiwi trainer having one of his best seasons ever in the SOPL has been a trainer to follow this year. This win was his 10th Grade One win of the current season. His little filly Laria who finished 2nd in the Sydney Cup earlier this season has been slightly disappointing since that run. The race was very open with half the field in with a chance. The favourite was the form horse coming into the race, the Leon Van Rensburg trained Pressure Points. As the gates opened David Harness’s gelding Coalition broke well blazing the trail as he usually does. Laria was held up by jockey Colin Haddon. The order upfront didn’t change until inside the final 6f when Jason Burke’s Play For Lucy moved alongside Coalition. Laria was second last with alot of ground to make up. Inside the four Richard Kingscote pressed the button on Play For Lucy pulling 1l clear of Coalition . Laria was picking up well making plenty of ground. With 2f to go Play For Lucy had a 2l lead over the Steve Young trained Magical Powers with Coalition in 3rd but weakening. Laria was in 4th travelling better than anything. Approaching 1f from home Play For Lucy held a narrow lead over Laria but Play For Lucy was tiring. Inside the half furlong Laria put her head in front and went on to win by 3/4l.
Golden Dawn caused a huge upset today when winning the Breeders Cup Sprint Grade One for trainer Davy Robertson beating the ‘cert of the festival’ the Colm O’Dea trained Sorella by the shortest of margins. Both Robertson & O’Dea had an agonising wait while the Stewards tried to seperate the pair. It looked like it was going to a dead-heat with both trainers congratulating each other but an incredible 37 minutes later the stewards seperated the pair announcing that Golden Dawn had won. Trainer Davy Robertson was over-joyed but did not go overboard with the celebrations. Sorella has been one of the most consistent sprinters in the USRA to date with form figures of 51212132314152 and this would have been the icing on the cake but it wasn’t to be. The winner trained in Scotland by Robertson has been very disappointing all season with a host of midfield finishes but she got up when it mattered. The race on paper was arguably one of the best ever with the Rich Coates trained Simple Things & the Jason Burke trained Wishinindia both lining up. Unfortunately Simple Things was dealt a blow with a shocking draw of 19. The race started with Wishinindia making the running from a wide draw until 2.5f to go when the Vinny Gerrard trained Sechuan Red travelling beautifully took over. Entering the final furlong it was Sechuan Red who held a 1l lead over Golden Dawn. There was a host of horses bunched up behind which included Sorella, Wishinindia & the Kenny Robertson trained Gravitation. At the half furlong pole it was still Sechuan Red with a slightly reduced lead over Golden Dawn & Sorella racing side-by-side. It looked like Sechaun Red was the one to cause an upset but as the line approached Golden Dawn & Sorella found more to cross the line together. Golden Dawn just got up to win with Sechaun Red only a head behind in 3rd. Wishinindia was unlucky in 4th racing wide.
The Jamie Taylor trained Ed Hardy was in fine form again today winning the Breeders Cup Juvenile easily. The 2yo gelding a recent addition to Midnight Valley’s US base had won 2 from 3 starts coming into this race, one of them being the the Grade One Champagne Stakes at Belmont where he won from an incredibly high draw beating warm favourite Oberon. Today he was taking on Michael O’Sullivan’s Grade One winner Rock On who has won 2 from 2. Steve Young’s Pearljammer & Jason Burke’s Hail Aidan were two potential improvers. Ed Hardy was ridden patiently by T Bergamo sat mid pack. Rock On was at the rear of the field being pushed vigorously after missing the break. The pace was being made by David Harness’s Muntenau & Leon Van Rensburg’s King Of The Pixies. Into the straight with 2f to go T Bergamo pulled Ed Hardy out wide and decided to kick for home. Muntenau was still the leader. Rock On was 3rd last and out of it. Entering the final furlong Ed Hardy took over and skated into a comfortable 2l lead over Pearljammer who had relegated Muntenau into 3rd. Ed Hardy was making mincemeat of this field with nothing coming out to make a challenge. Passing the line Ed Hardy won easily by 1 1/2l ahead of Pearljammer. Muntenau kept on one paced to take 3rd. The big disappointment was Rock On who never got into the race. It’s been a quiet few weeks for Jamie Taylor but this success and also Sariska’s in the BC Fillies & Mares Turf Grade One wil certainly give him something to smile about. Ed Hardy has a bright future!
BLAME GAME trained by Michael O’Sullivan won The Dewhurst earlier today making him favourite for next years 2000 Guineas. TOM bookmakers have him at 10/1 after todays impressive victory over some very good rivals. The 2yo gelding had only been seen on the racecourse once prior to this run when he finished 5th in Champagne Stakes. The warm favourite coming into the race was the Lee Cara trained Soviet Farm. Blame Game was ridden prominently by Fran Ferris sat in about 6th with Soviet Farm 2l off. At the halfway mark the leader was the Scott Richards trained Fine Sand ahead of Adam Cripps’s Resort & Jason Burke’s King Of Dixie. Blame Game was sat 4th. The race changed shape when Blame Game took over with 1.5f to go. Soviet Farm closed in and was sat 2nd 1l off Blame Game. The Leon Van Rensburg trained Trickster Hero made ground to take 3rd. Approaching half a mile from home the well fancied Soviet Farm put his head in front with Blame Game less than a neck behind racing on the other side. As the line approached there were a host of horses in with chances. Soviet Farm & Blame Game were 1st & 2nd racing neck and neck with Soviet Farm just holding a small lead with Trickster Hero closing in 3rd. The race looked over but Blame Game didn’t give up and fought back to win the race by 1/4 ahead of Soviet Farm with Trickster Hero a neck behind in 3rd. It was a fantastic race with a host of horses in very close in behind making it a hard race for the commentator to call. Michael O’Sullivan recently made his long awaited return to the SOPL and it has started just as it ended with a very successful stable. Michael O’Sullivan said of the win”..”
Review by J Burke
Paul Moores was in fine form this afternoon with 2 winners at Doncaster. He saddled Laurel Target to win The Vamaz Banded Mile Handicap in the penultimate race & he also saddled Blandford Spirit in the last race on the card The Hellen Wheels Banded Turf Handicap. Todays 2 winners were Paul Moores 9th & 10th in the UK Racing Association.
Review by J Burke
Jer trained by National Hunt lover Kevin Meenaghan was finally rewarded today after some good performances at the Cheltenham & Punchestown festivals when he romped home in the Betfred Hurdle at Sandown. Jer who was prominent throughout took over long time leader & Leon Van Rensburg trained Twelve Disciples with 9f to go. Heading inside the mile Jer had a 3l lead over Twelves Disciples with Padraig Hogan’s Cosmopolitan Lad & Colm O’Dea’s Shirley Casper racing 3rd & 4th respectively. Jer was looking comfortable in front and put the race to bed with 5f to go when he kicked for home extending his lead to 7l with Cosmopolitan Lad in behind chasing. Jer’s lead was being reduced approaching the last fence with Dezzie Hinton’s Musawah closing in but still 2l behind. Jer jumped the last fence well and went on to win by 3l. Musawah held on for 2nd ahead of the eye catching fast finishing Harzu trained by Dave Archibald. Kevin Meenaghan said of the winner “Delighted with that. He deserves it. He has been running well of late”
Review by J Burke