Tanya Stevenson
Twice to bowl ‘em Over again
7 July 2012
Today’s selections:
2.40 Sandown: Trade Commissioner
3.45 Sandown: Twice Over
2.55 Haydock: Salford Art
3.25 Haydock: Easy Terms
I’m at Sandown for my 35th Coral-Eclipse! My favourite was back in 1987 with Mtoto. Today has much to do to measure up to that, but if my selection Twice Over can regain his title then it may well.
Put a line through his run at Sandown last time the ground was awful. He never does well at the early part of the season; one from 11 before July, nine from 14 July onwards.
The bad fortune of Farhh in the Prince Of Wales does not advertise his prowess enough yet, for my liking. A lack of a recent run for Nathaniel puts me off. And Cityscape stepping up in trip may well be a negative. So I’m opting for a horse who has been there and done that.
Why so many non-runners at Sandown today? I know hoards of connections walking the course aren’t ideal and the logistics of getting someone to do so within a certain yard isn’t the easiest but it’s a warm day with bit of a light breeze and the first race has been decimated with defections all down to ground! A big sigh of resignation from this quarter and time to move on from the weather chat.
Full marks to Martin Kelly who travelled down after a sodden day at Doncaster yesterday, who themselves performed miracles to get their meeting on, (big pat on the back to Jon Pullin and his team) to then come to Sandown for the Morning Line. He eloquently put across the record of Saeed Bin Suroor in the Coral-Eclipse, which is rather good. Farhh’s price had, and has been wavering, for the last couple of hours though.
Well done too to Kirkland Tellwright and the team at Haydock for getting the Bet365 Old Newton Cup meeting on. So much to enjoy now this afternoon if I can gently negotiate the swathes of non-runners and pick the bones of what is left.
Sandown’s blooms are resplendent - I wonder if they have borrowed some of them from Hampton Court, who are reaching the culmination of their flower show. If you are a regular reader of this blog you would well know I constantly moan about the traffic.
Tanya’s pointers:
Coral-Eclipse
Seven of the last ten winners had run at Royal Ascot that season (five of them in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes)
The last ten winners had been placed at least in a Group One
The last ten winners had raced in a Group One on their most recent start
Nine of the last ten winners came from the top three in the betting
Since 1960 no horse older than six has won the Coral-Eclipse.
No Coral-Eclipse winner has lost his title and then come back to regain his crown
Recent duel winners of the Coral-Eclipse are Mtoto 1987 & 1988 and Halling 1995 & 1996
Old Newton Cup
Nine of the last ten winners of the Old Newton Cup were aged four or five
The last ten Old Newton Cup winners have previously been successful over at least 11 furlongs
Lancashire Oaks
Eight of the last ten winners were priced 13-2 or shorter
Seven of the last ten winners came from the first two in the betting
Comments
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Really rate your tips Tanya but glad you were wrong about Nathaniel.Tremendous performance by John Gosden and William Buick! No contest for the King George and what price for the Arc as well? Tony Cheetham
Anthony J Cheetham | 10 months ago