An absolutely spectacular day Saturday, with the loyal followers making a few quid, just in time to celebrate the New Year in style, with four winners, a second and a third from six selections, including the Nap; Mush Mir, and the next best; Cue Card, both winning, at odds of 3/1 and 5/2 respectively. Nothing of that calibre in the week, where the focus is once again on the fibresand, and where Hayley Turner continues her comeback, and making up for lost time with plenty of winners in the last few weeks.
She has some more chances Wednesday, riding at both Lingfield and Kempton, and a horse who she has a good partnership with is OPUS MAXIMUS, who has been in sensational form through the winter, racking up four wins and four seconds from the gelding's last eleven runs, an incredible strike rate for a horse who loves his racing. Primarily a Wolverhampton specialist, he goes to Lingfield Wednesday carrying a 6lb penalty, but the way he is running, that is still unlikely to stop him. The seven year old has only ran once, finishing a narrow head second at Lingfield Park, and with 'The Head Turner' on him here this time, he could make it a quickfire double.
Hayley also rides the horse who broke her ankle when bucking her off, back in August, ROSE AURORA, for trainer Marcus Tregoning. Although finishing stone last in her previous outing at Lingfield, the filly returns to Kempton Park, where she was a good winner back in November, and beat a decent field by an impressive six lengths. Providing she is still in that sort of form, she should take some beating again, in what looks a substandard field. Blue Cossack could be the sleeper, if back to the form he showed in October, over extended trips.
It is interesting that AMITOLA runs again at Kempton Park, after two very good runs at Lingfield, on his first descent onto the all weather. The well bred son of Choisir had a lacklustre summer, seemingly in the grip of the handicap, gradually slipping down on his mark, winning off a mark of 82 in a 7 furlong handicap. He then finished a good second behind Numeral, when punted off the boards, narrowly denying Jamie Spencer a hatrick that day. He has gone up 3lb for those two runs, but his form is undeniable, especially over 7 seven furlongs 7-5-3-1-2. Spencer/Barron have a terrific strike rate over the all weather season, and although it is a conditions stakes, and he has room to make up, he is on the upgrade, and in good form, unlike the majority of his rivals.
14.20 Lingfield Park - Opus Maximus (Nap)
17.00 Kempton Park - Rose Aurora
17.30 Kempton Park - Amitola (Ew)
The Yorkshireman - Jack Milner
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