With the new flat turf season just around the corner, we send three of our flat horses to the all weather at Newcastle on Wednesday evening, with all three also likely to be running on the turf very shortly.
Myboymax was one of our most consistent performers last season, when winning twice, and never finishing out of the first four in his first eight starts since joining us from the Richard Hannon yard. This saw him increase his mark from 48 to his current rating of 64, the mark he was third off at Catterick last October. He goes to post for the 5.14.pm, a 0-60 handicap over his favoured 12 furlongs with his regular rider Aiden Brookes in the saddle. Although he has never been placed in five starts on an artificial surface, the chances are that he will handle it.
The admirable Dragons Will Rise is next up at 5.45.pm, in a 0-80 handicap over 10 furlongs, where he will be ridden by Ben Curtis who is standing in for his regular rider Robert Havlin who is down at Kempton riding for his retainer John Gosden. Dragons Will Rise is the winner of seven of his last 12 starts, and finished third from his current mark of 77 over this course and distance last time. Once again he ran with his usual enthusiasm, and was keeping on all to way to the line. There is no reason to think he wont run another big race this time.
Our final runner is the wonderfully named Jungle Inthebungle who is a six year old gelding who has recently joined the yard having had two previous trainers. As a two year old Jungle Inthebungle reached the heady heights of 94 when winning the Brian Yeardley Trophy at Beverley, and then spent the rest of his two and three year old career in either Listed or high class handicap company. As a four and five year old his form has been in steady decline, culminating with finishing ninth at Newcastle from a mark of 52 when last seen in November. He runs at 7.45.pm, over six furlongs from a new low mark of 49 with Aiden Brookes in the saddle. We wait to see if the change of scenery can turn his form around.
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Good luck to the connections, Anthony Bithell and The Golden Cuckoo.