SIR RODERIC has certainly been the yard’s shining light this season and he recorded his fourth success of the year when landing a competitive three-year-old handicap on Eclipse Day at Sandown. The son of Roderic O’Connor was a bit immature as a two-year-old but showed promise in his three maidens before failing to face the kickback on handicap debut at Windsor and he was gelded and put away for the winter. He started his season off 66 back at Windsor on near heavy ground and ran out a cosy winner before following up at Haydock on slightly quicker ground that was softer than the official description. We then stepped up to ten furlongs at Salisbury and although looking the likely winner entering the final furlong, through idling or failing to stay the trip he dropped back to third. Ground was probably too quick when runner-up at Leicester next time but he has certainly got back on the winning trail during a very wet summer, winning cosily at Windsor before coping with the drop back to seven furlongs to power home with his ears pricked on Saturday off 84. Handicapper has raised him another six pounds to 90, twenty four pounds higher than when he started but he still looks like he has more to give and if it keeps on raining he should be able to make it five at some point, although he will be forced into some competitive handicaps – a £30,000 one is a possible on Saturday at Newmarket.
Three runners for the yard this evening at Bath and Kempton. Best chance of the night would be BIOTIC (8:15) at Kempton. He has progressed nicely during his three and four-year-old seasons and has won four times but progressed has stalled this season. However, handicapper has given him a chance by dropping him into 80 and he should be suited by returning to Kempton, a track where he has won twice and had multiple places so we are hopeful of a good run.
At Bath GO AMBER GO (6:30) returns from a break and she is certainly the type to improve as a four-year-old. We are a little bit unsure about her ideal trip but a mark of 46 provides limited options and she faces seventeen rivals so it won’t be easy but we are hopeful of a good run. AZURE AMOUR (8:00) is most effective on firm ground so the very wet summer hasn’t been ideal but she was third under similar conditions back in May and she is well handicapped off 55 but again it won’t be easy in such a big field.
Two runners at Newbury on Thursday evening and we have the inform MARCANO (7:30) bidding for a hat-trick. We thought we had a potential Saturday horse on our hands when he finished third on debut at Newbury behind Adday and Kodi Bear and then won his maiden impressively. However, he picked up an injury and just completely lost his way and never really showed his true colours at three. With his handicap mark dropping like a stone, it meant he has started his four-year-old season in Class 6 company and it has enabled him to get some confidence with a pair of fourths and then found the ideal headgear combination with the hood and tongue tie, he has come good with two wins at Bath. He showed some grit when winning the first time at Bath before looking a different horse when bolting up from the back of the field two weeks ago. He has gone up 12lb for those two wins and a mark of 76 forces him back into Class 4 company and faces some unexposed three-year-olds but with confidence sky high – we are hopeful of another good run. GLORY OF PARIS (6:30) was by far our sharpest two-year-old but sustained a nasty leg injury in March. It was hard to know what to make of his debut as he ran without a front shoe and the ground was nearly heavy but it should have sharpened him up plenty and this looks a much weaker race so he certainly has each way chances.