Seven races – starting at 14:12 and concluding shortly after 17:12 – take place at Nottingham on Wednesday afternoon.
I’ve got a couple of tips for the card, including a hat-trick seeking three-year-old for the in-form Ben Brookhouse.
14:42 – Salamanca @ 9/4
Regular readers will know that I rarely put up unraced two-year-olds. In fact, the only time I can remember doing so was at Kempton a couple of months ago, with a horse called Local Hero who returned a 6/1 winner.
No pressure then, for I’m doing likewise at Nottingham on Wednesday with Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Salamanca for this maiden contest over 1m½f.
The yard aren’t renowned for their juvenile winners, but they are capable of readying one first time out and this attractively-bred son of Sea The Stars is possesses an eye-catching entry for the G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster later this month.
I’m not suggesting he’ll end up there, but the mere presence of the entry suggests we’re looking at a colt that, at least on the gallops at home, is well above average.
This is a pretty weak race, with fellow newbies Victoria Legend and Poniros the main dangers, so if Salamanca going to Donny on the 28th is even going to be considered, he’d have to be winning this.
Conditions are pretty desperate at Colwick Park right now, which is a concern, but the selection is bred to enjoy the test so that doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm that much.
17:12 – I Still Have Faith @ 11/4
The very last race on the card is a 0-85 handicap over 1m2f that’s attracted seven runners (likely to be at most six come race time as Miss Dolly Rocker ran at Bath on Monday).
Dubai Souq is the class act in the field but he’s only won once since July 2020 and has to plenty of weight to progressive rivals – one of those being Navarre Express who, while respected, may find 1m2f a bit too sharp.
I’d be surprised if Palio, Tudor or Star Of Mayo were up to winning this, which leaves Ben Brookhouse’s I Still Have Faith.
The three-year-old son of Expert Eye is on a bit of roll, winning the Leger Legends race under Tom Scudamore at Doncaster last month in good fashion before another taking victory in the Amateur Jockeys’ Cambridgeshire at Newmarket just six days later.
I don’t think a further 5lbs rise limits him, Tom Marquand is an excellent jockey booking and Brookhouse is in red-hot form, operating at a mightily-impressive 56% strike rate with five wins from his last nine runners.
Just like my other selection, heavy ground is an unknown, but it was pretty soft at Donny when he won the Leger Legends race so I’m confident he’ll cope just fine on his hat-trick bid.
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