Weekend Review / Timeform / 24 August 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Timeform discuss who's hot and who's not after a busy weekend of racing...

At Sandown on Saturday, Shakespearean recorded his first success in pattern company in the Group 3 Solario Stakes over seven furlongs.

In what was an up-to-standard renewal, Mark Johnston's colt was given a ride to suit the track, making all and finding plenty when asked to quicken two furlongs out. Shakespearean's size and strength suggest there is more to come, especially if tried over one mile, and he is likely to take his chance in the Royal Lodge Stakes or Racing Post Trophy for Saeed Bin Suroor, having recently been bought by Godolphin.

Buzzword was unable to build on his Richmond Stakes second in his first run over seven furlongs, though other races may well show him to better advantage.

Elsewhere on the card, Strawberrydaiquiri justified strong market support when gaining her third win in listed company in the Atlanta Stakes. The three-year-old produced a career-best performance, finding plenty once in front and going away at the finish, and should be good enough to win at Group 3 level at least. Ada River ran creditably on her first start in almost a year in second and, along with the strong-finishing Nashmiah, is worth another try over further in this grade.

Over at Chester, the Ian Williams-trained Munsef defied a 4lb rise for his Ascot success to win the Chester Stakes Listed Handicap. The seven-year-old travelled smoothly into contention from mid-field and pulled out a bit more when challenged by Mystery Star inside the final furlong. Munsef has not finished out of the top two on his last four starts and will be more than capable of holding his own in non-handicap listed events. The leading pair finished half a length clear of Sabotage, who produced another good effort and is likely to benefit from a real test of stamina.

Newton Abbot staged a typically valuable running of one of the summer's most prestigious handicaps, the Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase. The David Pipe-trained Star of Germany defied a 5lb penalty to win comfortably from Hoo La Baloo. The purpose with which the winner went up the run-in suggests he may be capable of more, though sooner or later he's going to be forced into contesting still-stronger handicaps.

Even without the participation of Phoenix Stakes winner Alfred Nobel, the Darley Prix Morney at Deauville on Sunday promised to be the most interesting two-year-old clash of the season, with Arcano and Canford Cliffs both making their first starts since recording excellent timefigures in their respective pattern wins at Newmarket and Royal Ascot. Special Duty made all in a truly run contest, but was unable to hold off Arcano, who was brought through to lead in the final half-furlong and broke the long standing track-record. Canford Cliffs failed to reproduce anything like his Ascot form in third.

Tags: Horseracing betting, Sandown Races, Shakespearean, timeform weekend racing review