- Kingman record a strong one with 2yos at Newmarket
- Fleur was a dead-heat winner back in August
- Al Dudman is backing a 23/1 Sportsbook double at Newmarket on Saturday
Ludmilla bred to be ready for first run
Back Ludmilla @ 4.03/1 in the 13:03 at Newmarket
The wait goes on with Laugh A Minute following his Dundalk mid-division effort in yesterday's double. While the second selection Shanghai Surprise ran as badly as the film of the same name from the 1980s with Madonna - who was then a spritely 40-year-old. Saturday sees plenty of top jumps' across Ascot and Wetherby, but for the final throes of the turf Flat season, I am staying with Newmarket for today's two selections.
They might even get a race off on time today. You never know?
The opening 13:03 Novice is split into two division, and John Gosden has won this twice in the last decade with Heiress and Nawissi. He can add a third to the list with the newcomer Ludmilla.
Priced at 3/1, her family points to her winning on debut, or at least as a juvenile as her mother Rostova won on her second start while her full brother Dantora trounced a field on debut at Windsor last season by 6L and looked a giant of a horse.
Her sire Kingman has a 20% win record at Newmarket and nearly 40% placed but that improves greatly with his 2yos at the track and he has a fairly devastating win percentage of 33% and a placed one of 57%. Those numbers are fairly frightening, and it's why Kingman is turning into an elite sire.
The draw in 10 also looks appealing as we saw with Canoodled yesterday in a high pitch, the race opened up beautifully for her on the inside.
Fleur can handle the step up in class for Gosden
Back Queen Fleur @ 6.05/1 in the 15:58 at Newmarket
Another juvenile race makes the betting frame on Saturday at Newmarket with the Listed Montrose Stakes, although in recent seasons it has lacked some stardust in terms of a quality winner.
The field includes a mixed bag with several already well exposed and ratings gives them little chance, although we have the added intrigue of a Dermot Weld runner who's got plenty of experience.
However, Gosden appears again and his Queen Fleur looks an attractive enough price in what could be an open race.
She dead-heated on debut at Sandown back in August with Chelsea Green, who opposes once again today rated 86, so the selection will have to improve once more. However, she looked the better filly that day as Chelsea Green hot first run and Queen Fleur had to wait for a gap a lot further back, then had to switch wide but did produce a big surge to mow down the field bar one.
The daughter of Kingman still looked green, but that injection of pace down the straight was typical Kingman. However, once again, no sectional data was available, which is becoming a common theme.
I may sound like a broken record there, but I will for the race, as fillies at this time of year can make a huge stride and jump from opening run to second, and it's why I don't mind playing in these sorts of races.
She is well named as her mother is Fleur Forsyte - of John Galsworthy's epic Forsyte Saga, a piece of literature that features the Spaniards' Inn pub in Hampstead - a placed I've frequented, and it still has the toll gate outside.
The selection is a Normandie Stud horse, and they all are bred for distance, and her family includes Dolores, who is the dam of good stayers Duncan, Samuel and Gretchen. A mile will be easy for her range and I like her price for this.
Gosden's record with 2yo fillies at HQ is 17% win and 43% placed, but Kingman's juvenile record highlighted earlier is top class.
September/October singles winners:
Pennymoor 17/2 Won and Placed
Tarhib 5/1 Won
Hoganville 3/1 Won
Sole Pretender 9/1 Placed R4
Maximilian Evens Won
Another Odyssey 5/4 Won
Magnetic North 16/1 Placed
Mr Alan 4/1 Won
Bright Diamond 13/2 Placed
Hurtle 2/1 Won
Good Impression 3/1 Won
Soft Whisper 2/1 Won
Enduring 9/1 Placed
Noble Dynasty 3/1 Won
Nostrum 2/1 Won
Kaif 15/8 Won
Only Money 2/1 Won
Ah La Francaise 5/2 Won
Exoplanet 5/1 Won
Courage Mon Ami 5/1 Won
City Walk 9/4 Won
Shaara 6/1 Won
Tarhib 5/4 Won
City Vaults 5/2 Won
Sea Stone 9/1 Won
Funny Story 5/2 Won
New Kingdom 8/1 Won
Prakasa 6/4 Won
Well Educated 9/4 Won
Kingori 10/11 Won
Dynamic Kate 10/11 Won
First View 9/2 Won
Mostahdaf 9/2 Won
Leopold's Rock 4/5 Won
High Velocity 9/2 Won
Back On Springs 5/4 Won