Charlie Fellowes is hopeful that the in-form Madame Peltier can strike while the iron is hot by completing a double at Haydock Park tomorrow (Wednesday 9th June).
The four year old was a game winner of an apprentice race at Newbury last month under Saffie Osborne and she looks to have been found a good opportunity in Wednesday’s finale, the Haydock Park Apprentice Training Series Handicap.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel will have to carry a 6lb penalty, but her trainer feels there’s every reason to believe she can run well once again.
He said: “She seems to have come through her Newbury race well and this looks like quite a nice opportunity for her with just the three runners. The ground is going to be different and that’s the one question mark but I don’t see why she wouldn’t handle the quicker ground and she should take a bit of beating.”The in-form Saffie Osborne will once again be in the saddle and Fellowes added that he has been impressed with the young rider, who is just one winner behind the front-running Marco Ghiani in the apprentice championship at present.
He said: “Saffie obviously knows the filly well as she’s won on her and she’s a jockey that I like a lot, she’s got a brain and she’s a very good rider. She’s ridden for me a couple of times and I’ve been really impressed.”
Wednesday’s seven-race card is an interesting one and includes the racingtv.com Handicap over a mile and a quarter. The eight-strong field includes Skycutter, who is due to make his debut for the Phil Kirby team having switched from France.
The three year old has some useful form under his belt on the other side of the Channel, which ties in rather closely with last weekend’s Prix Du Jockey Club, and Kirby is hopeful that his new recruit can prove himself to be fairly treated off an opening British mark of 88.
He said: “He’s fairly new to us and we’ve only had him a few weeks, but his form is very solid in France. Ideally it wants to be raining rather than getting any drier and I’ll be walking the course to make sure it’s not too quick, but there is a bit of rain forecast so hopefully we’ll catch it.
“He’s a nice horse and he’s got good some French form. The horse that was fourth in the French Derby at the weekend won his race last time and he was only three lengths behind. It looks solid form and hopefully his mark is fair enough.”
Also due to take his chance in the race is the Tom Dascombe-trained Commonsensical, whose owners include the Burnley footballers Jack Cork and Chris Wood.
The three year old has made a good start to his season before failing to fire at Leicester last time and Dascombe is hopeful that he can get back on track here. He said: “He’s a bit hit and miss really, but he has the ability and Haydock should really suit him. He’s a nice genuine and straightforward handicapper.”
Dascombe also sends out the debutant Box To Box in the Watch Racing TV Now Novice Stakes and he’s hopeful that the colt can develop into a nice prospect.
He said: “He’s a lovely big strong Kodiac colt, who funnily enough for a Kodiac is quite backward thinking. He’s fit and is sure to be winning races but he may just need the experience mentally. We tend to run all of our nicest two year olds at Haydock though as I love the place!”
Haydock Park’s Thursday evening card will also see Dascombe send out several runners, including the filly Devious Angel in the racingtv.com EBF Restricted Novice Stakes over five furlongs.
The daughter of Cotai Glory is the most experienced juvenile in the line-up with one win from four starts and Dascombe is hopeful that she can build on that useful form by running well here.
He said: “She’s had four runs for us already so she certainly knows her job and the track should suit her. She won on a straight five at Southwell and she’ll want quicker ground rather than softer ground, so she must go there with every chance.”
Dascombe also sends out Fools Rush In for the finale on Thursday, the Watch Irish Racing On Racing TV Handicap. The three year old signed off with a game success at Kempton Park last November, form which has since worked out well, and his trainer is looking forward to seeing him back on course.
He said: “He’s had a decent enough break and he is raring to go now. He looks really well in his coat and his season starts a bit later than planned but that’s just the way it’s gone. We kept him going late and gave him a break and just didn’t come to hand as soon as I thought he would, but he’s raring to go.”
