Horse Racing Betting: Donn McClean’s Horses To Follow
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Before we dive in, some basic rules for a horses to follow list is to keep them in a tracker and on your radar for the next three runs.
Consider ideal conditions across variables like venue, ground, opposition and ensure prices on betting sites are satisfactory to you as a punter.
This column should help you build up a list that proves profitable under those circumstances.
It should also provide timely reminders to reduce repeated form study and assist with your enjoyment of a season, be it National Hunt or Flat racing.
Triple Time - Ascot, 20th June
Triple Time is the Queen Anne Stakes winner now, he is not exactly under the radar anymore, but he may still be under-rated. There is a feeling around that he was fortunate to win the Queen Anne at Ascot, and he may not get the recognition that he is due as a result.
He did lots wrong in the Queen Anne. He broke smartly and was quickly into his stride, which meant that rider Neil Callan's original plan had to be revised in-running. Triple Time was keen early on, with no cover. He raced on his own on the near side initially, he had to move to his right to join the main body of runners, and he was still keen.
Actually, he didn't drop the bridle until after then had gone three furlongs, he had to have expended lots of energy unnecessarily through those three furlongs. And yet, he picked up well in front, and he still had enough energy in reserve to see off the challenge of Inspiral inside the final furlong.
This was a fine performance by trainer Kevin Ryan and by his horse, to win a Queen Anne on his seasonal debut, on his first run since he finished seventh in a Group 2 race in France last October. He was the winner on merit too, the sectionals tell you that it wasn't necessarily an advantage to race handily in the race.
It is understandable that he was free early on, on his first run in almost nine months, and there is every chance that he can step forward again now with this run under his belt. He should be a big player in the Sussex Stakes next, and in all the top one-mile races between now and the end of the season.
Rogue Millennium - Ascot, 21st June
Rogue Millennium did well to win the Duke of Cambridge Stakes given how the race developed. Restrained out of the gate by Danny Tudhope, she was back in the field early on off a relatively sedate pace. Eighth of the 10 runners at half way, she picked up well on the near side when her rider asked her for her effort.
She had to make her ground on the flank, closest to the stands rail and into a quickening pace, but she came with a sustained run that took her to the front with about 75 yards to run, and she stretched on to win by a neck.
It was a big run by Tom Clover's filly, coming from the rear in a race that was run at a sedate pace. The second, third and fourth, Random Harvest, Prosperous Voyage and Jumbly, were first, second and fourth from a long way out. Rogue Millennium was the only filly who got into it from the rear, and she won, with a finishing speed of 106.31% of overall speed, and with a nice gap between the first three and the rest. As well as that, this was Rogue Millennium's first run over a mile.
She had never run over a distance short of 10 furlongs before in her life, and she won the Lingfield Oaks Trial last year over almost a mile and a half. She ran a big race on her previous run to finish a close-up second behind Free Wind in the Middleton Stakes at York over 10-and-a-half furlongs, and this was a step forward from that, a career-best performance over the shortest trip over which she has ever raced.
It opens up more options for her now. She doesn't have any lofty entries, but a Group 1 win is surely the ultimate objective now for connections after this Group 2 win. The Falmouth Stakes would be a legitimate target for her now.
Saint George - Ascot, 21st June
Saint George put up a big performance to finish second behind Gregory in the Queen's Vase at Ascot.
Always travelling well in mid-division along the inside, he got a nice gap on the inside early in the home straight and he made good progress easily as Gregory kicked for home from the front. He moved into second place inside the two-furlong marker and, as he angled out, it looked like he was a real threat to Gregory, he traded at 1.25 in-running. In the end, he couldn't overhaul his talented and gritty rival, but he ran him close, and he pulled well clear of third-placed Chesspiece.
It was a really good run by Andrew Balding's colt, to get as close to the warm favourite and the new St Leger favourite as he did. He travelled like a high-class horse, and he was fastest of all through the third last and second last furlongs.
He is seriously progressive, he won a novice stakes at Southwell in April and he won a handicap at Doncaster in early June off a mark of 84. This was obviously a big step forward from that, and it was only his fifth run ever, so he has lots of scope to continue his progression.
The fact that he is one for one at Doncaster, over the St Leger course and distance, is obviously a positive if connections decide to target the St Leger now.
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Live Your Dream - Ascot, 23rd June
Live Your Dream did remarkably well to keep on as well as he did to finish third in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap on Friday. This was a race that was run at a fast pace, and Live Your Dream was up with that pace from flagfall.
Sharply away from his outside draw, Saeed bin Suroor's horse moved up to share the lead with his stable companion Global Heat after they had gone two furlongs. He moved into the lead on his own as they raced down the side of the track, and he kicked into a clear lead as they rounded the home turn.
The closers were always going to come at him in the home straight, given how fast the early pace had been, and they duly did, but the Godolphin horse kept on well after he had been passed to take third place, just two lengths behind the winner Okita Soushi.
This was a race in which it was an advantage to be held up. Ten of the first 11 home came from mid-division or worse early on. Live Your Dream was the only prominent racer to get in among them, and he finished third, having led or dispute from flagfall. His stable companion who shared the early lead with him faded to finish last.
Live Your Dream is six now, but this was just his 10th race, and it was just his second run back since he finished down the field in the 2021 Cesarewitch. His first run back, at Haydock two weeks earlier, was a really good run too, when he stayed on well to take second place behind Cumulonimbus, who made all. The handicapper raised him by just 2lb for this run to a mark of 104, and that was fair.
He will be of interest again in a good handicap off that mark. He holds an entry in a one-mile-six-furlong heritage handicap at Newmarket's July meeting, and he will be of interest if he lines up in that. The distance of that race should suit him even better than the 12 furlongs at Ascot, and he goes well at Newmarket, he won that race two years ago.
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