Following on from an excellent September in which we secured a Return on Investment of 43% we enjoyed another fine month in October with a 30% ROI and highlights including Piranesi, Dejame Paso, Revenant, Baradar, Noon Star, Happygolucky and Beau Jardine landing a huge punt having been supported from 20/1 into 4/1!
With the National Hunt racing now starting to get into full swing alongside the all-weather action we have some strong pieces of information due to run over the coming week or so. Below are eight horses that caught the eye during the course of October, all of which are above average and all of which should be getting their heads in front very soon.
Mushirif (Roger Varian) – This colt by Belardo had been working well prior to his Nottingham debut on the 28th of October and having been positioned on the wrong part of the track he’s expected to improve considerably from his first to second outing. An above average two-year old who will be of significant interest wherever he turns up next.
Teona (Roger Varian) – A well-bred daughter of Sea The Stars this filly is held in high regard by the Varian stable and was arguably a tad unfortunate not to have finished closer to Sea Empress on the 30th October at Newcastle having had to wait for a gap longer than ideal. She will have absolutely no issues in following up at shorter odds next time out and is a filly to keep firmly on side. She is considered pattern class.
Laneqash (Roger Varian) – A very smart colt by Cable Bay, he was widely considered to be the stable’s leading juvenile this season, but his progression was brought to an abrupt half at Newbury in the Horris Hill Stakes when failing to go a yard on what was very testing ground. His effort prior to that when splitting subsequent Group 3 winner One Ruler and Group 2 winner New Mandate reads exceptionally well and although unlikely to be seen again until next season as a three-year old he is a colt with a very bright future indeed and must be noted ahead of his three-year old campaign next season.
Kitzbuhel (Andrew Balding) – Having been given this 3-y-o colt on his last start at Newcastle it was far from ideal that he was dismounted to be re-shoed down at the start for well over 10 minutes, but he shaped with plenty of encouragement regardless to finish a keeping-on 3rd under Oisin Murphy. His 2nd at Redcar earlier in the Summer to the now 105 rated Without A Fight makes for good reading and connections feel he will be going very close in an AW handicap over the coming weeks off a mark of 73.
Military Mission(Hugo Palmer) – The stable enjoyed a resurgent second-half of the season this year and having been poorly placed on his second start at Haydock when given too much ground to make up from the rear of the field he shaped with a similar degree of promise at Wolverhampton over the extended mile in what looked a warm novice for the track. He will be stepped up in distance on his next start and is felt to be a well handicapped horse off a mark of 84. Whether he turns up in novice company or handicap company on his next start he should be kept on side when tackling a stiffer test.
Mused (Hugo Palmer) – A well regarded daughter of Charm Spirit out of a mare that didn’t handle soft/heavy ground it was no surprise that this Qatar Racing owned filly struggled to pick up on soft/heavy ground at Newmarket first time out on the 31st of October on the final meeting here in HQ of the flat season. Her work in the lead up to her debut had been that of a filly with a bright future and when hopefully switched to the all-weather this Winter she must be kept on side.
Heart Of A Lion(Alan King) – A wide-margin winner of a moderate Southwell bumper last Summer, this Alan King trained son of Yeats is thought to be extremely smart. Having raced freely he was badly in need of his seasonal re-appearance at Wetherby on the 30th of October and will prove a different proposition on his next outing. He is a novice hurdler with a bright future ahead of him for the season ahead.
City Derby(Fergal O’Brien) – Trainer Fergal O’Brien has proven himself a dab hand at getting regular bumper winners and this four-year old gelding is held in the highest regard by the yard. He was fully expected to make a winning debut for connections in his Hereford bumper on the 21st of October when sent off 6/4 favourite and having been outpaced at a crucial stage he was just starting to make up noteworthy ground turning for home before being badly hampered, unseating Paddy Brennan in the process. As long as he doesn’t find himself up against a superstar on his next start he is fully expected to win a bumper before being sent hurdling by connections.
