Maidens provide intrigue on latest Friday night card
Thursday 2nd August, 2007
Trainer Jeremy Noseda aiming to enhance fine July Course record with likeable prospect Captain Brilliance.
TWO Unicorn Asset Management-sponsored maidens should throw up some likely types and make for fascinating viewing at Newmarket tomorrow.
For the racing purist, these maidens are an endless source of fascination with there always being the possibility that a future champion may feature in a formative part of his or her career.
It’s almost guaranteed that there will be the odd Group-class performer in amongst them and perhaps one such horse may be Captain Brilliance, an intended runner in the six-furlong Unicorn Asset Management July Course Series maiden. (7pm)
The Jeremy Noseda-trained son of Captain Rio shaped with a good degree of promise over course and distance to finish second in a novice race at the Ritz Club July Festival. He will have learnt plenty from the experience and is likely to take the beating on his second racecourse appearance.
The other Unicorn Asset Management maiden is the seven-furlong opener (5.55) with the likes of Always Ready, Jack Dawkins and Craggy Cat hoping to put the knowledge gained from previous runs to good use as they take on interesting newcomers such as Indy Driver, Lilburn and Redford.
The most valuable event on the six-race card is the £12,000 guaranteed GL Events handicap (7.30) in which the improving Bee Eater is targeting a hat-trick. Already a course and distance winner, the well-bred filly from the family of Marling and Marwell, has speed to burn and local trainer Sir Mark Prescott’s charge is likely to be sent off as the favourite.
Trainer Dr Jon Scargill has a fairly busy weekend at his local track with three runners of note. Silent Applause, second on his first start in 15 months at the end of June, will aim to go one better over the same track and trip in the mile NGK Spark Plugs handicap (8.35). Red Sail is also out on Friday night, contesting the winners bingo.co.uk Fillies handicap (6.25).
Scargill is back on the July Course on Saturday when two-from-three scorer Big Noise tackles seven furlongs for the first time in the Half Moon Montego Bay Jamaica handicap.
Saturday’s seven-race card gets underway at 2.25 with the HSS Hire handicap.
By Tony Rushmer