Thursday 13th September 2012

Porcini ran a fine race in defeat last night, landing us each-way money, but she was a bit green when asked to pick up and, with stronger handling, might well have won.

Two selections for this afternoon, and a possible evening bet to be released at 5.15pm.

1.50 Doncaster Coolnagree 4pts win @ 10/1 (Paddy Power, guaranteed, 9/1 generally guaranteed)

Coolnagree looks really interesting coming over from Ireland for this Group 3. The selection has improved a total of 20lbs on official ratings as a three year old, and recently came back from a three month absence to run a fine race at Tipperary on ground that might have been too heavy for her. She was held up in rear that day and didn't get the best of runs, staying on nicely when finally getting out in the open. A galloping seven furlongs and strong pace will be perfect for her, for she holds some of the strongest seven furlong form in this field - a comfortable success over Ishvana, the Irish 1,000 Guineas runner up and Jersey Stakes winner, being the highlight. She holds Sentaril on a line through Ishvana, and although collateral form can't wholly be trusted, 9/1+ about our filly looks very fair.

4.05 Doncaster Elusive Fame 2pts each-way AND 1pt win @ 12/1 (VC Bet, guaranteed, 11/1 generally guaranteed)

Interestingly, there is not much pace in this six furlong sprint, and there is a chance that from stall four Elusive Fame might find her way to the front and bowl along happily. David Elsworth has an excellent record with fillies (profitable to back blind) and this horse has been in fine form this summer, consistently posting decent efforts and improving again when winning at Newmarket last month, following that up with a game second at the same track. She has loads of speed for seven furlongs, and drops back to six today after fading up Salisbury's stiff finish last time out, where she paid the price for travelling on a strong pace. The time backs this assertion up, it was the most impressive on the day by some way. The excellent William Buick is booked today, and if she can get in front early and hit that sweet spot down the centre of the track where most of the winners came from (should be easily done from stall 4 with stalls on stands' side), she can win a sprint in which much of the opposition look exposed.

Profit & loss: day: -9.00 / month: -36.75 / year: -141.01