Betfair Weekend: Rewilding and Workforce set for Ascot showdown

Ante-post / Alex Steedman / 19 July 2011 / Leave a Comment

Will there be more Ascot joy for Rewilding (right) on Saturday?

"Workforce and Rewilding will tussle all the way up the famous Ascot straight... "

Alex Steedman assesses the field and weighs up the key protagonists in the build up to Saturday's big Betfair-sponsored race at Ascot...

It is a thankless task, improving upon near perfection, but that is what this weekend's Betfair King George contenders attempt as they chase the Ghost of Harbinger.

The betting suggests that St Nicholas Abbey [2.82] is the most likely budding superstar in this field and his reputation as well as a recent return to form suggests as much. Those who wonder at Aiden O'Brien's genius must have marvelled at the transformation of 'SNA' from apparent equine shell at the Curragh in April to the zestful colt who strutted at Chester then Epsom. Make no mistake he is back and, as Primal Scream sang, moving on up too.

Unbeaten as a juvenile in three races culminating in an eye-popping display at Doncaster in the Racing Post Trophy, SNA was considered to have disappointed despite finishing sixth in the 2000 Guineas last season. Injury robbed us of his presence thereafter until that subdued Curragh return. But he was swashbuckling in the Ormonde at Chester's May meeting and then delivered a performance of substance when despatching Midday despite not handling the contours of Epsom. The son of Montjeu has only been beaten twice and you just don't know where the end of his rainbow lies.

Midday is on standby for round two but she simply does not look quite good enough and that is plan B anyway with recent rains seeming to pave the way for connections' main dart Workforce [3.5]. You wonder how deep do burn the scars from last year as he raced wide, keen and eventually miles behind stablemate Harbinger. It could be that Ascot, with its relatively short, turning straight doesn't play to his strengths but that is conjecture and one duff run should not be held against Workforce. He was ridden to effect at Sandown but over a mile-and-a-half he remains a serious talent and if Ascot is not in any way a bogey for him, he is a major player and, it should be stressed, still improving.

Last year's Derby winner gave this year's talking horse So You Think a real scare in a knee-buckling renewal of the Eclipse last time. That brings us neatly to Rewilding [4.4] who narrowly overcame the Aussie sensation in a pulsating Prince of Wales' Stakes at Royal Ascot. Rewilding's performance somehow seemed to get lost in the furore over Frankie's whip ban as well as the debate and debrief over So You Think but for me he is an emerging star.

Last season we got a taste of what Rewilding might one day be with that placed effort behind Workforce at Epsom and though he didn't fire in the Leger, the Godolphin colt took off on home soil at the Carnival in March. Rewilding's Sheema classic success was the platform for that Royal Ascot coming out party and I think this is a horse to turn back the clock for Goldolphin. Remember in their first decade as an operation they set the racing agenda with International Group 1 regulars like Halling, Swain and Daylami. Both the latter named were winners of the King George and I think Rewilding resembles them in nature.

A feature of the Godolphin older middle distance horses of the past was their innate toughness and willingness to compete; Rewilding looked the part in those departments at Ascot and I really believe in this guy. In truth he may lack that sharp change of gear which shapes the real superstars but we don't know that for sure yet and he is getting better. Like Workforce, the step back up to a mile-and-a-half will see him at his best.

The emerging dark horse and an unexpected bonus if he does indeed turn up is Royal Ascot winner Nathaniel [9.2]. His success at the track back in June was one of the most memorable moments of the week where he established himself as a worthy Leger favourite on the back of it. If you see him sweating in the paddock beforehand don't worry, that is his way and a continued family trait. Nathaniel doesn't look quite good enough yet and three-year-olds haven't won this since 2003 but he is improving fast and he definitely looks to have Group 1 potential. My hunch is that connections are eyeing the Arc rather than the Leger so my advice would be to take a small position at big prices for Longchamp in the expectation of a decent run here.

And this year's renewal looks more than decent if not a rival to last year's spectacular. My feeling is that Workforce and Rewilding will tussle all the way up the famous Ascot straight and I'm hoping that Rewilding can prove himself the old school star I believe he is ready to become. The ghosts are watching.

Recommended Bet
Rewilding 1pt win (0-10) @ [4.1]

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Betfair website

Betting Briefing: So You Think to take on Workforce in Eclipse

Weekly Betfair Briefing / Timeform / 25 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

Workforce is an intended runner in the Eclipse on Saturday

"Last year's Derby and Arc winner Workforce is reportedly an intended runner as he bids to add a 10-furlong Group 1 to his record and he is set to clash with the top-class ex-Australian horse So You Think, who lost little caste in defeat in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot."

It's Irish Derby day at the Curragh on Sunday, and fast-forward to Saturday and you can see another Derby winner in the shape of Workforce, who goes for the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown...

Sunday June 26

There is Flat racing in Britain due to take place at Salisbury and Windsor on Sunday, while there is also an interesting NH card slated for Uttoxeter where the best race is the three-and-a-half-mile Summer National.

Over in Ireland, the Curragh is the venue for the third day of the Irish Derby festival, and the highlight is the Irish Derby itself. The market is headed by Carlton House, who will be attempting to reverse Epsom form with Treasure Beach, while the likes of Memphis Tennessee, Native Khan and Seville also represent the English Derby form. The best race on the supporting card at the Curragh is the Group 2 Railway Stakes over six furlongs for two-year-olds. Aidan O'Brien has won the race in the past with some of his best juveniles and he has a strong entry this year which includes the Coventry winner Power.

Monday June 27

Pontefract and Wolverhampton are the venues for afternoon racing on the Flat on Monday, while Musselburgh and Windsor take over for the evening action.

Tuesday June 28

There are three Flat meetings scheduled to take place in Britain on Tuesday: at Brighton and Hamilton in the afternoon and at Southwell in the evening. Stratford plays host to a summer jumping card in the evening, when there is also Flat racing at Sligo in Ireland.

Wednesday June 29

Jumping predominates on Wednesday afternoon with meetings set to take place at Perth and Worcester. On the Flat front, they race at Catterick in the afternoon and Chepstow and Kempton in the evening. The day's best race takes place in Ireland where the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes over seven furlongs for fillies and mares is the highlight of a seven-race card at Fairyhouse.

Thursday June 30

Haydock and Yarmouth on the Flat and Perth over jumps are the venues for racing in the afternoon on Thursday, while it's Epsom and Newbury on the level in the evening. Over in Ireland there will be a seven-race evening card at Leopardstown that includes the listed Golden Fleece Stakes for two-year-olds over seven furlongs.

Friday July 1

There are two listed races on the card at Sandown on the first day of July, when there is also afternoon action at Doncaster and Warwick to go with evening racing at Beverley and Haydock.

Saturday July 2

Saturday promises to provide one of the potential highlights of the Flat season in the shape of the mile-and-a-quarter Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. Last year's Derby and Arc winner Workforce is reportedly an intended runner as he bids to add a 10-furlong Group 1 to his record and he is set to clash with the top-class ex-Australian horse So You Think, who lost little caste in defeat in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. There is no shortage of quality on the rest of the card at Sandown, that includes the Group 3 Sprint Stakes over five-furlongs, a couple of listed races and a trio of highly competitive handicaps.

There is also quality racing at Haydock on Saturday where the feature event is the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks, though the big betting handicap of the day is the Old Newton Cup. Both races take place over a trip just short of a mile and a half. Beverley and Leicester also play host to racing on Saturday afternoon, as do Carlisle and Nottingham in the evening.

Timeform look ahead to next week's best racing, which includes the valuable and historic Northumberland Plate handicap at Newcastle......

Next week sees the highlight of the summer in racing circles, with Royal Ascot providing five jam-packed days of quality action. Timeform guide you through.......

It's largely a quiet week in terms of top-class racing, something of a lull between the Derby meeting and Royal Ascot, but there will be plenty of competitive action to get stuck into at a lower level and there's also the Belmont in America to look forward to......

Betfair website

Brigadier Gerard Betting: Workforce set to return at Sandown

Tipping / Timeform / 24 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

Last year's Derby winner Workforce reappears at Sandown on Thursday

"if Workforce manages to run anywhere near his Timeform master rating of 133, he will be hard to beat."

Sir Michael Stoute's 2010 Derby and Arc hero Workforce is set to return at Sandown on Thursday, but will he have it all his own way as he attempts to concede weight all round?...

In recent years Sir Michael Stoute has used the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard at Sandown as a stepping stone to kick-start his middle-distance superstar's seasons. He last took the race five years ago with Notnowcato, and in 2009 Conduit came into the race conceding weight all-round after winning the Breeders' Cup Turf, though the latter, who went on to secure a repeat win in America, could manage only second at Sandown, going down by a nose to Cima de Triomphe.

Last season's Derby and Arc hero Workforce is this year's representative for Stoute, and if he manages to run anywhere near his Timeform master rating of 133, he will be hard to beat. Being the only Group 1 winner in the field he does have to concede 7 lb, but nonetheless his rivals still have 5 lb to find on Timeform figures.

The Brigadier Gerard at Sandown is run over a mile and a quarter, which shouldn't be a problem for Workforce who is dropping in trip, as even if they do go steadily he has the gears to get himself out of trouble, as he showed in the Arc.

Workforce's performances at Epsom and Longchamp were arguably two of the best any racehorse produced in the world last year, breaking the track record at the former, but his flop in the King George at Ascot in between shows that he's not bomb-proof.

Two of Workforce's nearest rivals on ratings are Sri Putra and Cavalryman, though both have question marks over them, the former beaten at Lingfield last time when odds-on in a three-runner field and the latter probably better over a longer trip.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Jan Vermeer looks one of the only other runners who could possibly trouble the likely market leader. He was sent off favourite in last year's Derby but his stamina was stretched and it resulted in him being well beaten by Workforce. The drop in trip should help Jan Vermeer get nearer to his old rival and the form of the stable is clearly a positive.

The other notable contender is Elusive Pimpernel, who made an encouraging return when third in the Earl of Sefton at Newmarket. That was his first outing since fifth in the previous year's 2000 Guineas and the step up in trip is expected to bring something more out of him.

A competitive one-mile handicap looks one of the best races at Ripon today......

Three bets for Tuesday's US action......

Today's placepot comes from Ripon......

Betfair website