13:55 Newcastle
Today looks to be the day that the Brian Ellison trained Sam’s Adventure can finally bag a first victory over obstacles. The Ellison yard are going very well at the moment with a very promising 30% strike rate with their recent runners and this seven year old could well add to the stables success. A close second in a very competitive seventeen runner affair at Ayr last time out should stand him in good stead and the additional couple of furlongs today looks to play towards his strengths. A very promising national hunt flat performer who holds victories over the likes of Bags Groove is very good form and a race of this nature certainly looks to be within his ability. An unfortunate loser two starts back when going well before running out. He may be quirky but what he’s displayed to date will be more than enough to claim a much anticipated return to the winners enclosure.
Top weight Arthur Macc did well to claim his first win last time out but this looks a tougher contest to make it back to back wins.
Nestor Park is highly thought of as can be seen by the fact he was sent in to a Grade 1 at Newbury most recently. He didn’t perform that day but this is a marked drop in class and is a likely player back at this lower level.
Of the rest Bialco has another chance of picking up place money once again after three consecutive 2nd placed finishes however this proverbial bridesmaid is likely to play second fiddle once again.
SAM’S ADVENTURE (WIN) – NAP
20:15 Wolverhampton
We have to wait until the final race of the day to see our next best bet enter the stalls and the Godolphin owned runner American Graffiti is going to take all the beating. I’m far from naive enough to believe that novice stakes such as this can’t throw up a surprise, especially with so little form to go off but you couldn’t help but be taken with how well the Charlie Appleby trained youngster ran to finish 2nd at Chelmsford. He’s very likely to build upon that effort and with experience on his side should be hard to overthrow.
The big dangers all have huge question marks over their heads as they make their racecourse debuts. How well they’ll perform is very hard to say but with major trainers such as Hugo Palmer and Mark Johnston sending horses into battle they automatically demand respect.
Unless a newcomer is flying on all cylinders expect the blue silks of Godolphin to triumph this evening.
AMERICAN GRAFFITI (WIN)
Down Royal:
13:10 – Frankly All Talk (WIN)
13:40 – Caoimhe Diva (E/W)
14:15 – Cresus De Grissay (E/W)
14:50 – The Tartan Spartan (E/W)
15:25 – Invincible Cave (WIN)
15:55 – Song Of The Sky (WIN)
16:25 – Summer Hill (WIN)
Newcastle:
13:20 – It’s All A Lark (WIN)
13:55 – Sam’s Adventure (WIN) NAP
14:30 – Straidnahanna (E/W)
15:05 – Silk Or Scarlett (E/W)
15:35 – Whitsundays (WIN)
16:05 – Stornaway (E/W)
Wolverhampton:
16:35 – Energia Flavio (E/W)
17:10 – Steel Train (WIN)
17:45 – First Call (E/W)
18:15 – Mount Wellington (E/W)
18:45 – Tommy Docc (WIN)
19:15 – Sanaadh (E/W)
19:45 – Union Rose (E/W)
20:15 – American Graffiti (WIN) *NB
