Tuesday 25 October 2016

6:00 Newcastle Sky Equine Horse Racing Blog (25th Oct) ELECTRON SERVICES NE LTD MEDIAN AUCTION MAIDEN STAKES (CLASS 6) (2yo)


Just the one maiden for Tuesdays. A small field of five two-year-olds. Three horses have racecourse experience taking on a couple of debutantes. 

We may ask ourselves a simple question which basically sets the scene for this contest. How many horses are beaten at odds of 1/6? I don't have the exact statistics. I generally consider that once a horse touches 1/4 it is very hard work to defeat. Not saying that huge odds on shots don't get beat. They do. 

Mazyoun will be many people's idea of a certainty [I obviously know there is no such thing]. Hugo Palmer trains this son of Mayson for Al Shaqab Racing. This brown colt was bred by Cheveley Park Stud and cost 115,000G at the yearling sales. 

He was fancied to go well on debut when ridden by Frankie Dettori but finished down the field in sixth place. However, this February foal has been knocking on the door on his last three starts and placed each time showing ample ability. Mazyoun has been performing well at a high level. He was runner-up in Wetherby's Hamilton £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster when beaten by the smart Mubtasim. He pocketed over £59,000. Next start saw a dead-heat for third place when losing by just half a length in the Totepool Two-Year-Old Stakes at Redcar over 6f. Mazyoun was favourite that day. 

By all accounts, he doesn't look like your average maiden and finds himself here at odds of 1/6f. 

It's good to see Josephine Gordon taking the ride in the absence of Frankie Dettori to claim a valuable 3lb! 

With prize earnings over £76,000, this should be an easy couple of grand. 

Anyone in opposition?

It would seem 125/1 shots Enlighten Me & Red Douglas are not a threat. 

Just two left: debutantes.

Michael Dods has a new owner on board with David Armstrong. They sent Chipping out yesterday, at Redcar, for a tidy success. 

Holmeswood is a bay colt and son of Mayson out of a mare many readers will remember racing in the same silks. Anglezarke was a superb sprinter trained by Tim Easterby before finishing her career with Richard Fahey. She won on debut at Ripon when clearly fancied going well at odds of 100/30. Placed in Group 1 when third at Royal Ascot in the King's Stand Stakes. 

Holmeswood looks potentially a fair juvenile on breeding but will need to be extra special to defy the favourite at cramped odds. 

Richard Fahey fields Lily Fontana who makes her racecourse bow. This daughter of Dandy Man is out of an unraced dam. Clipper Logistics own this Irish-bred filly who cost just 14,000E at the yearling sales.

Conclusion: I wrote about this race simply because it's the only maiden on the day. I can write about a field of debutantes and enjoy the prose. I guess there are a few nursery races but they are not really my thing. Hence we chat about Mazyoun at huge odds on. The only real challenger on paper is Holmeswood who has a nice pedigree and hails from a trainer who does surprisingly well with his debutants. Mazyoun will take all the beating. I didn't tell you anything new, hey?