Tom Eaves partnered Sforzando (4.45) to both her wins last season, and the combination can click again at Haydock today. Sforzando has been apprentice-ridden in her recent outings and has dropped to a handy mark. With Eaves back on board, the mare can improve upon her good Haydock record of three wins from five starts.
Forget It (4.00) looks to have got in on a lenient mark on his handicap debut at Goodwood. He is certainly well treated in relation to Trianon from their two-year-old form, and the Galileo colt qualified for a rating with a run behind the useful Checklow at Windsor.
Matterofact (5.45) has good prospects of following up last year's victory in the sprint handicap at Goodwood. Like last year, she warmed up by finishing second in a similar race at Bath.
2.20pm Live racing
Tony Paley with reports from this afternoon's action
Art attack
Indian Art at 4-1 makes it a winning start at Goodwood for Guardian tipster Ron Cox. There was a word for the winner before his first run and this time he translated what he shows at home to the track. In truth this is unlikely to prove an above-average maiden but Fareer ran an eye-catching race and is one to note.
Over to Haydock now where That Boy Ronaldo, who is in fact a filly, finally makes its debut in the 2.25. She was pulled out the other week when it was an even more topical chocie as the other Ronaldo (think Brazilian, buck-teeth) had been at the centre of the unfortunate incident with the transsexual prostitutes.
Sixties proves Icon for odds-on backers
Sixties Icon wins the 2.50 at Goodwood with the minimum of fuss. He was expected to do so on his best form but this was very encouraging considering this was over a trip short of the winner's best and that last season proved so disappointing. Just as interesting, however, is the wretched performance of the Godolphin horse Blue Ksar who is soon beaten in the straight and comes home a tailed-off last.
After the Godolphin team had broken their duck for the campaign at York last week plenty of commentators were quick to say that they had been written off too early after their Guineas runners had blown out. But this result proves again how in-and-out Godolphin's season has been so far. Considering the quality they have at their disposal Godolphin have under-performed for quite some time. Sheikh Mohammed has been trying to buy his way out of trouble lately, busy snapping up racehorses, studs and potential stallions in a bid to try and match the Coolmore operation headed by John Magnier. It's far too early to say whether he has succeeded but he will surely want better sooner rather than later this season.
After-timing takes on a new meaning
The day after two meetings are abandoned in the middle of summer due to ground conditions the 6.10 at Salisbury starts three minutes early! In days of yore the race would have been voided but not any more. Still it does racing's image no good after yesterday's farcical turn of events.
I rather enjoyed the comment of one Betfair forumite who said he had gone to get his ironing board and returned to find the race had not only commenced but finished --without his being able to lay the horses he wanted to in the race. Meanwhile, the stewards have interviewed the starting team and there's another report on its way to the British Horseracing Authority following yesterday's two incidents.
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