I couldn't have been more pleased than Gene Kelly (or should that be Eric Morecambe) when I woke up to see the rain lashing down this morning. Newmarket clerk of the course Michael Prosser has just been on Sky Sports News and says he is expecting 10 to 15mm of the wet stuff this afternoon. Good. That will mean it will be mighty testing by the time Goodbye Mr Bond 4.55pm lines up and if that's the case I reckon he is a cracking bet.
This doesn't look that tough a race despite the number of runners (if you don't believe me read the horse-by-horse verdicts in the Racing Post) and the selection couldn't be in better form. He is still able to run off his last winning handicap mark and the horse he was beaten by last time, Wasan, looks very well handicapped at present. Take the 6-1 on offer this morning.
You'll also need to look lively to snap up the 16-1 about Kaldoun Kingdom 2.00pm at the same venue. He's been tipped by Pricewise in the Racing Post so that price will disappear pretty sharpish. I can see why he's going to be popular too. Kaldoun Kingdom loves soft ground, has form that ties in with well fancied horses in the race and is very likely to be favourably berthed in a low stall.
1.10pm It's persisting down
The rain is falling at Newmarket, apparently it's "heavy drizzle". The official going description hasn't changed yet and it's still given as good ground. Will keep you posted on racetimes and any changes as the afternoon action unfolds.
2.10pm Still persisting down
But it's not torrential and looks just on the soft side of good on the racetimes after the first two races. Hoofnote: now it's official. It's good to soft.
This just in: Darjina won't run now, so the favourite's out of the big race at 3.10.
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
And click here for today's latest odds.
.png?w=600)
