News about Light Burst, Eddie Ahern, Sports personality and Beth Tweddle,,....

Light Burst was a big disappointment at Kempton and the consensus was that the race came too soon after his third at Wolverhampton. That is a possibility but I’m not convinced.

There were a few issues before his race at Wolverhampton so there may have been another reason. Ismail now wants to give him a break so he will now be off until mid-January.

Mubtadi has recovered well from his gelding operation and is still on course for Wolverhampton on December 14. He is officially rated 62. I will be devastated if he can’t win of that mark. He is very well handicapped.

The juveniles continue to improve and the wait for the rest to arrive will go on to January. Educate comes back into work after Christmas. He is still on course for a crack at the Lincoln. He looks really well.

Another worth making a note of is Magic Lando. He is an unraced horse by Lando. He is gorgeous and a race at Nottingham in April has been pencilled in for his debut at three. He is still trotting after his injury in July but looks the part.

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I’m not going to comment on whether the impeding corruption charge about to be bestowed on Eddie Ahern is warranted or not but surely now the news has broken is it fair on him or the public that he continues to ride?

From Ahern’s point of view he will, no doubt, state that he has done nothing wrong and he should be allowed to ply his trade: innocent until proven guilty. Yet he is in a no win situation. Having booked his rides for six years, I’m aware of the names that he has been labelled with.

Now, as soon as he gets beat on a horse with a favoured chance, the obvious accusations will be slung. This can’t be right. The same happened with Kirsty Milczarek and Jimmy Quinn. It must have been especially galling for Kirsty as, having served part of her ban, she was subsequently exonerated, but the damage was already done.

Trainers and, more importantly, owners lose faith. In this case it was the Bangalore Turf Club that revealed Ahern was about to be charged. The problem for Ahern now is that the BHA Sword of Damocles hangs over him. For how long, who knows?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The final 12 for the Sports Personality of the Year have just been revealed and you have to say that it is probably the strongest ever assembled. Yet it has not stop one-eyed cycling fans suggesting that Bradley Wiggins is a ‘certainty’

Really?  No doubt Wiggins’ achievement in winning the Tour De France was immense, but so was what Mo Farrah, Jessica Ennis and Andy Murray produced. I wouldn’t want to be taking an average of 4-7 on Wiggins (1.42 on Betfair) for a contest which is decided by the public and not ‘experts’

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Beth Tweddle, Beth Tweddle, Beth Tweddle. Dancing on Ice. ITV soon. You have been told.

 

Light Burst runs at Kempton tomorrow. Here are my thoughts ........................................................

Light Burst – Nov 22 (Kempton)

He will be much straighter for his run at Wolves, he is in good form (he bit me on Tuesday morning) and he is over a trip which will enable him to get into a smooth rhythm.

The draw is ok but there are two slight concerns. There is very little pace in the race and there are a number of horses in the event which, through stepping up in trip, may not stick to their normal run styles through being keen.

The other unknown is the unexposed Selkie’s Friend. He won on his debut back in July in a poor maiden at Newmarket. He was earmarked for Hong Kong but his rating of 78 isn’t high enough and Henry Candy is forced to run him here.

However, with the exception of half brother Magic Cross, most of the siblings are better on turf and not one of them has won further than 7f. Indeed, most are better over 6 furlongs.

Tactics will be changed slightly. The need for cover is just as important but for a horse that travels well he lengthens rather than quickens, so it won’t be allowed to develop into a sprint. Shane Kelly has to ride Prime Exhibit, so Andrea Atzeni has been booked. He should suit the horse.

He proved on Monday that a mark of 80 is within his range and he is a tough and genuine horse.  Hopefully, the dark horse won't improve beyond him.

review of Light Burst today at Wolverhampton ...........................

Light Burst - Nov 19

He ran really well to finish third. The draw was always going to pose a problem and he was having his first run in 2 months - it was also a major step up in class considering he had won his last two starts in a 0-65 company.

In truth, Shane was unable to get the cover he wanted and he did run a little free. He still travelled well and, momentarily, looked set to finish second to the downgraded Kingscroft. It was a pleasing return.

He will run again at Kempton on Thursday and, with Shane committed to Prime Exhibt, Andrea Atzeni will step in for the ride. He will improve for the run, the race at Kempton doesn't look any harder, and he has won over the trip (a mile).

Hopefully, he will be luckier with the draw. At least the run at Wolverhampton shows that he can win off his mark of 80.

Light Burst runs for Ismail tomorrow. here are my thoughts ..............................................................

Light Burst - 4.30 Wolverhampton

Light Burst is venturing into the unknown regarding the grade of the race (0-85), mainly because there isn’t any 0-80 handicaps this side of Christmas. The draw is also unkind (11 of 12)

However he is a horse that was improving rapidly before being forced onto the sidelines via soft ground and the inability to get him into races because of the plethora of entries. He has been enjoying a well-earned break

Fortunately, Light Burst is in the easier of the two divisions and quite a few of his opponents are out of form. There is also plenty of pace in the contest which should enable Shane to get cover and ride a race that suits him.

Regardless of the result Light Burst will run again at Kempton on Thursday, after which I will know whether we have a horse capable of progressing to listed class or a badly handicapped horse who needs claiming from. He is a horse that I like a lot.

News from Ismail's and a bet for the 2012 Dancing On Ice

 

Alhaarth Beauty finished second at Wolverhampton in her maiden last week having, once more, looked set to win easily as she had in her previous start.

There is nothing more frustrating when you believe you have everything covered. However, on Monday it came to light that she has a floating piece of bone in her knee. It might explain why she has twice found little after changing leads in the home straight.

              The two options open to Ismail is to operate and remove the chip or leave it and hope with rest it settles with time. Either way Alhaarth Beauty will now be off until the start of the grass season. She has bags of speed and will like fast ground.

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             There has been a change of personal at Revida Place with the imminent arrival of Pete Harrison as Head Lad. Known affectionately as Geordie, even though he is a Mackem, he will bring a wealth of experience and a no-nonsense approach.

              With Ismail back in Dubai overseeing his runners, it was vital somebody was brought in to steer the ship. Having worked for Luca Cumani, Ralph Beckett and, until joining Revida Place, Chris Wall, and Harrison will do just that. Welcome aboard.

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              It’s has been immensely frustrating not to be able to have got another run into Light Burst since he won at Brighton on September 17. He looked a massively improved horse but a combination of soft ground and not being able to get in AW races has stopped him.

Fortunately, he will get a run at Wolverhampton on Monday and will reappear in a 0-85 handicap over 7f. It’s a much better race than he has been winning but Shane Kelly, who rides on Monday, was happy with him in a gallop on Wednesday.

If all goes to plan he will back for a race at Kempton on Thursday. He is a horse I like a lot but these two races will tell whether we have a prospect for a listed race or a badly handicapped horse!

I’m going to give to give an early shout for a bet in an area I have had great success in the past – to suggest the winner of the 2012 Dancing on Ice!!!. It’s the only reality show I would contemplate having a bet on because invariably the best contestant wins.

Sam Attwater and Matthew Wolfeden have won me a tidy sum in the past two years. Yet I’ve always believed a girl would be better suited given the moves involved. In which case, if the Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle is confirmed in the final line-up snap up any price you can.

She has been involved in early tests and was, I’m told, sensational. There has been a hitch, though, in negotiations so there is a possibility she may not be in the final 12. I hope she is.  

Thoughts on Alhaarth Beauty tomorrow at Wolverhampton......

Alhaarth Beauty - Wolves Nov 9

We have found the right race for her. She is top rated on BHA figures1lb clear on Raceform. She had a sighter run over 6f which showed  that she wants 5f and the conditions of the race here suit her as well.

The tactics will change. Dawn Catcher is a natural front runner so the plan is for Liam Jones to hopefully sit second and, if everything goes to plan, he will take over in the home straight.

 It’s not a strong contest and the only danger, for me, is the unexposed Spirit Artist, who is dropping back to 5f after looking like he needed all of the 6f last time. I was a decent race, though. I feel we have the beating of the rest.

News from Ismail Mohammed's and running plans.................................,

It’s not going to be a busy week in terms of runners but Alhaarth Beauty will definitely run over 5f at Wolverhampton on Friday. The filly was having her first run for Ismail when finishing third over 6f last week.

It was a race that we learnt plenty. Firstly, she has loads of speed and also, both Liam Jones and myself both thought, that a drop back to 5f would suit. Time may tell trying to give 3lb to the winner and 5lb to the runner up was a hard task.

She runs in a median auction and also gets weight of the colts. She also runs off level weights with the fillies which wasn’t the case last week.She is no superstar but is genuine and will be running over her best trip.

Light Burst has been pencilled in for a race on November 19. He has been absent since winning at Brighton on Sep 12 because he doesn’t like soft ground and we couldn’t get him into a race on the AW . He has improved but will need to improve again off a mark of 80.

Mubtadi has been gelded and will now have a month off. He was disappointing at Southwell but Liam said he was more interested in looking at the people in the stands. He is now rated just 62 and it will be disappointing if that mark couldn’t be exploited.

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Educate is to be aimed at an ambitious treble next season. The plan, as long as he stays injury free, is the Lincoln at Doncaster, the Spring Cup at Newbury a fortnight later before a tilt at the Royal Hunt Cup.

It may seem a tough ask but his last win at York on ground that he didn’t like showed that he is a horse that is improving rapidly. Being gelded has helped calm him down but he is still a big baby and hopefully there is still plenty of petrol in the tank .

My hunch is that he will always be better over a 1m on fast ground but the fact he stays 10f is a bonus. He has a potent turn of foot off a decent pace. He will have a break until the New Year and will likely go for the Lincoln without a prep run as he runs well fresh.

He is currently rated 88 which would have just got him in last year. He is a very exciting horse to look forward to

An unraced horse from Richard Hannon arrived on Friday and he is rather striking fellow. Diane, Ismail’s right hand women, has already said he is the best-looking male in the yard!.

Magic Lando is the colt’s name and he has been sidelined with a fractured tibia since July. It could prove a blessing in disguise as he is by Lando (not known for too many juvenile winners) and will need at least a mile next season.

He is just trotting at the moment and will be doing light work until January. He is one that could just be quite nice. He will start running around March.

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Royston Ffrench has ridden a lot for Ismail this year and will be involved next season but there will also be chances for Liam Jones and Tom Brown. I’m a big advocate of Jones who just needs a decent horse to push him into the limelight. He is likely to ride Educate next year.

He rides well, follows instructions and gives good feedback. Brown, a 7lb claimer with Andrew Balding, rode an exemplary race when winning on Admiralty at Wolverhampton. Ismail is a big fan and he will get plenty of opportunities over the winter.