Updated news from Ismail Mohammed's

IT has been a fantastic week for Revida Place. Three winners from three runners is something that I hoped for but rarely does it all come together. It means Ismail has now had five winners from six runners in 2013. The only setback was Autumnus, who has since been gelded for his mulish display at Wolverhampton!!.

Mubtadi’s hat-trick victory at Wolverhampton on Monday gave me immense personal satisfaction as most had written him off including our head lad. Gelding him has altered his attitude and so has the change of tactics, but pairing him with Tom Brown has been the cherry.

I have bored everybody senseless of how highly I rate the apprentice from Andrew Balding’s but his handling of Mubtadi and, indeed, Light Burst has been superb. He is very good judge of pace and listens and absorbs information.

Hopefully, he will be latched on to by a trainer looking to use the best 5lb claimer riding. He is a good talker and always wants to improve. He even thought he gave Light Burst a bad ride when winning at Southwell.

Light Burst blew up at Southwell but his class saw him through. He will improve a lot from the run. His ideal conditions will be a fast turf surface over 7f and there is a race at Brighton on April 25 which he will aim for as long as he is not raised above 85. He won’t be easy to place unless he improves again.

The intention with Mubtadi is to try and extend the sequence of wins to as many as possible. His handicap mark suggests that will be possible. His success on Monday – when he stepped up to 1m2f – was off 62. He has run well of 81 in the past.

I would be surprised if he was raised more than 5lbs for winning at Wolves seeing he won by less than a length. We found out over 10f that we can ride him for a turn of foot or make the running over a 1m.

Mubtadi will now have a short break and come back for the turf. He does need it fast and he, too, will go to Brighton. There is a 0-70 at the track on April 1. He won there as a 3-y-o with David Simcock.

Admiralty continued his rise up the grades with an impressive victory at Kempton. He is a lovely big horse that has the speed to win over 6f but has, so far, produced his best form over 7f. Joe (Fanning) said he felt he could also be ridden from behind, such is his cruising speed. That will give plenty more options.

The handicapper will produce his new mark on Tuesday. He is not a horse that has run well on the turf, although both races were on soft ground. So the plan is to keep him to the AW and pick the races carefully. I love him.

Educate will have his racecourse gallop at Lingfield on March 2 and then we will know where we stand in terms of his preparation for the Lincoln on March 23. He has strengthened up over the winter and Jamie Spencer liked him a lot when he won on him at York.

There is an ambition plan this year for Educate, who will run in the consolation race if he doesn’t get into the Lincoln. Liam Jones, who is back from India on March 5, will ride him if not required by William Haggas for Nine Realms.

We will have a strong team of jockeys this year. Tom Brown will ride plenty of the handicappers, Liam will ride Educate and Alhaarth Beauty and hopefully Shane Kelly will like to stay with the unraced Magic Lando after he rides him at work tomorrow.

The new recruits are primed to arrive at Revida Place and they will come when Ismail is back from the Dubai Carnival. I have been promised there are a few nice ones there!!!.

 

 

 

 

Admiralty at Kempton ....................................................................................................

Admiralty - Kempton

Admiralty is none the worst for his spill at Southwell when he slipped over coming on to the course and ran loose for five minutes. He was fine but the decision to withdraw was unanimous in light of what had happened.

He is back over 7f for which in essence is his first race in four months. In truth, he has been ready to run for over a month but a series of minor blips; a pricked foot, snow at Kempton and then the fall at Southwell.

Like Light Burst, the rest was purely because he needed a break. He is a horse that has been a case of a work in progress. I think we are finally there. We seem to have cured his slow starts, 7f is probably his ideal trip (although he will try 6f in time) and he is best with forcing tactics.

This is a weak 0-75. Indeed, if the race hadn't be re-offered, The Guru of Gloom wouldn't be in the line-up. You have to respect his chance seeing he has won in this grade and has only been raised 3lbs.

Admiralty is up in grade but he has improved a lot and, even though he is drawn in seven, the most pertinent thing is that he is the sole speed in the race. He is a horse with a high cruising speed and, with Tom Brown banned, Joe Fanning takes over and there are not many better judges from the front.

Teds Brother caught the eye on his return from a break when just behind Jake The Snake. Both, however, need a strong gallop, along with  Master Mylo and The Guru of Gloom. The intention will be not to do that.

Terry

Light Burst runs at Southwell..........Mubtadi gains a hat-trick

Light Burst - Southwell Feb 19

He is a horse that is probably now at the upper end of his handicap mark. The switch to Fibresand and the booking of Tom Brown to claim a valuable 5lbs is something I've done to try and squeeze some improvement.

That said, this an easier race than his last two starts - both in 0-85 - and he is a horse bred to go on the surface. His sire was a top class dirt horse and, although all three of his progeny have been beaten at Southwell, all three have travelled well on it.

It's not a strong race. Abi Scarlet, though 3-3 at the track, has been in awful form and I'm not convinced that she stays 7f. Add to the fact she was entered in the seller on the card suggests all is not well. You do have to respect Piceno on the surface, though.

The key for Scott Dixon's runner is that he is the sole speed. Tactically, it is a tricky race for Tom. Light Burst will travel well and I don't  mind the draw in nine, but he can be keen and does need some cover, that may mean he might get kickback in the process.

But with Tom's claim (a very useful 5lbs) he is effectively only running 4lb above his 8 length win at Brighton. The 3 month break was at the request of the owner. He has been fine and does run well fresh. Can he win? Yes. Do I think he will? Hopefully, ;-)

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Mubtadi's hat-trick today has been a testimony to forward planning, a gelding operation and three superb rides from Tom Brown. I do all the tactics, but they still have to be carried out. Brown, barely 21, has done it perfectly three times.

Andrew Balding's apprentice is 4-4 for Ismail and, is in my mind, one of the top three apprentices in Britain. His tactical awareness for one so young is astounding. His relationship with Mubtadi is like coffee and cream.

Mubtadi was a nutcase before his gelding operation. Now, after also changing tactics and how he works at home, you couldn't wish to meet a nicer horse. He is still way below his mark of 80 and he is a much happier horse as well.

We also now use the blindfold to avoid missing the break, and the step up to 1m 2f gives us more options. He can make the running or come from behind. He is likely to only go up around 5lbs for today which will still leave him on a tasty 67.

Mubtadi will have a short break, but is earmarked for a 0-70 at Brighton in April over 10 furlongs at a track he has already won at. So pleased for horse and jockey, and, of course, Ismail

Terry

Mubtadi runs at Wolverhampton.............................................................................................

Mubtadi – Wolves Feb 18

Mubtadi has turned the corner - he was going to the sales at the beginning of the year - via being gelded and a few tweaks with his training programme and also a change of tactics.

His two victories have shown him to be a different horse from early January after that frustrating night at Wolves. The step up to a 1m has helped and getting him into a rhythm has also been key. The addition of Tom Brown has also proved a masterstroke.

Today is another step up the grading ladder (he moves back into a 0-65) and he also moves up to 10f. The trip won't be a problem. Both his recent races showed him to be strong at the end and his breeding also indicates he will stay fine.

Four of his half brothers have won over 10f and his full brother, Dubai's  Touch, was just beat over the trip at Lingfield. As for the grade, he ran well in a 0-85 at Newbury last year when he was still an entire and had an attitude problem.

Tactics may have to be altered. There are two other front runners in the contest, Yeomanoftheguard and West End Lad, but he doesn't need to lead, just get into a rhythmn that has served him so well.

You have to respect Fly Haaf, making his handicap debut and well related, although his run in his last maiden doesn't suggest he is thrown in. I would be more afraid of Thereabouts. He has run well in better races and the trainer is in form. He has yet to win a race but the rise in trip also promises to help.

It has been a deliberate ploy to take things slowly with Mubtadi, he is a like a pupil who has started to stay in and do his homework but you know at any time he could go out on a bender if you push him too hard.

This grade is well within his compass. His homework and his behaviour at home suggests he still ready to try and pass his next exam. His reward will be a well earned break until April, and fast turf, if he is successful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News on Admiralty ...................................................................................................

Admiralty is fine after his fall today at Southwell and will reappear at Kempton on Thursday week (Feb 21) over 7f. It's not an ideal situation being a 0-75 in what is likely to be a tougher field than today.

It was frustrating today as it appeared to be an ideal race with the guarantee of speed. The front runners didn't disappoint as Alpha Tauri and Point North went through the first 2f in a suicidal 24.25sec. It would have been ideal for Admiralty.

It was an instant decision to withdraw him. There is no knowing for a couple of days whether there is any bruising - he took a heavy tumble -  and I'm confident those that backed him wouldn't have been pleased to see him run. He at least had a decent 4f blow out.
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Part of the problem was that the horse is very fresh. He has been ready to run for a month but a pricked foot and then the cancellation of Kempton because of snow meant his return had been put on hold.

He is a much improved horse who in time, I'm confident, will prove even better over 6f. In the short term he will run at Kempton next Thursday and then return to the Sudbury track on March 4 for another contest over 7f

Admiralty runs at Southwell and news on Educate's preparation for Lincoln

Admiralty steps into the unknown at Southwell in terms of class and trip. He has always struck me as  a horse that would be suited by a drop to 6f. He has a high cruising speed and readily dismissed Fortrose Academy when he won on his last start at Wolverhampton in October.

The Andrew Balding horse then won on the bridle over 6f at Kempton. Don’t think the 5lbs rise is a problem as he is big horse with more improvement. Tactics will be changed, though, as we won’t be able to make the running.

There was no reason for his absence other than he needed a rest. He has been ready to run for a while but a pricked foot meant he had to miss a race at Wolves while Kempton was then cancelled because of the snow.

I must admit I’m surprised Hab Reeh is favourite. The horse has been winning in 0-55’s, is up another 6lbs, hasn’t looked entirely at home on Fibresand and will get taken on for the lead.

With Southwell being a specialist track I would be more afraid of Caldercruix and Masai Moon. Both horses travel much better on the Fibresand and, while Masai Moon has been in better form on the Polytrack, both horses will step up on this surface.

It’s a tough race but Admiralty is improving, has an excellent young jockey in Tom Brown, and will go on the surface. The only query is whether he will be as good, or even better, over this shorter trip. Hopefully, the answer will be yes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Educate has been back in full training for a while now and will have a racecourse gallop in early March in preparation for his bid at the William Hill Lincoln on March 23. He will definitely run at Doncaster.

If he fails to get into the big race he will take in the consolation event. The weights are published on February 14 and, after the first elimination stage on March 2, we will have a fair idea of whether he will get a slot in the race.

Educate has grown since his win at York in October and, even though is he is now a four-year-old, he has had just seven starts. He was impressive on heavy ground over 10f at York but will be more effective over a strongly run 1m on decent ground.

We have an ambitious plan for him, culminating mid-season in hopefully a crack at the Royal Hunt Cup. He has to improve another 10lbs to be competitive but he made rapid improvement on his last two starts and both Liam Jones and Jamie Spencer liked him a lot