Take a Bow

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There were seven UK (4) and (5) graded races, Friday, which were all successful. Two were won by the clear top rated and five were won by the joint 2nd top rated.

The graded races did far better than my selections. Considering that Bollin Greta ran an excellent seasonal debut after front running, it was surprising that they decided to hold her up. She didn't look too enamoured with the decision and was very keen early. By the time the race began in earnest, she had used up all her energy fighting her jockey early and was all done in by the end. A curious run, to say the least.

As for Montebria, well, I got that very wrong. By the way she ran and stayed on at the end, it looks as if 1m4f is her trip and not the 10f as I adamantly said yesterday. No-one's perfect. (It is interesting to note that TP Queally was again beaten by a stablemate outsider.)

Saturday is the usual minefield. The 2000 Guineas (3-10 Newmarket) looks as open as it can get. My fancy - and a lot of others fancy - is Delegator. He proved the Newmarket hill poses no problem as he scooted clear when he won the Craven. His trainer is very happy about his chances as he produced another good gallop the other day. As I say, it is an open race but he is as good a pick as any. Lord Shanakill and Finjaan shouldn't be totally discounted. I'll be watching the latter with interest. He looks the type that runs well in the Guineas before returning to win high class sprint races. I'll be watching how much speed he shows early and how he finishes up the hill. If he truly stays one mile, he could run into a place - and if that happens then Lord Shanakill will be close by.

Infiraad (4-20 Newmarket) looked a horse heading for the heights when he beat a good field of maidens at the Craven meeting. He's been given a very reasonable mark and should win here before heading for Haydock later this month.

Before the season began a lot of pundits were tipping Louis-Phillipe Beuzelin to be the 2009 champion apprentice. Unfortunately, he's made a very modest beginning, winning only one race in sixteen rides. It now looks likely that Frederik Tyliki is the one most likely. But Beuzelin is only four behind at this early stage and he could close the gap at Thirsk, Saturday. He's booked for two rides for Nigel Tinkler and the best of them appears to be Webbow (4-15). I liked the way he stuck on to win at Doncaster in August 2007 in a very competitive Class 3 handicap on firm ground. After a quiet 2008 season, he's transferred to the Tinkler stable and seems to have been overlooked for this race. He was consistent last year without winning and has obviously had some training problems. But if he turns up in a semblance of last year's form, he should go very close to winning. I think he will be a very good each way price and as such I can't resist having a little each way on him.

Elsewhere, Babe Heffron (4-30) Uttoxeter seems to have found a good opportunity on the yielding ground he likes. And Great Approach (7-00 Hexham) looks primed to follow up his beating of a progressive sort last time. The five pound rise in weights shouldn't be enough to stop him.

Have a good Saturday.