A Weekend Double
Mon 05 Sep 2022
WINNER 103 OF 2022: RED BOND, trained by Keith Dalgleish and ridden by Callum Rodriguez: 'The Turn Back Time Cher Show Handicap' over 1m 4f at Wolverhampton, on Saturday 3rd September.
That familiar term 'he's been knocking on the door' comes to mind with Red Bond. 4,3,2,3 in his last 4 starts, the market clearly thought that Saturday was the day that he would prevail!
A 9 runner field, he broke well and moved into the lead. The Sir Mark Prescott horse came upsides at the 3-pole and then took over the lead. It looked all over in the straight, as he was a good 3 lengths down, but he kept on well and rallied. Shouting him home, he re took the lead in the last 1/2 a furlong, to win by 3/4 of a length.
"Red Bond regains the lead towards the finish!" Watch the full race replay here: https://www.attheraces.com/racecard/Wolverhampton/03-September-2022/2000
Timeform gave him a rating of t74 and Callum said in his Sky Sports Racing interview: "He has done that well tonight, he felt really good. We got into a nice rhythm and a sensible gallop and he had something to aim at. He stayed really well and I couldn't stop him after the line. This will do him a lot of good."
See the official photo gallery here: https://www.jahphoto.co.uk/-/galleries/wolverhampton-horse-racing-2022/september-2022/3rd-september-2022/race-7#media_2315e10c-62c5-4a70-b3a6-61575f1ead81
Syndicate manager Mike says: "Well done to his owners on his 4th career win. It was good to be there to greet him in, with his owners on Saturday night. He loves the AW, as he has done all his winning on the surfaces of Chelmsford, Newcastle and now twice at Wolves.”
WINNER 104 OF 2022: NELSONS ROCK, trained by Joe Tizzard and ridden by Brendan Powell: 'The Cazoo Novices' Handicap Chase' over 3m 2f at Fontwell, on Sunday 4th September.
We all need a bit of physio in our lives if we are athletes! Benefitting from some after his last run, he was in a tight 3-runner contest, but the other two were preferred in the market.
With 19 fences ahead of them, he was close up. As one jumped awkwardly and pulled up, he was the new leader after the 15th fence, but the other horse, the favourite looked dangerous. They disputed the lead and with two good jumps at the 3rd and 2nd last fences, he seemed to have more momentum, as the other horse came under sustained pressure. He kept on gamely in the run-in and led in the closing stages, to win by 3/4 of a length. We think we spotted a slight fist pump from Brendan crossing the line too!
"Nelsons Rock battles his way to the front." Watch the full race replay here: https://www.attheraces.com/racecard/Fontwell/04-September-2022/1625
Brendan said in his Sky Sports Racing interview: "He has had a bit of treatment on his back and he has come out and won today, really putting his head down after the last."
Timeform rated it as a career best 110, saying: "Bounced back to form in a low-pressure environment that helped him stay engaged with cheekpieces discarded, the preferred route in the straight as the battle began helping swing things his way after the favourite had travelled better; pressed leader, led under pressure briefly 3 out, edged ahead again on rail flat, driven out.”
See the official photo gallery here: https://www.fontwellracingphotos.co.uk/p150821239
Syndicate manager Tom says: "Congratulations to his owners on his win - he was tenacious in the finish and jumped so well. He has now won over hurdles and twice over fences. 8 times out of 12 runs under rules, he has finished in the top 4, that's not bad going.”