Racing Ahead – August 2019

24

this trip or back down to slightly
shorter.

PERTH, 14 July (Good to soft)
2m7f180yds 0-120 Novices’ Handicap
Chase (class 4)
The time has almost certainly
passed for AMALFI DOUG to prove as
gifted over either sort of obstacle as
younger half-brother Cilaos Emery,
conqueror of Melon in Grade 1 novice
hurdling company in Ireland a while
ago, and in Keith Dalgleish the nine-
year-old grey is already representing a
fifth Rules trainer fewer than four years
since his debut.
The Carluke handler has got a tune
out of him where others have failed,
however, with a very serviceable 7l
second on this return to chasing
having followed wins in a pair of good-
ground 2m4f handicap hurdles at
Perth this summer already.
A one paced effort having been
headed between the final two fences
would add credence to the belief that
the son of Network will prove most
effective at sub-3m trips under Rules,
an Irish point win over the full trip
notwithstanding (was able to set his
own pace that day), and a mark that
shouldn’t creep much into the low-110s
following reassessment for recent per-
formances will keep him eligible for
contests of the magnitude of this one
for a while longer yet.

2m7f207yds 0-115 Handicap Hurdle
(class 4)
SIMPLY MANI can sometimes give the
impression of being a little betwixt and
between where an optimum trip is
concerned, never quite getting there
when second in a 2m4f Southwell
maiden hurdle last year but unable to
last it out over today’s longer trip
having been sent on two from home.
An eventual 4.5l fourth still repre-
sented a big step up on the Sulamani
gelding’s seasonal reappearance effort
a month previously, and offers fresh
hope of a first career success whilst his
mark remains at its lowest and most
realistic yet (8lb below where it was a
year ago).
Peter Niven hasn’t been a regular

scorer over jumps by any means in

recent times, but the odds of reward

for his seven-year-old nephew of

stable star Clever Cookie are likely to

reflect that should he oblige – all eight

of the yard’s winners in this sphere

since April 2017 have been returned at

between 9-4 and 10-1 (four or them 6-1

or bigger).

SOUTHWELL, 16 July (Good)

2m7f209yds 0-140 Handicap Hurdle

(class 3)

A stop-start gallop expertly set by

Shane Quinlan on an all-the-way

winner, coupled with the combination

of this sharp a track on this sound a

surface, almost certainly rendered this

assignment too much of a speed and

too little of a stamina test for BENEA-

GLES, and it wasn’t tremendously

surprising to see him faring worst of

those still going in the sprint up the

final home straight.

A 10.5l fifth was no disgrace in the

circumstances, however, and marked a

significant step up on his seasonal

return at Ffos Las a month earlier,

when the course was in his favour but

a lack of a recent run was not.

Any easing of at least 2lb would

return Alan King’s Milan gelding to or

just below the mark he gamely defied

when emerging on top in a protracted

battle at Worcester this time last year,

and the seven-year-old’s turn may be

due once again granted the right sort

of assignment.

OUT IN THE STICKS

RACING AHEADISSUE 178

Beneagles

RA