GEORGE BOUGHEY: Weekend Preview

It’s been a good week with five winners on the board, possibly headlined by Wannabe Perfect making a winning debut at Kempton for Basher Watts and his syndicate, writes GEORGE BOUGHEY.

I’m delighted for Basher and everyone involved. She’s a filly who had been doing everything right at home and, as with all our two-year-olds, we had just been taking things steadily with her. She was fit enough to run with credit and showed a really good attitude to get the job done. I’m 50/50 as to whether we’ll run her again this year, but she has a pedigree that suggests she’ll get further in time and it was lovely to get her off to a winning start.

We have five runners to look forward to over the next couple of days, starting with This Moment in Group 3 company at Dundalk this evening.

We are delighted with our Breeders’ Cup team – Libertango worked really well at Kempton this week and she will travel over with Survie. We’re looking forward to it!

---

FRIDAY

THIS MOMENT – 7:15pm Dundalk

This Moment has travelled over well and is fresh and in great shape. He seemed to come forward for his first start in stakes company at Newmarket, where he was a little inexperienced stepping up in grade but hit the line strongly.

It’s a funny race taking on older horses, something that is very difficult to do, particularly at this time of year. However, he gets plenty of weight from them and they look a fairly exposed bunch, so I think he deserves his place towards the top end of the market.

He’s in great shape and I’m delighted Grace McEntee is able to keep the ride. He’s probably our best chance of the weekend, although it’s always difficult to equate the weight-for-age allowance against experienced older horses.

Click to bet

---

SATURDAY

STEEL NATION – 6:00pm Southwell

Steel Nation has worked nicely into his debut and is a horse we have always expected to improve for the experience.

He’s probably starting off over the maximum trip he’ll ever run over, but we wanted to give him a chance to get going and hopefully he can run with credit.

Click to bet

GOLDEN EAGLE – 6:30pm Southwell

Golden Eagle has rather raced himself out of contention on his first two starts and was a colt who desperately needed gelding.

His work has always been adequate without being brilliant, but hopefully the gelding operation will help him settle and he can take a step forward here.

Click to bet

CHAMPAGNE POETRY – 6:30pm Southwell

Champagne Poetry is a big, raw horse who has done enough work to get started and should run with credit.

He’s a full-brother to Protection Act and is very much a horse for next year. He may well stay ten furlongs in time, but this looks a nice starting point for him and I’m looking forward to seeing him get going.

Click to bet

HUNSTANTON – 8:00pm Southwell

Hunstanton showed more on his second start, on a quick turnaround, than he had on debut. His work had been promising beforehand, but he was a little starstruck on his first racecourse appearance.

I’ve been pleased with him since and, while this looks a competitive enough six-furlong novice for the time of year, I think he should be in the mix.

Click to bet

---

BEST CHANCE

This Moment – 7:15 Dundalk (Friday)

Taking on older horses at this time of year is never straightforward, but he’s in great shape, gets plenty of weight and looks to have a good chance of making his presence felt.

Click to bet

---

STAR PROMOTIONS