Wednesday 8th July 2015

It’s the first day of the Midsummer Newmarket sales today, were heading to Newmarket tomorrow and Friday in a bid to secure one of the horses on our shortlist. Touch wood the price is right and we can pick up another nice recruit for Value Racing Club.

The racing also moves up a gear from Thursday with the start of July Festival, 3 days of good racing at HQ.

I’m in particular looking forward to the July Cup on Saturday, this race is always one of the best six furlong Group 1 sprints of the season and this year’s renewal looks very good on paper.

As for the racing today I was keen to take on Late Shipment in the 3:20 at Wolverhampton.

The horse is odds on in this weak seller but looks to have lost its way of late. Connections wouldn’t be putting a mid 85 rated horse in this type of race and risk losing it for five grand if it didn’t have a few issues.

The problem is what do you take it on with? Star Anrise, has won over C&D but looks out of form whilst Golden Bird has been out with the washing on his last two runs.

Late Shipment only has to run to a mark of around 65 to win this so he can afford to run around 20lb under his best and likely still win. However when a horse has lost it’s way they tend to keep on a downward spiral unless a break or change of scenery helps rediscover form.

Late Shipment should win on the bridle if on a going day but he’s not one to have much faith in and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got turned over at short odds.