Big Shoes should fill our satchel at Southwell today, if able to cope with fibresand!
That’s always a disclaimer when selecting a thoroughbred, which races for the first time on the ‘deep stuff’, but there was a lot to like about the seasonal debut success of Big Shoes over a similar distance on Wolverhampton Tapeta 16 days ago.
Ridden by new stable jockey Darryll Holland this Charles Hills-trained Big Bad Bob gelding proved tardy from stalls and yet was soon on terms, led approaching the final furlong and quickened to win comfortably, ‘there is more to come’ was my post-race comment!
An easy flowing action usually suits the unique surface at this Nottinghamshire track and so I’m confident that Big Shoes will supplement recent gains against moderate rivals, with no exceptions!
Rain In The Face shouldn’t be extended, never mind beaten, in the Maiden Stakes over a mile, fifth time lucky?
It will be a major surprise if that’s not the case, Ralph Beckett’s charge hasn’t come up to expectatioons by any means but this looks the proverbial ‘penalty kick, without a goalie’ and so expect Graham Gibbons to score without fuss.
Gibbo is a tremendous jockey, riding out for several major Newmarket yards, hopefully one day he’ll be able to put his much-chronicled drinking demons to rest. As good as anyone on this planet and so is his guv’nor David Barron who, incidentally runs Peggy Joyce against Rain In The Face. Now then, what’s going on!
A seven-race programme kicks off with an aged apprentice handicap over eleven furlongs and in-form Prayer Time, off bottom-weight, justifies each-way support.
It’s been raining ‘cats and dogs’ for the last twelve hours with water tables very high countrywide will Kelso be on this weekend and how much more can Cheltenham take for the fur-day(s) festival next week?
Selections
9.10 Prayer Time;
11.15 Rain In The Face (nap);
1.35 Big Shoes.