A breeze for Frankie

Once-raced, Signor Sassi is expected to retrieve recent losses and go one better in the Maiden Stakes over six furlongs at Windsor tonight, last evening meeting of the 2011 season at the Thames-side course. This signals conclusion of the ‘silly season’ and onset of Autumn and a clutch of top-grade juvenile races. Signor Sassi might be in one of them. Roger Varian’s charge shaped well when beaten a head by Gung Ho Jack, in a similar race at Newmarket twenty-four days back. Fortunes were piled on the Acclamation colt and plenty was ‘left behind!’

Presumably, Signor Sassi will improve for that gruelling experience, having been given sufficient time for recovery. Don’t underestimate the July course. Until the second part of the last century, two-year-old races finished in the dip, such is the severity of the final climb. There must have a been a good reason why. On my time-handicap, Signor Sassi is ‘special’ even though there are several un-raced newcomers from ‘fashionable’ yards and must not opposed, without good reason. Our ‘daily yankee’ includes Eastern Breeze, a ‘steering job’ for Frankie Dettori in the six-runner Maiden Stakes, over an extended mile.

Saeed bin Suroor’s charge was due to run in the race won by Lucky Legs last week, over course and distance, but was a late withdrawal, thankfully! Significantly Frankie has no other rides today. Earlier, Oneiric could well surpise better-fancied rivals, Shuhra and Zafarana, in the Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over 12 furlongs of Kempton polytrack and with four places on offer, Thinking definitely justifies an each-way bet, in the ‘aged’ mile handicap at Thirsk. Now, that should be an interesting spectacle. Jockeys have likened the top bend to the ‘Wall of Death’ and it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted!

SELECTIONS

RACE 8 (#3) ONEIRIC (e.w.)
RACE 9 (#12) THINKING (e.w.)
RACE 26 (#7) SIGNOR SASSY
RACE 35 (#4) EASTERN BREEZE