Carry Me Home signals the return of 43-year-old jockey Darryll Holland when the Dark Angel gelding attempts to win at the fourth attempt today. Charles Hills’ charge contests a 3-y-o Maiden Stakes over a mile of Lingfield polytrack which should be ideal.
When it was recently announced that this veteran would be stable jockey for Faringdon stables in Lambourn, it was necessary to flip my Racing Post and make sure it wasn’t April 1!
Holland has never been a favourite jockey but it will be interesting to see how he fares now that he is back with the racing family Hills. He was originally apprenticed to Barry as a 15-year-old.
For what it’s worth my take on The Dazzler was negative, he seemed to be well past his sell-by date when quitting these shores to ride in foreign countries where, not surprisingly, he’s eeked out a living against inferior opposition.
Determination, dedication and application mean nothing when physicality is a problem. How can a human being become re-energised for a task he wasn’t up to only a few years ago?
Charles is banking on experience. I’m far from happy about the appointment and glad not to be his private handicapper nowadays, although I’ll always help Barry if, and whenever, he asks.
Carry Me Home is strongly-fancied, he should win and is selected but we won’t be entering into the betting market. Strange situation, eh? Incidentally, there is a fine line between experience and too old and an interesting few months awaits all who monitor this particular combination.
Come on Darryll, prove me wrong!
Miss Giler has been a desperate disappointment. She failed yet again earlier this month, but even that time-handicap mark should be good enough for John Gosden’s charge to finally gain much-needed winning brackets for stud purposes in the Maiden Stakes over twelve furlongs. Find a danger, we can’t!
A six-race programme ends with an amateur riders’ handicap over two miles. It’s a dreadful race but by process of elimination Master Burbridge looks a special each-way proposition if the inexperienced Miss R Waterson can perform adequately. Take a chance.
SELECTIONS
10.55 MISS GILER
12.35 CARRY ME HOME
1.05 MASTER BURBRIDGE