Marco Botti right on track to savour Redcar red-letter day (From Gazette & Herald)

Marco Botti right on track to savour Redcar red-letter day

10:59am Thursday 18th October 2012 in Sport By Tom O'Ryan, Racing journalist

Newmarket trainer Marco Botti, who won a Grade 1 race in Canada last Sunday when the Frankie Dettori-ridden Joshua Tree won the Woodbine International, can make his mark at a considerably lesser grade at Redcar tomorrow with De Rigueur in the Sam Hall Memorial Handicap.

The race, named after the legendary Middleham trainer, looks a good target for the gelding, who won in some style at Haydock on his latest start when he had four lengths to spare at the line.

De Rigueur has since gone up 9lb in the handicap, but that hike may not be enough to prevent him completing a double.

Botti, one of the country’s most upwardly mobile trainers, may also score with Gioia Di Vita, a nicely-bred newcomer, who runs in the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing Maiden Stakes.

He may not have to be anything out of the ordinary to make a successful debut.

John Quinn has his horses in good form and Baltic Bomber can be another winner for the shrewd Norton trainer in the Hold Your Christmas Party at Redcar Racecourse Handicap.

The mount of Barry McHugh, left, has been running well for some time and deserves to find another winning turn.

Others to make appeal are the dropped-in-class Woodland Mill (2.00) and the consistent Monthly Medal (5.30).

At Haydock, the nap selection is awarded to Arthurs Secret in the Arnold Clark Jeep Chrysler Nursery.

Trained at Norton by John Quinn, and a runaway winner at Beverley on his debut, Arthurs Secret was found out of his depth next time, but he shaped well on the Polytrack at Kempton last time when finishing second in handicap company over seven furlongs on a sharp track.

The step up to a mile and the testing conditions at Haydock should bring out the best in Arthurs Secret, who is taken to resume winning ways under Mick O’Connell.

Secret Look is fancied to clinch the betdaq.com Nursery over five furlongs.

Trained by Ed McMahon, the juvenile ran out a ready winner at Chester last time and, provided he is equally effective on this deeper ground, he should be hard to beat off his revised mark.

Bravo Youmzain has yet to get his head in front, but he has run some good races in defeat, including at Leicester last time when he finished second for the third time in succession.

Opportunity may come knocking for him in the Haydock Park Annual Badgeholders Conditions Stakes.

Also worth noting are David Barron’s Muffin McLeay (4.45), a Ripon winner two starts back, and the Julie Camacho-trained Zakatal (5.20), who shaped well on his reappearance at Thirsk.

Racing selections

Redcar (tomorrow)
1.25 Gioia Di Vita, 2.00 Woodland Mill, 2.35 Marcus Ceasar, 3.10 De Rigueur, 3.45 Keep It Dark, 4.20 Sabore, 4.55 Baltic Bomber, 5.30 Monthly Medal.

Haydock (tomorrow)
1.55 Rhombus, 2.25 Secret Look, 3.00 Bravo Youmzain, 3.35 Cool Runnings, 4.10 Arthus Secret (NAP), 4.45 Muffin McLeay, 5.20 Zakatal.

Tomorrow’s other meetings: Cheltenham, Fakenham and Wolverhampton.

Today’s meetings: Kempton, Uttoxeter, Wincanton and Wolverhampton.