Sandstormers: Black Cadillac motors to success

Andrew Balding: Trainer of Black Cadillac

Timeform's Matt Gardner returns with the latest updates to our regular feature...

Having spent the majority of last week's column moaning about a distinct lack of fortune, with a number of Sandstormers entrants running well but failing to hit the mark, I am delighted to bring forth a tale of success with one of our newest additions, Black Cadillac, landing the spoils at Lingfield on Saturday. The five-year-old made the list on account of his eye-catching effort on his previous outing, where the suspicion was that he had done well to finish as close as third given that circumstances transpired against him, and he proved that point as he notched a third career win at a Betfair SP of 8.9n/a, doing so with a bit in hand. The likelihood is that he will continue to give a good account of himself and is far from being out of the question that he could follow up his success over the same C&D this coming Saturday, with a 5 lb rise in the handicap looking more than fair. 

Haadeeth contested the same race and could meet Black Cadillac once more on Saturday; his form is somewhat up and down but he remains well-treated and he may just need a less competitive scenario to give of his best. Of more immediate interest on his next outing will be the William Knight-trained Saoi, who was most unfortunate not to land the hat-trick on the same card. Eventual winner Harry Buckle dictated affairs at a steady pace and kicked for home just as Saoi was being shuffled back on the turn, therefore conceding first run but only narrowly failing to get his head in front. A further 4 lb rise in the weights is unlikely to stop him going close next time. 

You're probably fed up with my talking about Jack My Boy by now, with the David Evans inmate taking to the track almost every week, but the six-year-old deserves a further mention having run yet another good race at the weekend, making the places yet again. Jack My Boy is holding his form well, despite the form of his trainer cooling ever so slightly, and he should be competitive on his next intended start, in the same race as Black Cadillac and Haadeeth, for all that he seems to have little in hand of the handicapper. 

One final runner that we had in the last week was the Ralph Beckett-trained Marveik, who took to the frozen lake at St Moritz. The five-year-old actually won on the snow at the meeting last year but was markedly blow form this time around, running no sort of race in truth, but that is well worth forgiving considering the rarity of such a spectacle. However it may be worth bearing in mind, prior to his next outing, that this could have left its mark and he may benefit from a slight break.

 

We have just the one to add to our list this week, namely the John Quinn-trained Nant Saeson who ran at Wolverhampton on Monday. The four-year-old could not follow up his win from last month but he shaped better than his finishing position of fourth would suggest, paying for racing up with the strong pace that teed things up ideally for the three that beat him. He boasts a generally consistent profile and has gained both of his win on the all-weather and, given the promise of his latest outing, it would come as no surprise were he to enter the winners' enclosure again soon. 

A quick mention must go to both O'Gorman and Compton Crofter, who look to hold excellent chances in their respective races on this evening's card at Kempton, and to Haywain who is engaged at Wolverhampton on Monday; it is a touch disappointing to see that latter entered in a maiden rather than exploiting a potentially decent handicap mark, however. 

Of more interest in the coming week are the two quality races that Lingfield stages on Saturday, despite our list not boasting entries in either. The listed Cleves Stakes looks most competitive, with York Glory, Farmleigh House and Taajub among the principals but the one that most takes my eye is an old favourite of mine, namely Piscean. I neglected to stick him in the list early in December mainly due to him having had a fairly hectic summer, meaning that we missed his 20/1 success at Wolverhampton over Christmas. He was fairly unlucky not to win on his latest outing, forced very wide coming off the home turn, and he looks well worth a go at this level given his present form. 

In direct comparison the Winter Derby Trial does not look competitive in the slightest, with the very smart Planteur looking to use this as a tune up for his Dubai World Cup bid. As he hasn't won since April of 2011, in a French Group 1, the six-year-old escapes a penalty here and looks to face something of a penalty kick, with the excellent Adam Kirby taking the reins for the first time. 

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