'The deeper, the better and I'm hoping he'll run very well' - trainer quotes and analysis for the 5f handicap at Redcar

Connections of Emeralds Pride will doubtless be keeping a close watch on the weather before her bid to complete a four-timer.

The progressive four-year-old started her winning run on good to soft, but was taken out because of soft ground at Hamilton recently. Rain is, of course, forecast pretty much all day, although the really heavy stuff is not due to arrive until late in the afternoon.

It would be no less competitive in her absence, and there will be plenty who handle bad ground well enough, not least John Kirkup, who has five wins and four seconds to his name on soft or heavy ground, and was second on an easy surface to the reopposing Woobay at Catterick last time.

The winner, a beaten favourite since on the all-weather, was a commanding three-and-a-half-length scorer that day and is half John Kirkup's age, but there is a 13lb turnaround in the weights in the veteran's favour once you factor in jockeys.

Others of interest have to include So Grateful, whose second of 20 at Ayr last time was not far off the best he has ever run on turf (better form on all-weather), and the three-year-old Candy Eye, who in two runs this season has not matched his juvenile opening Racing Post Rating of 64 last year but as a result starts on a handicap mark of just 54.

Also well worth a second look is Cubanista, a runaway soft-ground winner over 7f for Pam Sly last year but now with Olly Williams, who is persevering with the 5f experiment despite the four-year-old managing only eighth of 13 at Pontefract last time. However, there was considerably more to it than that as he was held up way off the pace in last place and was constantly denied a run in the straight when turning in with plenty to do.

Ridden by a claimer then, he now has the assistance of Rossa Ryan, who was second on his only previous ride for this yard back in 2020, and has been having a career-best year with more than 100 winners in the bag during the Flat championship and 166 in total in 2023.
Race analysis by Paul Kealy

What they say

Michael Dods, trainer of Emeralds Pride and Zuffolo
They’re both fine. At the moment the ground is good enough, but if the track gets what is forecast we don’t know if they’ll run if it gets heavy. Emeralds Pride has done very well, she likes the track, but she wouldn’t want it too soft. Zuffolo ran well there last time and he’s another who wouldn’t want it too soft.

Tim Easterby, trainer of Northcliff and Premier Option
They should run well as long as they go on the ground alright. Northcliff ran very well at Ayr and he should have a good chance.

Bryan Smart, trainer of High Opinion
He’s in good form and has been unlucky this year. It should be his ground because he loves it and the deeper, the better. I’m hoping he’ll run very well. The track didn’t suit him at Hamilton last time. He ran a bit free and he didn’t get up the hill, so we had an excuse that day.

Bryan Smart: trainer of High OpinionCredit: David Carr

David Thompson, trainer of John Kirkup
He’s fine and hopefully it will go ahead because it’s his ideal ground. He’s in good form and has been unlucky in a lot of his races. He’s done us proud this year, considering his age, and he should have won three races.

Tom Tate, trainer of Candy Eye
She’s doing fine and conditions should suit her, and she’s in good form for her first handicap. It didn’t suit her turning at Wolverhampton last time, so at least she won’t have that problem here.
Reporting by Liam Headd

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