Turf Talk: Fast Track gears up for first win after a '˜slow' year

Fast Track looks ripe to claim a first victory since January 2017 when he rocks up at Wolverhampton.
Fast Track jockey Nicola Currie claims a useful 5lb. PIC: Martin Rickett/PA WireFast Track jockey Nicola Currie claims a useful 5lb. PIC: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
Fast Track jockey Nicola Currie claims a useful 5lb. PIC: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Much has happened since David Barron’s seven-year-old won by a nose over this course and distance 14 months ago.

But it has not all been bad news, as Fast Track has occasionally threatened to win again.

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None more so than at Kempton on March 7, when he gave the prolific Spare Parts a real run for his cash in a seven-furlong handicap.

Fast Track trainer, David Barron.Fast Track trainer, David Barron.
Fast Track trainer, David Barron.

The gelded son of Rail Link finished third, beaten three-quarters of a length, which was not too shabby an effort seeing as he has done all of his winning over shorter distances.

Fast Track is back over six furlongs for a handicap at Wolverhampton and is now on a 5lb lower mark than when he last won a race.

And just for good measure, Barron has also appointed Nicola Currie, who claims a very useful 5lb.

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Runaiocht really ought to go well in a nine-and-a-half-furlong handicap later on the card.

Fast Track trainer, David Barron.Fast Track trainer, David Barron.
Fast Track trainer, David Barron.

Trained by little-known Somerset handler Brian Forsey, it is fair to say this eight-year-old chestnut has never been a leviathan of the Flat.

Be that as it may, he must surely be up to winning this pretty desperate encounter.

He did, after all win an even more questionable race than this handsomely at Kempton on his penultimate outing.

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Runaiocht then made a reassuring debut for Forsey at the same track, when he stayed on with a bit of purpose to take fourth in a seven-furlong handicap.

This is a step up in trip, but he has won before over course and distance and is clearly in decent nick – in contrast to others in the field.

Extra Mile looks the play of the day in a mile-and-a-quarter handicap at Chelmsford.

Godolphin’s filly did pretty well last year, with a close second to the 97-rated Coconut Creme the highlight last May.

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And though this daughter of Frankel has been sidelined for 291 days, trainer Saeed bin Suroor looks to have placed her to sound effect as she gets weight from the full field.

It would be a surprise if Extra Mile did not prove a fair bit sharper than an inaugural handicap mark of 78 might suggest.

The Juggler should go well in another mile-and-a-quarter handicap at the Essex circuit.

This is a hot race for the prize-money on offer, but he should be much fitter than when he stayed on intently for third place at Wolverhampton in March.

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That was The Juggler’s first start since October so he might have just been feeling the pinch once push came to shove.

He also had to contend with a troublesome wide draw and that did him no favours whatsoever.

TURF TALK TIPS

CHELMSFORD: 5.45 Dancing Brave Bear, 6.15 The Juggler, 6.45 Keir Hardie, 7.15 Extra Mile (next best), 7.45 Blackheath, 8.15 Upavon, 8.45 City Dreamer.

WARWICK: 2.00 Master Tradesman, 2.30 Heresmynumber, 3.05 Llantara, 3.35 Domesday Book, 4.10 Tambura, 4.40 Rock On Rocky, 5.10 Copper Coin.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 2.10 La Fortuna, 2.40 Dragstone Rock, 3.15 FAST TRACK (NAP), 3.45 Champagne Pink, 4.20 Runaiocht (treble), 4.50 Sotomayor, 5.20 Ghost.