2:55 – Ascot – E B F REDSTONE CLASSIFIED STAKES (CLASS 3) (3yo+ 0-90) Soft 1m
Soft ground at Ascot today will certainly inconvenience some of the runners in this Class 3 Stakes race, but it should not be a worry for connections of Gaul Wood. The 3 year old Bay gelding ran in Soft ground at Chester in July and was desperately unlucky not to win as he suffered all kinds of interference and once in the clear only failed to get up by a head.
Gaul Wood has not been over raced by his trainer Tom Dascombe, only having had five runs since July and after a break of 21 days should come into the race relatively fresh. He is also running over 1 mile again and in his two runs over the trip he was placed at Kempton on the all weather before winning last time out at Sandown. The form of his Sandown win is starting to work out with the 2nd placed horse, Henry Allingham going on to win the Class 2 Silver Cambridgeshire last week while the Charlie Hill’s trained Basseterre also won a Class 3 Handicap at Newmarket the day before. His Sandown win was in a competitive handicap and he followed the pace throughout before going to the front 2 furlongs out and after being ridden from just over 1 furlong out he stayed on well to win by 1 ¾ lengths, demonstrating plenty of stamina up the stiff finish on the course.
While Liam Keniry rode him at Sandown he is reunited with his regular jockey today. Richard Kingscote has ridden him four times winning once and finishing placed on his other three runs. Richard has ridden 5 winners in the last 14 days from 27 rides, three of which have come for Tom Dascombe. He has also ridden 2 winners from 7 rides at Ascot this season and piloted Gaul Wood to a 2nd placed finish over 7 furlongs at Ascot in July when he was the only 3 year old in a field of 12 older horses.
Conditions races are difficult races to work out as all of the runners are basically running off similar weights and the likes of Love Your Looks dropping down to Class 3 from Listed level. However, Gaul Wood has been campaigned sympathetically this year so should be fresh for the race. He appears to be still open to improvement over 1 mile and he does not have any ground concerns and has had the benefit of running on the track before. With his yard in reasonable form sending out 7 winners and two placed horses in the last 14 days Gaul Wood should have a very good chance to enhance his winning record this afternoon in what will be his hardest task to date.
