Raceday LIVE – Cast No Shadow
Related horse(s):
Cast No ShadowCast No Shadow is set to have his third run for the club and Hugo Palmer today in the 16:12 Class 5 Novice Stakes over 5f at Newcastle.
Read our Raceday LIVE preview below, and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and our lucky owners for the day across our social channels.
Raceday LIVE Preview
Cast No Shadow ran a solid 4th last week over the same distance as today, after being held up in the rear of the field for much of the early going in the race. He picked up strongly to snatch 4th close to the line, and close the distance to the leaders in front of him.
Tom Marquand reflects on Cast No Shadow's 4th place finish at Lingfield
🗣️ "I really like the way he finished off that last hundred yards, because that was the bit that sort of told the most about him."@TomMarquand gives us his thoughts on Cast No Shadow's 4th.
— Coral (@Coral) October 26, 2023
We look forward to seeing what Hugo & the @MHS_HorseRacing team have planned next! 🏇 pic.twitter.com/MmuiGMPDP7
Trainer Hugo Palmer had today's race earmarked immediately after the performance, believing that the straight 5f track at Newcastle would suit the colt better than the bend did at Lingfield.
Newcastle specialist, and current in-form jockey, Jason Hart, takes the reins this afternoon. The jockey has an excellent strike rate of 21% over the last fortnight with nine wins from 43 rides, and he has ridden the most winners (86) throughout his career so far at Newcastle.
He isn't a jockey who rides for Hugo Palmer often, but he does have a remarkable record when riding for the Manor House Team. In 16 rides, he's picked up six victories (38% SR) with total winnings of over £35,000.
Hugo himself has picked up one winner and one second already this week, with the victory coming in a 7f contest here at Newcastle courtesy of Souffionne on Monday.
Pre-race report provided by Hugo today:
"Cast No Shadow has pleased me in the two weeks since his run at Lingfield. It was always the plan before that race to run him on a straight track but unfortunately Southwell had been flooded off which meant we had to go to Lingfield. I think the straight track and the stiff 5f will suit him and I expect him to step forward again, on this his third start. That said, this is a rather stronger race than the one he ran in last time. The newcomer Sports Coach has been well backed and Circus Lion, Persian Blue and the penalised Monks Dream have all shown some decent form. I hope that he can run a nice race and he will qualify for handicaps after this."
Today's Novice contest has a few interesting contenders for Cast No Shadow to come up against:
- Persian Blue is the clear market leader so far for trainer William Haggas having finished a solid second when last seen in a Class 4 Maiden on the turf at Nottingham.
- Monks Dream scored here at Newcastle last time out over 6f, but today he drops down to the minimum trip of 5f.
- Circus Lion arrives here having placed in his first two runs under Graham Lee. However, the jockey has been booked to ride for Paul Midgley on Silky Robin today, who he also finished 3rd over C&D last time out.