Thursday 2nd October 2025
Nottingham Grassroots Finals Day
Nottingham’s Grassroots Final Day kicks off at 1.55 on Thursday with a Class 4 Fillies’ Maiden that’s contested over a mile and half of a furlong. This particular contest appears to be a good opportunity for Charlie Appleby’s Enchanted Queen to open her account under William Buick. She’s placed in both of her starts to date, finishing second at Newmarket on debut before finishing third at Sandown last time out. It was slightly disappointing she couldn’t get the job done last time, given she was sent off at a short price; however, she still sets a decent standard here on those runs.
The second race on the card is the 2.25, and this is a Class 4 Maiden event that’s ridden over five furlongs. The Ralph Beckett-trained Zen Diva appeals to me here under Hector Crouch. She progressed from her racecourse debut, where she finished fourth at Newbury, to finish second of thirteen at Chelmsford last month. She should naturally progress again coming into her third start here, and she should give another good account here for her top yard.
We move into our first handicap of the afternoon at 3.00 with a Class 2 Nursery Handicap over six furlongs. I find it hard to get away from Rum Therapy here for the team of Tim Easterby and Duran Fentiman. She’s the form horse in the race, having won two of her three starts within handicap company to date, and her only defeat came when half of a length second of nine at Carlisle on her penultimate start. Her latest success came at Thirsk last month when keeping on well from an unpromising position, and she has to be considered a serious player again here under a four-pound penalty.
Next up, it’s the 3.35, and this is more Class 2 action in the form of the Sprint Handicap Series Final over six furlongs. I’m with the Michael Appleby trained Bona Fortuna here, who’s the mount of five-pound claimer Warren Fentiman. He’s been knocking on the door all season with a string of second-placed efforts to his name, with his most notable effort among that sequence coming at York on his penultimate start when finishing second of nineteen in a competitive contest. The added bonus of Fentiman’s five-pound claim coming off his back could well make the difference for him here, and he should have every chance of going close again.
The 4.05 sees us move up in distance as this is the Stayers’ Final Handicap, which is ridden over a mile and six furlongs. I’m siding with Ivan Furtado’s Rock N Roll Pinkie here, who’s ridden by Marco Ghiani. She’s been highly progressive this term, having won three handicaps, including a decisive success over course and distance in June when she won by eight lengths. Her most recent success came at York last month, where she won a competitive Class 3 event over two miles and half of a furlong on the line, and she’s only a couple of pounds higher for this assignment. She’s also versatile ground-wise, having won on both fast and ground with cut in it, and she looks a player again here.
We now move on to the penultimate race of the day, which is the 4.35, and this is the Middle Distance Final Handicap over a mile and two furlongs. I think it’s worth giving another chance to Crowd Quake here for Stuart Williams and Danny Tudhope. He’s another horse who has been highly progressive this year, winning an impressive seven handicaps, with a few near misses thrown in there too. Things didn’t go his way at Ayr last time out, as he was hampered at the start and had a lot of work to do from the rear as a result. He still did his best work late on that occasion, and I think he may still have more to give.
Signing us off on Grassroots Day at Nottingham will be the 5.10, and we have the Mile Final Handicap over a mile and half of a furlong. I quite like the chances of Harswell Ruby here for Roger Fell and Cam Hardie, who’s currently trading at a best price of 10/1. She’s been going close as of late, finishing a close-up second in three of her last four starts. Her most recent start came at Redcar last week, where she was only beaten by a neck, and she looks to be well-handicapped for this assignment off the same mark.
