Wednesday's free Geegeez GOLD feature, the Trainer Statistics (TS) report is, in fact, four reports in one. It contains information on a trainer’s recent form, and their longer term course form. For each of 14 day, 30 day, course one year, and course five year, users can filter by runs, wins, places, win profit/loss and each way profit/loss. Clicking on any row in the report will reveal the runners that trainer has entered on the day in question, and clicking on the runner row will open that race in a new tab.
HINT: It can help to cross refer the profit figures of the trainer with their win/place percentage. A few big priced winners can mean a trainer has a high profit number but a low strike rate. You may need to be very patient, and a bit lucky, to come out in front this way!
[ Please refer to our User Guide for further information ]
My own personal settings for the TS report are fairly restrictive...
...but have actually highlighted quite a list of qualifiers...
...for me to consider. In addition to the free daily feature, we always open up a number of racecards to non-Gold subscribers and for this Wednesday, they are...
2.30 Lingfield
2.40 Yarmouth
4.20 Catterick
4.50 Fairyhouse
5.05 Kempton
...giving me a grand total of ten separate UK races to choose from! Of those, the 5.05 Kempton is the highest-rated at Class 2, but a field of thirteen novices with a combined total of twenty-two career races doesn't give much to work from, so the next 'best' is the 5.00 Lingfield, where Roger Varian will look for another course winner with his in-form 3yo gelding Nazron in a 5-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ flat handicap over a straight 5f on soft ground...
As you can see, none of them managed to win last time out, but Nazron and McLoven were runners-up, as they both have been three times recently. McLoven, however, is up in class here and is the only runner without a win in seven starts, turning a career start of 2 wins from 4 into his current 2 wins from 11 and he's 0 from 8 on turf.
All five have raced at least once in the last four weeks and Tsunami Spirit is the only one yet to win over this minimum trip, as his sole success was over 6f on the polytrack at Kempton. The 5yr old mare Mary of Modena is the sole non-3yo in the field and has failed to win any of her last five outings, but her win over 6f on good ground here back in May '22 is this field's only course win, according to a fairly-sorry looking Instant Expert...
...from which the takeaways are that we're bereft of Class 4 wins on the Flat, but Mary of Modena (who seems to like soft ground) & Kiss and Run both have a pair of Class 5 wins on turf. McLoven has struggled over this trip, despite having plenty of practice and on these numbers above, it's Mary of Modena edging it and she also has a really good place record under these conditions...
...where McLoven continues to look vulnerable.
We don't have much in the way of data for small field sprints on soft ground here at Lingfield (it is July after all!), but I wasn't really expecting much of a draw bias over a straight 5f anyway, but here's the data we do have..
...which I suppose backs up my thoughts. And if those nine wins have been equally shared amongst the three draw zones, it's a fairly similar story with regards to pace. None of the eight mid-division runners (too small a sample to trust in my opinion) have won, but otherwise, the wins have been shared equally...
...which brings me to the place stats to provide a little guidance and if runners want to make the frame, they're advised (as is often the case over 5f) to get on with it pretty quickly and if we look at this field's recent efforts...
...it looks like McLoven and Mary of Modena will be setting the tempo and the contest and there's a serious danger of Tsunami Spirit being run out of things.
Summary
In a reversal of how I normally summarise, I'm going to start by showing you the market as it stands at 4.30pm Tuesday*...
*odds taken from Hills, the only book open
I can't back Nazron at 11/10 if I rely on the data above, even if he's probably the best in the race and he's in good nick and his yard do well here, there's just no value there for me, you're welcome to disagree, of course. McLoven also looks too short at 3/1 for a horse that is winless in seven and an overall 0 from 8 on the flat and scored poorly on Instant Expert. He does have an ideal pace profile here, of course, but he's still not for me.
The pace looks like it might well rule Tsunami Spirit out of the equation, which effectively leaves me with the two outsiders in the contest if I wanted to place a bet. The truth is that I don't really want to throw much, if any, cash at this one now that I've looked at it, but if I do, it'll probably be a small E/W bet on Mary of Modena. She'd be an unlikely winner, I suppose, but she has won on this track, she scores well on the place element of Instant Expert and will be right u with the pace.
The Shortlist is Tuesday's free Geegeez GOLD feature and it's a simple (usually brief) report highlighting those horses with a largely ‘green’ profile in the Instant Expert Report each day and it covers win or place stats for both the current and the next day's racing.
GREENis good (33% or better win rate) – worth 3 points AMBERis quite good (16-32% win rate) – worth 1 point REDis not so good (0-15% win rate) – worth -1 points GREY means there is no available data for that factor - worth 0 points
The final column, ‘Score’, is the sum of the previous five ‘colour’ columns, with 15 being an all green profile, and 9 being the lowest score appearing on this report.
HINT: The best bets are not necessarily the highest scores. Rather, they are often the biggest difference between a Shortlist horse and the ‘best of the rest’ in that race.
N.B. Shortlist selections are unlikely to make a profit, at SP at least, to blind backing. Our recommendation has always been that The Shortlist should be a starting point rather than an end in itself. That said, it continues to highlight horses whose chance is better than recent form and its odds might imply.
[Please refer to our User Guide for further information]
...where all of them must be worth at least a quick look. As ever, the daily feature is complemented by a selection of fully functional racecards opened up to all readers and for Tuesday they cover...
3.40 Pontefract
4.55 Lingfield
5.05 Uttoxeter
5.10 Tramore
Now, I see that Delta Legend from The Shortlist runs in one of those free races above, but it looks a poor contest and I think I'd rather look at a higher category of race like the 3.40 Pontefract, an 8-runner, Class 2, 3yo+ flat handicap over a left-handed 6f on good to firm ground...
This actually looks like a really open race today, so let's see if we can glean any pointers from the toolkit. None of them seem to be coming here in much form with bottom weight Flaccianello's runner-up finish in an eleven-runner race at York 25 days ago, the best of the field's last efforts, none of the others even made the frame. That said, only Silky Wilkie and Woven have failed to win any of their last six outings and they come here on streaks of fifteen and nine defeats respectively.
With the above in mind, I can't see Woven's chances being enhanced by a step up in class, as does Wen Moon, whilst Room Service drops down from finishing 6th of 14 in a Listed race to come here for just his second handicap outing. Coachella and Wen Moon wear tongue-ties for the second time today and jockey Sam Feilden will take 7lbs off Silky Wilkie's allotted weight of 9st 11lbs.
All bar Silky Wilkie (off for 38 days) and Room Service (52d) have raced in the last 17-25 days so all should be race-sharp and Room Service is the only one in the race yet to score over today's trip; but he did win over 5½f on debut and also over 6½f three starts ago, so the trip shouldn't be an issue. Wen Moon is the only runner to have visited Pontefract before with one win (over this trip) and one place (over 5f) from three attempts...
Instant Expert tells us that Roman Dragon and Woven are a combined 0 from 25 at Class 2 on the Flat and that the latter is also a meagre 1 from 26 over this trip, so he's going to be tough to back here, but Roman Dragon's 5 wins from 13 over the trip is a good return. Wen Moon is hovering close to being ruled on on class (0 from 6) and distance (1 from 7) too, but let's see if his place stats come to his rescue today...
...and I suppose it just about does. he's not the strongest contender at this point, but after Instant Expert, these are the ones that I'd focus on...
...which dismisses the runners in stalls 6 and 8, so i hope that if there's a draw bias, that lower drawn runners are the ones who normally benefit! Fortunately here over 6f at Ponty, that does seem to be the case, with stalls 1-5 having the best of the wins and stalls 1-4 making the frame most often...
But getting a low-ish draw is just one half of the battle here at Pontefract, making full use of it is the key and to do so, you need to get away sharpish and be up with the pace; setting the pace from the front is even better...
...as leaders have won 31.6% of the races and taken 24.6% of the places from just 15.9% of the runners, which means that this following pace/draw heat map really shouldn't be any surprise...
...which then directs us back to the runners themselves as we try to ascertain who might race prominently or even attempt to win from the front and of the evidence of recent efforts, Matters Most is the only one who seems to enjoy being up with the pace...
I'd ignore his last run, as that was a 28-runner, 5f dash where he just couldn't get involved but he does like to be upfront, whilst Silky Wilkie is the only other one known for getting out sharp-ish, but he's over in stall 7 which isn't ideal.
Summary
It's a really open contest, this one and you could make a case for most of them. So, with that in mind, it'd be small stakes if any at all and I think I'd probably side with Matters Most over Silky Wilkie based on pace/draw with Room Service possibly the one to complete the frame.
Based on the market as of 5pm Monday...
...Silky Wilkie is definitely in E/W territory, whilst 11/2 about Matters most looks more than fair.
Saturday's free feature is the Trainer/Jockey Combo (TJC) report, which works by bringing together the form of trainers and jockeys into a single composite report that has produced excellent results for users. Basically, some trainers turn to specific riders when they have one ‘ready to win’ and this report quickly identifies the most profitable of those combinations. Clicking on any row will reveal the entries for that trainer/jockey pairing whilst clicking on the entry will open the race in a new tab.
HINT: Look for a good sample size – ideally five or more – combined with a decent win percentage (30%+), and a positive figure in the profit columnand as ever, please refer to our User Guide for further information.
My own settings for the TJC Report are fairly restrictive...
...and they haven't actually generated any runners for me to look at, so it's a good job that as always, we have a list of fully functional 'free' racecards each day, which for Saturday cover...
1.30 Haydock
2.15 Beverley
3.15 Haydock
4.35 Beverley
5.58 Bellewstown
8.00 Bellewstown
The pick of these is undoubtedly the Old Newton Cup but 17-runner handicaps tend not to be my thing, so I'll stick to the next best and first of that list, the 1.30 Haydock, a 7-runner, Class 4, 3yo flat handicap over a straight 5f on good ground...
We've no LTO winners to discuss today, but Due for Luck was third of nineteen in the Epsom Dash at the start of the month, beaten by a length and a half with the re-opposing Curious Rover a further 2 places and 2.25 lengths further back. Curious Rover has raced again since and was also third last time out, beaten by 2.5 lengths at Chester in an eleven-runner field and he's now a pound better off with Due For Luck.
All seven runners here have won at least one of their last seven races and all bar Fools Gold have had at least one outing in the last five weeks, but he hasn't been seen for nearly ten months since being well beaten (10 lengths) in a Group 2 race at Doncaster, when seventh of eight. He has been gelded during his layoff but will probably need the run here on his handicap debut.
He's down three classes here today, as none of this field actually raced at Class 4 last time around; Vince L'Amour, Lady Pink Rose and Moonstone Boy all raced at Class 2, whilst Due For Luck and Curious Rover both competed in Class 3 handicaps. Only bottom weight Cloud King steps up in class here.
Only Curious Rover and Due For Luck have raced here at Haydock before with the former winning a Class 2 Nursery over course and distance last September in a race where Due For Luck was last home of the four runners, almost seven lengths down and it's this pair that lead the way on Instant Expert...
Vince l'Amour and Moonstone Boy have done well over this trip too, although the former's best runs have come on soft and heavy ground and this might be too quick for him. From the above, it's Due For Luck who has had the most success turning those placed efforts into wins...
You wouldn't normally expect much of a draw bias in a small field over a straight 5f on good ground, but the results from similar past races doesn't bode well for the chances of Cloud King and Moonstone Boy drawn higher than stall five...
I must admit that I didn't expect that, but I wasn't surprised to see the following pace data from those races above...
... which then generated this pace/draw heat map...
Fools Gold only has three previous runs under his belt, so it's probably fairest to just analyse the field's last three runs and here's how they've approached then from a pace perspective complete with the corresponding pace/draw heat map for this contest...
Summary
For me, it's a two-way battle between Curious Rover and Due For Luck and I feel they're very closely matched. The former leads the head to head by 2 to 1, the latter had the better win record on Instant Expert. Both are drawn well, both made the frame last time out and both had good place record on Instant Expert, but Curious Rover likely to attempt the control the race from the front, he'd be my marginal pick here at 4/1*, which offers better value than the 2/1* ticket on Due for Luck.
Only 2 places on offer today, sadly, but 10/1* outsider Moonstone Boy could easily outrun those odds and he might be the one who'd take advantage of any slip up from my 1-2.
*odds taken from Bet365 (only book open) at 4.40pm Friday.
Friday is Horses For Courses (H4C) report day at Geegeez and this feature does exactly what you'd expect, as it shows the full course history since 2009 of any horse running that has previously had a run at that track, sorted by number of wins, but this can be changed to any column at your discretion.
As well as today’s race time, course, horse name, jockey and trainer name, there is a breakdown of runs, wins and places, and profit and loss calculations for both win and each way betting. And as with all Geegeez reports, there is a ‘Today’ and a ‘Tomorrow’ (for the next day’s racing) view.
HINT: Layers might like to look towards the lower end of the report, for those with negative performance at the track, but please refer to our User Guide for further information.
My fairly restrictive chosen settings for the H4C report...
...have generated just one qualifier for Friday...
but your own chosen parameters might give more joy. Thankfully, this free report is, of course, backed up by our daily list of 'free' races...
4.30 Cork
4.50 Sandown
5.30 Beverley
6.50 Cork
9.00 Haydock
...and I think I'll focus upon the 4.50 Sandown, a 7-runner, Listed race for runners aged 4 and over. The trip is a right-handed two miles on good/good to firm ground and here's how they're expected to line up...
Surprisingly for a race of this grade, none of this field won last time out, but Run For Oscar and Sleeping Lion were runners-up in Class 2 handicaps, whiulst Trueshan was third here over course and distance in a Group 3 contest. Run For Oscar, Sleeping Lion and Miss Cynthia are the three without a win in their last four starts, having lost each of their last 10, 10 and 12 starts respectively with the latter still a maiden.
Run For Oscar and Sleeping Lion's chances of breaking their losing runs won't be helped by the step up in calss, whilst Roberto Escobarr's debut for Ian Williams also sees him step up from Class 2.
9st 2lbs is the standard allotted weight here, but the two females, Miss Cynthia and Night Sparkle each receiv a 5lb allowance, but this still leaves Quickthorn 2lbs better off than Trueshan at the head of the ratings with Sleeping Lion worst off, rated some 19lbs inferior to Quickthorn.
All bar the two females have won over this trip already with both Quickthorn and Roberto Escobarr having won over course and distance...
Instant Expert suggests that Sleeping Lion had has trouble getting his nose in front on good/good to firm ground and further inspection shows that his best form has been on the A/W at Kempton and he has also performed better over shorter trips. Elsewhere no real cause for concern with the highest drawn trio looking like the ones to focus here, not withstanding the fact that Roberto Escobarr might well need the run after a six month break.
Those drawn highest have actually fared a little worse than par here over longer distances, but it's not a huge bias and the draw really shouldn't be the reason why a horse loses a race that's two miles long...
...but pace might be a different issue completely with this type of race suiting front runners more than the other running styles.
If we then look at how this field has raced in their last couple of outings...
...we're looking at the same three runners from Instant Expert.
Summary
Instant Expert and Pace profiling have both led us to Quickthorn, Trueshan and Roberto Escobarr. The latter looks the weakest of the trio and will probably need the run anyway, but might not bad for a small E/W punt at 14/1 with Bet365, but the first two home here really should be Quickthorn and Trueshan and if pushed for a winner, I'd probably side with the latter.
Trueshan and Quickthorn were the last two home of five in the Gr 3 Sagaro Stakes at the start of May with Trueshan 11 lengths clear of Quickthorn, despite carrying 7lbs more. They meet again on equal terms, so I'm with Trueshan here.
The bookies disagree, mind you, with Quickthorn currently 13/8 and Trueshan at 9/4.
Thursday's free feature, the Instant Expert racecard tab is one of Geegeez readers' most popular tools because it has the unique ability to condense the entire form profile of every runner in the race into a single, easily digestible, view covering the form in terms of wins (or places), runs, and win (or place) percentage for each of going, class, course, distance, and field size.
It also compares today’s official rating with the horse’s last winning official rating. The display is colour coded: green for a higher percentage rate, amber for a middling percentage, and red for a low percentage. Horses with no form under a certain condition have grey figures.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Where a horse has no UK/Irish form – i.e. it is having its first run in Britain or Ireland under Rules – it will not show up on Instant Expert at all.
We make this feature freely available to ALL readers EVERY Thursday for ALL races, including, naturally, our selection of 'free' races as follows...
2.40 Haydock
4.25 Bellewstown
5.10 Tipperary
5.40 Tipperary
5.50 Kempton
6.45 Newbury
None of those make much appeal to me if truth be told, so I'm going off-piste with a look at the highest-rated handicap of the day in the UK, the 7.35 Kempton, an 11-runner, Class 3, 4yo+ A/W handicap over a right-handed 1m4f on standard to slow tapeta...
My initial thoughts were that this might well be a two-horse between Cracksking and The Goat at fairly short prices, leaving the way open for an E/W bet or two, but let's check...
Only Cracksking won last time out and this son of Frankel is 2 from 4 (3211) on the All-Weather. He beat the re-opposing The Goat by a neck in that race (here over course and distance), whilst Simply Sondheim and Ludos Landing were also runners-up on their last outings.
Way of Life has made the frame in 11 of his last 14, but has failed to win any of his last 22 races, whilst Global Heat, There's The Door and Naval Commander are on losing streaks of 14, 7 and 8 races respectively.
There's The Door does have the benefit of a drop in class here, though, as do Simply Sondheim and Graignes, but the bottom four in the weights, Way of Life, Naval Commander, Met Office and Ludos Landing all step up in class, so it's hard to envisage either of Way of Life or Naval Commander getting back to winning ways here.
Gooloogong runs in a handicap for just the second time (last of eight over course and distance behind Cracksking & The Goat as above LTO four weeks ago), whilst bothNaval Commander and Simply Sondheim make yard debuts on their return from lengthy layoffs of 364 days and 292 days respectively. Both Met Office (232d) and Graignes (241d) might also be in need of the run, but the other seven runners here have raced in the last 8-40 days.
All bar There's The Door have had at least one run here at Kempton, but only Simply Sondheim, Cracksking, Graignes and Naval Commander have won here with all bar Naval Commander and Ludos Landing having tackled today's trip. Cracksking, The Goat, Way of Life and Met Office have all won over 1m4f, but only Cracksking has won at track and trip, when triumphant here four weeks ago.
Based on this preview, it's no surprise that Cracksking is the standout in terms of wins on our free daily feature Instant Expert...
...with Simply Sondheim and Graignes also having gone well, but they are both returning from long breaks. From a place perspective, my shortlist would have to be Simply Sondheim, Cracksking, The Goat, Graignes and Way of Life and these runners occupy stalls 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7, so I'm hoping that if there's a draw bias to take advantage of, that it benefits those drawn lowest...
...and that does appear to be the case, albeit marginally. I suspect the pace might well tell us a bit more about who might challenge here. I've got it in my head that even though the trip is a mile and a half that those setting the pace or keeping up with it have fared the best, but as ever, its always best to check the data...
Well, I'm sort of right, I suppose. the advantage seems more pronounced from a place perspective, of course, but one this is apparent : you don't want to dwell and be left behind here. So, I suppose that if one or more of my low-drawn Instant Expert shortlist are runners who like to get on with things, we might have ourselves a live E/W chance at worst, so let's look at their last few races...
...with four of my shortlisted quintet filling the first five berths on the pace chart, making the resultant pace/draw heat map look like this...
Summary
Based on our free feature of the day, Instant Expert and the pace/draw data, I'm inclined to stick with Simply Sondheim, Cracksking, The Goat, Graignes and Way of Life as the five runners to choose from and with Simply Sondheim and Graignes likely to need a run after a lengthy lay-off, I'm left with the two that I though would battle it out for the win, Cracksking and The Goat plus perennial placer but rare winner Way of Life and I'll take them in that order.
The one I did like earlier but doesn't seem to tick any boxes is bottom weight Ludo's Landing. He's in great form, receives weight all round and could well spring a surprise. The Wednesday 5.30pm market looked like this...
...so there could be an E/W bet or two in the offing, if you're that way inclined.
The Shortlist is Tuesday's free Geegeez GOLD feature and it's a simple (usually brief) report highlighting those horses with a largely ‘green’ profile in the Instant Expert Report each day and it covers win or place stats for both the current and the next day's racing.
GREENis good (33% or better win rate) – worth 3 points AMBERis quite good (16-32% win rate) – worth 1 point REDis not so good (0-15% win rate) – worth -1 points GREY means there is no available data for that factor - worth 0 points
The final column, ‘Score’, is the sum of the previous five ‘colour’ columns, with 15 being an all green profile, and 9 being the lowest score appearing on this report.
HINT: The best bets are not necessarily the highest scores. Rather, they are often the biggest difference between a Shortlist horse and the ‘best of the rest’ in that race.
N.B. Shortlist selections are unlikely to make a profit, at SP at least, to blind backing. Our recommendation has always been that The Shortlist should be a starting point rather than an end in itself. That said, it continues to highlight horses whose chance is better than recent form and its odds might imply.
[Please refer to our User Guide for further information]
...where we've two runners in the same race at Brighton. As ever, the daily feature is complemented by a selection of fully functional racecards opened up to all readers and for Tuesday they cover...
2.15 Hamilton
2.33 Tipperary
4.45 Roscommon
7.00 Lingfield
7.20 Roscommon
And whilst it's not the best calibre of race in the world (or even on this day!), I think I should have a look at Gallimimus and Chourmo from The Shortlist, who make up a quarter of the 8-runner field for the 3.55 Brighton, a Class 6 (all six races at Brighton are Class 6 affairs), 4yo+ flat handicap over a left-handed 1m2f on good to firm ground...
Corporate Raider and Bhubezi both won last time out, whilst Bobacious was a modest third of nine at Chepstow, which means he's still a maiden after eight attempts across a variety of race genres (4 x flat, 1 x A/W, 1 x hurdle and 1 x NHF!). Others struggling for wins are Gallimimus, Lucky Question and Irezumi with Gallimimus having lost nine on the bounce since a course and distance success a year ago, whilst Lucky Question and Irezumi are both still maidens after twelve and seventeen races respectively!
Our two runners from The Shortlist, Gallimimus and Chourmo both drop down a class here, whilst connections of Lucky Question will be hoping that a change of yard leads to an improvement in form, as hopefully will first-time cheekpieces for Irezumi. It's also a UK debut for Lucky Question after a dozen defeats in Ireland and he now runs for the first time in fourteen weeks whilst all his rivals have been out at least once in the last ten to twenty-four days.
Gallimimus and Chourmo have both won over course and distance before, whilst Corporate Raider and Dee's Dream have also scored here at Brighton in the past with the former prevailing here over 1m4f last time out and the latter also winning over that trip back in September 2023. Aside from our two course and distance winners, Corporate Raider's victory at Yarmouth a year ago is the only other win over today's trip.
As you'd expect, Gallimimus and Chourmo are the immediate eyecatchers on Instant Expert...
...but that is, of course tempered, by the former's inability to win any of nine races over the last year. Irezumi looks the weak link here and I've concerns about Dee's Dream's poor strike rate of 1 from 8 at Class 6 over the last two to supplement her overall career record of just 1 win from 19! I suppose it comes to something when a 17.65% career strike rate (Gallimimus is 3 from 17) is the best on offer in a race. I can only hope some of them have ran well, been unlucky and made the frame instead of winning...
Well, that's a prettier sight, but the end of the road for Irezumi with me for this one. Lucky Question is generally untried under these conditions, but having lost all twelve previous starts with just three places, he's also going to be tough to recommend. He's drawn out in stall seven of eight today and that might actually give him a bit more chance of getting involved here, based on past results of similar races at Brighton over the years...
...although to make best use of what looks a favourable draw, he'd be best advised to get a bit of a wriggle on early doors...
Sadly for Lucky Question, getting out sharpish doesn't seem to be his thing and I suspect the pace in this race will come from those drawn lower with the three lowest-drawn runners filling the first four spaces on our pace averages, based on their recent races...
...handing them the initiative.
Summary
Of our two runners from The Shortlist, Gallimimus and Chourmo, I prefer the latter for this contest and I'd probably suggest Chourmo as my actual winner of the race, despite not seeming to have the ideal pace profile for this course/distance. He was the last to break when scoring here two starts ago and he beat the re-opposing Corporate Raider by a neck that day.
The latter has since won here over 1m4f, of course and that puts him in a strong position here, but he carries 3lbs more than Chourmo here and they carried equal weight when Chourmo beat him, so I'm going for Chourmo to narrowly beat Corporate raider again, although there probably won't be much, if anything in it. This probably explains why they were best-priced at 4/1 and 5/1 respectively at 5.10pm on Monday.
Only Gallimimus (10/1), Irezumi (14/1) and Dee's Dream (16/1) traded above my arbitrary 8/1 E/W cut-off price, so an E/W bet is unlikely here, but it would have to be Gallimimus if any.
The pace tab on our racecards helps to make a reasoned assumption based upon a field's most recent runs as to how their next race might unfold. This information is vastly under-used by UK bettors, but we feel it's that important that we make this info totally free for all races every Sunday & Monday.
This, of course, includes our daily free races, which for Monday are...
4.15 Pontefract
4.45 Pontefract
7.15 Windsor
8.45 Windsor
...from which, I'm going to have a look at the 7.15 Windsor, an 8-runner, Class 2, 3yo+ flat handicap over a straight 6f on good to firm, ground...
...where hat-trick seeking and fast-finishing Haymaker is the sole LTO winner, although Aramis Grey and Amazonian Dream finished second and third respectively on their last outings. Yet despite being a regular placer (15 top 3 finishes from her last 19 races), Aramis Grey is the only runner in this field without a win in starts, having suffered eleven defeats on the bounce and her cause is unlikely to be helped by stepping up a class here, as does Under The Twilight, whilst 'form horse' Haymaker is up two classes.
Rohaan and Wallop both last raced eight weeks ago and the other half dozen have all been seen in the last 10-23 days, so we should have no fitness issues from a field where all eight have won at least once over today's trip and all bar the afore-mentioned Rohaan and Wallop have won over course and distance, Mind you, neither has been to Windsor before, as demonstrated by Instant Expert...
...where my main concerns are the lack of Class 2 wins aside from Rohaan, of course and Aramis Grey's poor win record at this trip plus the fact she's some 15lbs higher than her last win. That, I suppose, is the danger of running well, but not quite well enough to win.
With the lack of Class 2 wins above, it might well be worth looking at Class 3 form...
...where Katey Kontent has been the standout with all of Under The Twilight's wins coming at Class 4. With the lack of Class 2 form above, I've included the Class 3 data in the place stats from above...
...and here you can see some of Aramis Grey's placed finishes that I mentioned earlier as she, along with Under The Twilight, Haymaker, Katey Kontent and Shagraan seem the ones to focus upon.
There shouldn't be too much of an advantage for any of these runners from the draw, although Amazonian Dream should be aware that there's a fair drop off beyond stall 7...
...and whilst those draw stats aren't a huge help to us, our feature of the day is PACE and we're at Windsor for a straight 6f on quick ground, where pace is key. We didn't get much help from the draw in those 110+ races, but just look at how they were won...
...which speaks for itself, I think. So, we want to be on a front-runner and preferably not from stall 8, so if we look at how the field has approached its last few outings...
...we can make a fairly reasoned assumption that Shagraan might well attempt to win this from the front from stall 2 with the in-form Haymaker the one most likely to give chase.
Summary
Short and hopefully sweet today, but from the pace chart (which is key at Windsor), Shagraan and Haymaker could be a fair way clear of Aramis Grey, Katey Kontent and Under The Twilight (I'd already ruled Wallop, Amazonian Dream and Rohaan out of my considerations) and I'm certainly wanting these front-runners in my final three.
As for the third placer, I actually think that Katey Kontent might well be the best horse in the race, but won't be suited by the pace of this one but should still make the frame. As for the winner, I prefer Shagraan over Haymaker, as the former will be out in front first and the latter is up two classes, but should still place.
Sadly, though, the bookies are also on to this pace bias at Windsor and as of 4.45pm Sunday, they went...
Based on the above, perennial placer Aramis Grey might not be a bad E/W shout if any of my preferred trio fail to fire.
Saturday's free feature is the Trainer/Jockey Combo (TJC) report, which works by bringing together the form of trainers and jockeys into a single composite report that has produced excellent results for users. Basically, some trainers turn to specific riders when they have one ‘ready to win’ and this report quickly identifies the most profitable of those combinations. Clicking on any row will reveal the entries for that trainer/jockey pairing whilst clicking on the entry will open the race in a new tab.
HINT: Look for a good sample size – ideally five or more – combined with a decent win percentage (30%+), and a positive figure in the profit columnand as ever, please refer to our User Guide for further information.
My own settings for the TJC Report look like this...
...and they have generated the following runners for me to look at...
In addition to those as always, we have a list of fully functional 'free' racecards each day, which for Saturday cover...
3.10 Newcastle
3.40 Newcastle
5.25 Newcastle
5.40 Lingfield
7.30 Doncaster
8.00 Doncaster
The free list starts with a couple of Class 2 contests, but the 3.10 race is a 20-runner affair, which isn't my thing, so we'll move down the list one place and consider the 3.40 Newcastle, a 12-runner, Class 2, 3yo+, A/W handicap over a straight 7f on standard to slow tapeta...
Bottom weight Local Hero has two wins and a runner-up finish form his four career starts and not only does he receive a 9lb weight allowance as the only 3 yr old in the field, he's also the sole LTO winner with only his oldest rival here, the 11yo Documenting, managing to make the frame.
The old warrior also won two starts back and most of the field have won at least once in their last six outings, apart from Make Me King, Raadobarg and Zip who are on losing runs of 8, 15 and 9 races respectively.
Four of the bottom five in the weights are up in class with Yermanthere and Zip stepping up from Class 3, whilst both Giant and Local Hero are up from Class 4. United Approach is the odd one out on the bottom five of the card, as he was fourth of eleven at Newbury at this grade last month after two wins on the bounce. That last run was his handicap debut and he makes just a second handicap appearance today, as does Local Hero.
Documenting last raced seven weeks ago, Make Me King and Baradar ran as recently as last Thursday (20th June) and the others have all raced at some point in between. United Approach is the only one yet to win over today's trip; all his four starts have been over 6f, whilst only four horses have even raced here at Newcastle. Liamarty Dreams, Eldrickjones and Zip have all won over course and distance, but Documenting could only finish 8th of 9 over track and trip back in December 2022 on his only prior visit.
A few of these are short on recent A/W experience, if truth be told...
...but of the above the positives are clearly Eldrickjones (track/trip) and Local hero (going), but Zip has struggled to win at Class 2 and here at Newcastle, even if he has won over course and distance. Those races above from a place perspective look like this...
...showing Zip in a whole new light. He hasn't won any of nine starts and is up in class, he has struggled to win here of late and has a poor Class 2 record, so I've already written him off as a win bet, but those place stats are impressive enough for him to remain in my thoughts for now as a possible E/W option. His last dozen A/W runs have finished 216132535562 and he was a course and distance runner-up on his last A/W outing. Giant and Edlrickjones also have solid place credentials so far.
We've not much in the way of any draw bias here...
...which is probably to be expected over an A/W straight 7f, so we'll turn immediately to the pace stats from those races to see if there's any help forthcoming. Strangely, there's not much of a pace bias either...
...but those racing furthest forward make the frame most often and if you're not in the frame, you're not winning, so I'll be wanting a horse that races prominently or further advanced if possible. Hold-up horses have, of course, fared the worst as is often the case over a straight 7f, but I don't think that'll be the case here as they might go off at a fair clip with no confirmed hold-up types in the field...
..and if we look at the pace/draw heat map, we've a sort of diagonal 'corridor of success' from low drawn leaders, mid-drawn prominence and high-drawn runners in midfield...
...which, if I'm being harsh, seems to rule Documenting, United Approach, Raadobarg, Baradar, Grey's Monument and Zip out. That said, I'd keep United Approach on recent form and Zip on his ability to make the frame, so I'm still left with eight runners.
Summary
I've decided against Documenting, Raadobarg, Baradar and Grey's Monument already and I'll add Make Me King to that list due to his poor recent form. Liamarty Dreams' last four A/W runs have all been here at Newcastle with finishes of 7689, losing by an average of around 8.5 lengths, so he's not for me either, whilst all Yermanthere's form is on soft-ish ground, leaving me with these five to choose from...
Any of this group is good enough to make the frame here and I really like United Approach, but I just think that 4/1 is a little short for a horse with no A/W experience stepping up to 7f for the first time. Don't get me wrong, he really could win here and win well, but I think there's more value in the 11/1 being offered about Eldrickjones and I'd see that as an E/W option here. He has three wins here at Newcastle, including two over course and distance and all his A/W runs have been on Tapeta, finishing 26121521.
Zip's a three-time C&D winner and was second to Eldrickjones last month and is now 7lbs better off, so could also be an option at 8/1. Local Hero is sure to get involved carrying no weight and in good form, but he's only 5/1 and up two classes, whilst Giant is another who makes E/W appeal at 8/1. He has two wins and five further places from eight starts over 7f on the A/W and whilst also up in class here, should put another decent effort in.
I've left a few in, as the bookies are paying four places here and the odds quoted were correct as of 4.50pm Friday.
Friday is Horses For Courses (H4C) report day at Geegeez and this feature does exactly what you'd expect, as it shows the full course history since 2009 of any horse running that has previously had a run at that track, sorted by number of wins, but this can be changed to any column at your discretion.
As well as today’s race time, course, horse name, jockey and trainer name, there is a breakdown of runs, wins and places, and profit and loss calculations for both win and each way betting. And as with all Geegeez reports, there is a ‘Today’ and a ‘Tomorrow’ (for the next day’s racing) view.
HINT: Layers might like to look towards the lower end of the report, for those with negative performance at the track, but please refer to our User Guide for further information.
My fairly restrictive chosen settings for the H4C report...
...have still managed to yield three qualifiers, but your own chosen parameters might give even more joy...
This free report is, of course, backed up by our daily list of 'free' races...
2.55 Yarmouth
4.05 Yarmouth
5.25 Newcastle
6.40 Curragh
8.20 Newcastle
8.45 Newmarket
The highest-rated of the eight UK races listed above probably has a runner or two more than I'm normally comfortable with, but I think I'll still take a look at the 5.25 Newcastle, a 14-runner, Class 2, 3yo+ A/W handicap over a straight 5f on standard tapeta...
Copper Knight actually won this race in 2018 and was the runner-up in 2019, whilst the fast-finisher Vintage Clarets' sole A/W outing to date saw him home as the 12/1 winner in last year's renewal.
FORM : Navello and Copper Knight both won last time out, whilst Prince of Zenda, Navello, Ziggy's Missile and Mattice have all won at least two of their last six outings. Thunder Moor and Moonstone Boy both finished third on their last runs. Winless in seven or more, though are Makanah, Bergerac and Monsieur Kodi after 9, 7 and 9 consecutive defeats respectively.
CLASS : Ziggy's Missile and Copper Knight are both up one class, whilst it's a two-step rise for Moonstone Boy and Monsieur Kodi.
WHAT'S NEW : Project Dante makes a yard debut for Geoff Oldroyd and it's first time equipment/headgear for Thunder Moor (blinkers) and Ziggy's Missile (cheekpieces).
COURSE/DISTANCE FORM : All bar Brazen Bolt and Prince of Zenda have won over today's trip already, but this pair have at least won here at Newcastle in the past; the former over both 6f and 7f with the latter winning over 6f. We know that by winning this race in previous years that Vintage Clarets and Copper Knight are course and distance winners, but Bergerac also scored over track and trip last November.
LAST RAN : Most of the field have raced in the last five weeks, but Brazen Bolt returns from a 15-week layoff which isn't ideal, but it's hardly anything like that of Project Dante who hasn't been since finishing 14th of 19 at Doncaster in mid-September 2022!
Our two-year form snapshot on Instant Expert doesn't show a glut of A/W racing, but this is how they've fared in that time frame...
...where aside from Vintage Clarets' win here last year, Ziggy's Missile looks interesting. He's the only 3yr old in the race and gets a 6lbs allowance for that and his A/W form reads 1121, all over 5f with two wins at Southwell and 1 at Wolverhampton. His sole defeat was here at Newcastle over course and distance just before Easter when beaten by a head, getting caught late on by a horse that is 2 from 2 since.
Despite the abundance of red above, it's all off less than five runs, so I'd be reluctant to use this data to rule any of these out right now, but I would want to see them having made the frame a few times...
This speaks for itself, I think. The regular placers are the ones most likely to be involved again, so from Instant Expert, these are the ones I'm leaning towards...
I've taken five runners out so far (I left Copper Knight and Navello in on form), but I've still got horses strung across the full width of the stalls. That said, I'm not expecting a huge draw bias on a straight 5f on an artificial surface, but we'd better check, just in case.
And apart from a couple of stalls results looking a little anomalous, there probably isn't a massive amount to be gained from the draw in 13/14 runner 5f sprints on the tapeta here...
Perhaps the rail has helped stall 1 to win so often, which might encourage the connections of Mattice, whose sole A/W run to date saw him go down by just a shirt head over this course and distance. I'm not sure why stall 11 has fared so well though! The key here, of course, is likely to be pace, as those races have clearly those willing to set the early tempo...
...which based on the field's recent efforts probably provides more hope for the likes of Copper Knight, Prince of Zenda, Mattice and Thunder Moor than it does for Burning Cash and Vintage Clarets...
Interestingly, though, despite a real draw bias, the way pace and draw have worked together is interesting if you take a look at the pace/draw heat map...
If we then check back to the top end of the pace chart, we see that Copper Knight, Prince of Zenda, Mattice and Thunder Moor will emerge from stalls 4, 6, 1 and 12.
Summary
You could make a case for half the field to win this and I don't have a particularly strong leaning towards any of them, but from Instant Expert and the pace/draw heatmap I am interested in Copper Knight, Prince of Zenda and Mattice from at least a place perspective. Copper Knight is proven over track and trip and won last time out, so comes here in good nick too.
The bookies are paying four places (Sky go to 5, of course!), so I'm going to suggest Copper Knight, Prince of Zenda and Mattice as E/W possibles. The only book open at 5pm Thursday was Hills and they offered 13/2, 15/2 and 16/1 about this trio.
I'd also expect Vintage Clarets (15/2) and Navello (6/1) to run well, whilst it's not beyond the realms of possibility for Ziggy's Missile to continue his good A/W progress and make the frame at 12/1. In fact he might also be a live E/W prospect. I told you that I could make a case for several of these! It could be a cracking race.
Thursday's free feature, the Instant Expert racecard tab is one of Geegeez readers' most popular tools because it has the unique ability to condense the entire form profile of every runner in the race into a single, easily digestible, view covering the form in terms of wins (or places), runs, and win (or place) percentage for each of going, class, course, distance, and field size.
It also compares today’s official rating with the horse’s last winning official rating. The display is colour coded: green for a higher percentage rate, amber for a middling percentage, and red for a low percentage. Horses with no form under a certain condition have grey figures.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Where a horse has no UK/Irish form – i.e. it is having its first run in Britain or Ireland under Rules – it will not show up on Instant Expert at all.
We make this feature freely available to ALL readers EVERY Thursday for ALL races, including, naturally, our selection of 'free' races as follows...
3.00 Newcastle
3.35 Newcastle
4.30 Newmarket
9.00 Leicester
...from which we're off to the July course at HQ for the 4.30 Newmarket, a 10-runner, Class 3 , 4yo+ flat handicap over a straight 7f on good to firm ground...
...a field where all bar Ararat have raced in the last four weeks. He returns from a nine-month absence but is the only LTO winner in this race. Elsewhere Mitrosonfire was a recent runner-up and both Benacre and Darkness made the frame on their last outings. The field are, however, a little shy of wins in their recent form lines as only Havana Blue (2 from 6), Persuasion, Ararat (2 from 4) and Lord Rapscallion have managed to win any of their last seven races.
Mitrosonfire, Able Kane and Waiting All Night might struggle to end their losing runs as they now step up a class here, as do LTO winner Ararat and bottom weight Lord Rapscallion, but Persuasion drops down a level.
Waiting All Night is the only runner in the field yet to win over this trip, as his sole win in 18 races to date was over 5f at Wolverhampton and he's 0 from 14 on turf but Darkness has won over a mile here at Newmarket, whilst Havana Blue, Ararat, Mitrosonfire and Able Kane are all former course and distance winners.
Instant Expert shows us quite clearly how difficult this field has found it to win over the last two years...
...with the returning Ararat probably the pick of the pack. I'm hoping that the place stats suggest that some of these have been unlucky, because I'm already getting question marks about Toimy Son (trip), Persuasion (class. track and trip), Mitrosonfire (trip), Darkness (going, class and trip), Able Kane (class & trip), Waiting All Night (trip) and Lord Rapscallion (Generally!); it might have been easier to say who I didn't have too many concerns about.
We'd better check those place stats!
...and they certainly show a few of these in a different light, especially Persuasion and Darkness. Their win stats make them hard to back outright, but they're certainly to strangers to making the frame. Benacre loves the trip and has placed here too, so these three could be a second look later along with Ararat (from the win stats) and maybe Havana Blue.
Benacre was a Listed class runner-up, beaten by just three quarters of a length over this trip on the Rowley track here last summer and that should stand him in good stead today as he lines up closest to the rail, now that Arabian Storm (who had been drawn in stall 1) has been withdrawn. That said, I don't think there's much to be gained from stalls position here today
...although those drawn higher have made the frame slightly more often, but there's really not a great deal in it and I suspect that much more will depend on race tactics, because the pace stats for those near-150 races above tells a pretty clear story...
...that being up with the pace is key here from both a win and place perspective. Leaders make up approximately 13.3% of the runners in those races, but have accounted for 28.5% of the winners, which speaks for itself and this looks like more good news for Ararat, Benacre and Darkness if their last few runs are anything to go by...
Summary
The above stats say that pace wins the race here over 7f and alphabetically Ararat, Benacre and Darkness are the three most likely to set the tempo of this contest. Ararat was the sole standout on the win side of our daily feature, Instant Expert, whilst Benacre and Darkness both had good place records, so I think that they're going to be my three against the field.
It's a bit of a gamble that Ararat will be race-sharp after nine months off, but if pushed to pick a winner, it'd be him and Hills were offering 7/1 at 4.15pm on Wednesday, which is bordering on E/W territory, never mind a win bet! Darkness and Benacre were trading at 11/2 and 6/12 respectively, so neither would take my fancy as an E/W bet, but I expect both to give a good account of themselves.
Wednesday's free Geegeez GOLD feature, the Trainer Statistics (TS) report is, in fact, four reports in one. It contains information on a trainer’s recent form, and their longer term course form. For each of 14 day, 30 day, course one year, and course five year, users can filter by runs, wins, places, win profit/loss and each way profit/loss. Clicking on any row in the report will reveal the runners that trainer has entered on the day in question, and clicking on the runner row will open that race in a new tab.
HINT: It can help to cross refer the profit figures of the trainer with their win/place percentage. A few big priced winners can mean a trainer has a high profit number but a low strike rate. You may need to be very patient, and a bit lucky, to come out in front this way!
[ Please refer to our User Guide for further information ]
In addition to the free daily feature, we always open up a number of racecards to non-Gold subscribers and for Wednesday, they are...
3.15 Salisbury
3.35 Carlisle
6.00 Naas
8.00 Naas
8.40 Kempton
My personal preferred settings (you get to choose your own!) for the TS report...
...have yielded the following runners for me to consider...
...from which, the highest-rated is the free offering from Cumbria, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Eternal Stakes shown on your race cards as the 3.35 Carlisle, a 9-runner Listed race for 3yo fillies over a right-handed 7f on good/good to firm ground that they're watering to stop it going bone dry...
Jabaara is 2 from 6 on the Flat and carries a 3lb penalty for winning a similar listed race at Musselburgh at the start of the month, whilst Key To Cotai also won her last start, albeit a 19-runner, Class 4 handicap just over seven weeks ago. Gaiety Musical was a runner-up (also at Class 4) on debut three weeks ago and Navassa Island was also in the frame, finishing third of thirteen in a 5½f Listed race at Cork just over six weeks ago. The inexperienced Gaiety Musical is the only one without a career win or a win inside seven starts.
So, we already know that both Gaiety Musical and Key To Cotai are making the big step up from Class 4 to Listed class and now we see that the fast-finisher Tierney also makes the same step, despite finishing 8th of 9, beaten by 7 lengths over 6f last time out; which makes this tough! Ahlain also steps up in class, having finished third of five at Class 2 in April and she now runs for the first time since undergoing wind surgery.
Star Music was last home of 16 in the 1000 Guineas just over seven weeks ago on her last run for Richard Hughes, she now wears a hood for the first as she makes a yard debut for James Tate, eased in class. None of the field have raced here at Carlisle before but all bar Gaiety Musical (obviously), Heritage House, Navassa Island and Tierney have already won over 7f...
Top-weight Jabaara looks to be the standout on wins on Instant Expert, but there's not actually a great deal of data to work with if truth be told. Most of them have won on similar ground, but Navassa Island is 0 from 6 at Class 1 and has a poor return over this trip, as do Lexington Belle and Heritage House, but Navassa Island might have been unlucky because she's a regular placer...
...having made the frame in five of her eight starts, including two Group 3 places and two Listed places, so she might be there or thereabouts if she handles the step up in trip to 7f. Key To Cotai also has good numbers, but it looks like the game's up today for Heritage House with the worst results in this field.
Top weight Jabaara is drawn widest of all in stall nine and that has been a problem in similar races here at Carlisle in the past, although if truth be told, I don't think that there's a hugely discernible draw bias...
...with stalls one to eight all having pretty similar records and it might well be race tactics aka pace that decides this one. Those 50-odd races featured above have been tough for hold-up horses with the uphill finish making it difficult to peg back those ahead...
...but the other three running styles have all won plenty of races, but the further forward a horse has raced, the greater has been the chance of a win or a place, which based on this field's most recent efforts...
...suggests that there might well be three of them battling for the early lead. The problem here, of course, is that that might all do too much too soon to grab the early lead, making themselves vulnerable to likes of regular placer Navassa Island and LTO Listed winner Jabaara, even if the pace/draw heat map does support those willing to lead...
Summary
Despite some of the above suggesting a contrary view to mine, I'm fairly certain that this ends up a Jabaara/Navassa Island 1-2 with the form horse beating the perennial placer and I'm not surprised that they're the top two in the market at Evens and 9/2 respectively*
Key To Cotai was next in the betting at 6/1, but she might find the step up in class tough to deal with and if I was tempted to look for an E/W bet, the 9/1 Star Music might be the one. She has been last home in both 2024 starts, but in her defence those races were the Gr3 Fred Darling and the Gr1 1000 Guineas! She's had a change of yard/scenery and will be hooded here, so could end up being the best of the rest; she's certainly got that potential.
*odds taken from Hills (only book open) at 3.25pm Tuesday
The Shortlist is Tuesday's free Geegeez GOLD feature and it's a simple (usually brief) report highlighting those horses with a largely ‘green’ profile in the Instant Expert Report each day and it covers win or place stats for both the current and the next day's racing.
GREENis good (33% or better win rate) – worth 3 points AMBERis quite good (16-32% win rate) – worth 1 point REDis not so good (0-15% win rate) – worth -1 points GREY means there is no available data for that factor - worth 0 points
The final column, ‘Score’, is the sum of the previous five ‘colour’ columns, with 15 being an all green profile, and 9 being the lowest score appearing on this report.
HINT: The best bets are not necessarily the highest scores. Rather, they are often the biggest difference between a Shortlist horse and the ‘best of the rest’ in that race.
N.B. Shortlist selections are unlikely to make a profit, at SP at least, to blind backing. Our recommendation has always been that The Shortlist should be a starting point rather than an end in itself. That said, it continues to highlight horses whose chance is better than recent form and its odds might imply.
[Please refer to our User Guide for further information] and here is Tuesday's Shortlist...
...where Huelgoat is the one of most immediate/obvious interest. As ever, the daily feature is complemented by a selection of fully functional racecards opened up to all readers and for Tuesday they cover...
2.17 Beverley
3.00 Newton Abbot
3.30 Newton Abbot
4.00 Newton Abbot
I suspect Huelgoat will go off very short in a novice hurdle, a type of race I'm not keen on and the other two 'free' NH cards look like poor races too. The beverley race is a 6-runner affair for maiden fillies, so I'll swerve that too on a day where the racing is that poor that the 'best' and most valuable race of the day is a Class 4 contest worth less than £7500 to the winner. It's the 6.05 Newbury, a 7-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ flat handicap over a left-handed 1m4f on good to firm ground and here's how they'll line up...
...where Raintown, a winner of two of his last six races is the only LTO winner, although top-weight Entrancement and Marhaba Million were both runners-up. The latter is a three-race maiden and Eben Zaabeel has yet to make the frame in any of his four outings, whilst In From The Cold and Wahraan are both on losing streaks of nine races, although six of the former's nine losses were actually over hurdles.
Sole filly and top-weight Entrancement is the only class mover today, as she drops down one level from a defeat by just a nose at Goodwood a month ago and although she's up 4lbs for that run, her victor, Ayyab was only beaten by 3.75 lengths in a Listed race at Pontefract yesterday (Sunday). Our two maidens, Marhaba Million and Eben Zaabeel both make handicap debuts today with the former wearing a visor for the first time.
This pair of maidens are both aged 3 and as such receive a very healthy 14lbs weight allowance for this contest, which should help their cause on handicap debut. Marhaba Million last ran just over seven weeks ago with only In from The Cold (112 days off) rested for longer, as most of the field have raced in the last two to three weeks.
Raintown is 2 from 2 over this trip at Lingfield (where he is 4 from 5 overall), but has failed to win any of eight starts on turf, but Graham won here over course and distance four races ago and has also scored over this trip at Salisbury. This pair aside, we're a little short on course and/or distance wins, as verified by Instant Expert...
...where Graham marginally looks the most suited of a bunch that really don't have much to crow about under today's conditions. That said, he hasn't fired at Class 4, but track and trip will be right up his street. Entrancement and Raintown look to be the best of the rest, but it's admittedly a pretty low bar. That said, these three runners are the pick at Class 5, too and both Graham and Entrancement made the frame on their only Class 3 outing (LTO for Entrancement as documented above).
Graham has been allocated stall 1, but past races suggest that drawn in stalls 5 and higher may have a bit of an advantage...
...but I wouldn't say that it was impossible to win from a low draw. There's not much to be gained from the pace stats from those races above...
...which suggests there's not really a right or a wrong way of approaching this race and the fact that any draw and any running style can win here is reflected in our pace/draw heat map where 7 of the 12 possible permutations are shown in green, suggesting Newbury's 1m4f trip is a fair one and the 'better' horses should be the winners...
Summary
When the pace, draw and pace/draw stats don't really identify a runner of interest and there's little help from Instant Expert, i tend to refer back to recent form and also gut feeling about who I think are the better runners in the pack.
The two maidens/handicap debutants could be dangerous with a huge weight allowance, but they're largely unknown quantities although Marhaba Million's results have been the better of the two and that's probably why Hills had him at 11/4 at 2.50pm on Monday, but those odds don't excite me.
The interest for me here in the class dropper Entrancement, who was only narrowly beaten last time out and a similar run here might make his 6/1 ticket look generous, whilst current 8/1 outsider and LTO winner Raintown could well be good enough for a place if finally transferring some of his recent excellent form to the Flat.
That said, this isn't a race to invest too heavily in on a day of pretty mediocre fayre.
Saturday's free feature is the Trainer/Jockey Combo (TJC) report, which works by bringing together the form of trainers and jockeys into a single composite report that has produced excellent results for users. Basically, some trainers turn to specific riders when they have one ‘ready to win’ and this report quickly identifies the most profitable of those combinations. Clicking on any row will reveal the entries for that trainer/jockey pairing whilst clicking on the entry will open the race in a new tab.
HINT: Look for a good sample size – ideally five or more – combined with a decent win percentage (30%+), and a positive figure in the profit columnand as ever, please refer to our User Guide for further information.
My own settings for the TJC report look like this...
...and they have generated the following UK runners...
30-day form...
and course 1-year form...
...for me to consider in addition to our selection of daily 'free' races...
2.45 Newmarket
3.05 Ascot
4.35 Newmarket
6.25 Ayr
8.oo Lingfield
8.45 Haydock
Again, I'll leave Ascot to the experts on the site, but there is a nice-looking race North of the border on the 'free' list tomorrow evening in the shape of the 6.25 Ayr, a 9-runner, Listed race for fillies and mares aged 3 or over. The trip is a straight 5f on good to firm ground and here’s the card…
Only one of the field, Pepsi Cat, won last time out for a fifth win in her last eight starts, but she’s up from Class 3 here today, so I expect she’ll find this a bit tougher, as will Origintrail who is also up two classes, whilst Conservationist is up one class. Origintrail did make the frame on her last run, but she’s now winless in twelve outings.
Three other runners (Conservationist, Silent Words and So Majestic) have all gone more than four races since their last win and come here on losing streaks of 9, 9 and 10 races respectively, whilst Gaenari is a nine-race maiden and she wears cheekpieces for the first time here; Silent Words will be blinkered for the first time too.
All runners have raced in the last one to five weeks aside from Graceful Thunder who has been off the track for over three months, whilst all bar Azure Blue, Conservationist, Origintrail and Gaenari (obviously) have already won over today’s trip. Only Beautiful Diamond has won here at Ayr, though, landing a similar course and distance Listed race last September.
Relevant form via Instant Expert looks like this…
...where Azure Blue and Beautiful Diamond look best suited for the rask in hand, but we shouldn't ignore Pepsi Cat's half a dozen wins over this trip, especially as she has been in the frame in six of her eight defeats for a very impressive place record over 5f...
Again Azure Blue and Beautiful Diamond stand out with Pepsi Cat a clear third best on the data above. This trio will be berthed fairly closely together in stalls 4, 5 and 7 over a course and distance where the PRB3 scores suggest that stalls 3 to 7 are the best place to be...
...further increasing the chances of the Instant Expert trio of making the frame.If we then look at what tactics would work best here, then there's no standout running style that has outperformed the others, but leaders have made the frame most often and hold-up horses have really struggled to win, which based on this field's most recent outings...
is clearly better news for Beautiful Diamond than it is for Blue Azure from our Instant Expert trio and better news for Graceful Thunder than it is for Origintrail overall.
Summary
Pepsi Cat is the ‘form’ horse, winning LTO and five of her last eight, whilst only Azure Blue, Beautiful Diamond and Graceful Thunder have won any of their last four races.
Of this quartet, Graceful Thunder was the weaker on Instant Expert and appeared to be the ‘worst’ drawn of the four, so despite being the likely pacemaker, I fear she might just miss out on the places.
Azure Blue’s pace score is a worry here, so that could stop her winning, whilst Pepsi Cat is up two classes here and whilst she’ll undoubtedly give her best again, I think she’ll also come up short and this pair will probably have to scrap it out for minor honours behind Beautiful Diamond who has ticked more boxes than others.
No odds were available at 4pm on Friday, but I'd hope to get an E/W backable price about Pepsi Cat in addition to fair odds about Beautiful Diamond.
And so to the fourth and final quarter of the geegeez.co.uk daily race previews, Friday, Day 4. Two Group 1's, led out by the relatively new Commonwealth Cup and followed up with a cracking Coronation Stakes, are the features but there's plenty to go at from start to end, beginning with the...
2.30 Albany Stakes (6f, Group 3, 2yo fillies)
Presented by John Burke's "Victor Value" service
It's hard to believe we've already reached the fourth day of Royal Ascot — time certainly flies when you're having fun. This is my final day of previewing a daily race for Geegeez, and I've genuinely enjoyed it. I hope you've found my musings on the various contests both insightful and enjoyable.
On Wednesday, I tipped a 20/1 winner for Victor Value subscribers. Interestingly, if I hadn’t been previewing the juvenile races for this site, I probably wouldn’t have even looked at that race. So I owe a big thanks to Matt Bisogno for pushing me in the two-year-old direction. [You're welcome, John - just wish I'd given you the Windsor Castle for Wednesday! - Ed.]
Today, let's talk about the Albany Stakes, a prestigious Group 3. Here are some key details about the race: Run over six furlongs the Albany Stakes was inaugurated in 2002, making it one of the newer races at the Royal Ascot meeting. Initially classified at Listed level, it was promoted to Group 3 status in 2005, reflecting its growing importance and quality of participants.
Over the years, several winners of the Albany Stakes have gone on to achieve greater success in their racing careers, enhancing the race's reputation as a launchpad for future champions. For instance, the last two winners, Porta Fortuna (2023) and Meditate (2022), both went on to achieve Group 1 success. Winning or performing well in the Albany Stakes can significantly enhance the reputation and value of a filly, both in terms of racing and breeding potential.
The Albany Stakes continues to maintain its status as a key early-season race for two-year-old fillies.
Key Trends (Last 5 Years):
Last Time Out Track: Naas – 2 winners from 5 runners +40, 3 places
Last Time Out Placing: 1st - 5 winners from 86 runners, 15 places (non-winners last time are 0 from 33 runners, 4 places)
Key Contenders:
Fairy Godmother
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Fairy Godmother built on her debut promise by defeating five rivals in the Group 3 Fillies' Sprint Stakes at Naas last time. The daughter of Night Of Thunder is bred to be speedy and sets a high standard.
Heavens Gate
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Heavens Gate won a Curragh maiden over the distance 26 days ago. Like Fairy Godmother, she is open to further improvement. She has the rail draw in stall 17.
Mountain Breeze
Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Mountain Breeze looked impressive when winning at Newmarket last month. The daughter of Lope De Vega is now two from two and is poised for a big run, posing the main threat to the favourite in my view.
California Dreamer
Trainer: Adrian Murray. California Dreamer finished a length third to Fairy Godmother at Naas. This was a significant improvement from her Dundalk debut, indicating she has more to offer, although beating Fairy Godmother will be tough.
Twafeeg
Trainer: Archie Watson. Twafeeg showcased her speed by winning on debut at Doncaster 20 days ago. There is more to come from her, and an Archie Watson juvenile should never be underestimated at Royal Ascot.
Simmering
Trainer: Ollie Sangster. Simmering showed plenty of promise on her debut at York, finishing third behind Arabie, who has since won a Group 3 at Chantilly. Sent off the 3/1 favourite at York she must have been showing plenty at home. While beating top contenders like Fairy Godmother and Mountain Breeze will be tough, Simmering has room for plenty of improvement. With Jamie Spencer on board, she could get into the places.
Albany Stakes Verdict:
Fairy Godmother sets a high bar and will be tough to beat, but Mountain Breeze is also a strong contender and should provide a stern challenge. Twafeeg, coming off a recent win at Doncaster, has solid each-way claims. The most intriguing runner in the line-up is Simmering, who arguably has the most potential for improvement among the 17 fillies.
Betting Advice:
My idea of the winner is Fairy Godmother and 13/8 looks a fair price about her chance but if you’re looking for an each-way play at big odds I would consider Simmering if you can get 25/1 and four places.
Simmering: £2 each way – 25/1 @ bet365 (paying four places)
3.05 Commonwealth Cup (6f, Group 1, 3yo)
Preview by Matt Bisogno
Introduced in 2015, this six furlong Group 1 for three-year-olds only is a terrific addition to the Royal Ascot menu. It's been a slot where failed Classic aspirants have rediscovered their top class mojo over a more suitable trip; and where genuinely fast horses can show their (go faster) stripes. In its nine years to date, no trainer has taken the prize more than once, and no horse has returned greater than 12/1 in spite of big fields being commonplace.
Sheikh Obaid has a strong hand with, at time of writing, the first two in the betting. Inisherin was supplemented at some expense, even by a Sheikh's standard, after an easy score in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock. He'd previously led the 2000 Guineas field to the quarter pole before the lactic acid kicked in and he checked out. Remarkably, and atypically, he'd never run shorter than a mile prior to the Haydock race. That's a bit of a question mark given it was soft ground there, and so more of an emphasis on stamina, whereas it will be fast turf here. Moreover, leading against milers who are saving something for the final two furlongs is different from trying to best the fastest and classiest speedsters of his generation. He has an obvious chance to win but looks opposable at the prices.
Arrow number two in Sheikh Obaid's quiver is Elite Status, who lived up to his name when hacking up in a Listed race over this trip at Newbury last time. Trained by Karl Burke, who has trained a Commonwealth Cup winner, he's had plenty of experience, with four wins from seven starts thus far. They include a second Listed score as well as a Group 3 but he was thumped in both the Prix Morny and Middle Park (both G1) at the end of last season. You could argue that he was over the top for them, but it is also not unreasonable to take a less charitable view of those no shows. Perhaps he's not quite at this level.
Jasour was beaten in that same brace of top level two-year-old sprints, and also bookended those heavy defeats with Pattern class wins: in his case he preceded them with a G2 victory and debuted this campaign with a G3, over course and distance in the trial race to boot. That was a notable career best and it's perfectly plausible that he's improved plenty from two to three. This, of course, will be the acid test. His trainer, Clive Cox, has, like Burke, won this race before so knows the formula.
Third to Big Evs and Valiant Force, both 2023 Royal Ascot winners, in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Starlust showed there that he could handle very fast ground. He was staying on over that turning five furlongs but has beaten plenty of times (eight, to be exact, from a dozen starts). Moreover, his best form is mostly at the minimum and he looks exposed in comparison with some of his rivals. That said, he does bring the highest official rating into the race, his 114 being earned with a nine pounds hike for an easy handicap verdict last time.
Givemethebeatboys was due to run in that Breeders' Cup race but was scratched by the Santa Anita vets the day before the race, a deeply frustrating experience for all involved, no doubt. Before then, he'd run creditably in the Phoenix and Middle Park Stakes, and holds Elite Status and Jasour on literal analyses of that form. He began 2024 with a Listed win at Navan before just failing to pass the intended but now absent Bucanero Fuerte in a Naas Group 3 last time. This stiff six looks ideal though he'll need to improve a good bit.
Archie Watson has an excellent record at Royal Ascot - three wins last year, just failed in the Coventry over course and distance on Tuesday - and saddles Evade, winner of the 7f Surrey Stakes last time. Trained prior to that Epsom race by Andre Fabre, he'd finished 2023 with a distant view of Rosallion's rump in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. But it was a big step forward on Oaks day, where he was tardy from the gate but showed plenty of speed to move to the front of the field; he then battled gamely while seeming unbalanced on the camber and can arguably be marked up a touch.
Classic Flower runs for Patrice Cottier, who saddled Horizon Dore to run third in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday. In the same ownership, this daughter of Calyx has been second on all three starts in '24, all on very wet turf. Her trainer must fancy her to show more on terra firmer, and she did win a Group 2 on good to soft last October. Her form is hard to peg - likely a beat below the pick of her rivals - but she is consistent, could conceivably step forward for fast turf, and her trainer is respected.
The rest of them probably have too much to find but I want to mention two highly progressive runners who wouldn't be total shock winners. Firstly, Stuart Williams trains Pandora's Gift, a filly that has raced exclusively on all-weather surfaces heretofore. Second on her debut as a 20/1 shot, she's won her other four starts, most recently when waltzing away with a Listed prize at Chelmsford. Prior to that she won in a manner rarely seen in a valuable all-weather handicap. She went up 12lb for that win and another 11lb for her Listed victory. If she can translate that level to turf, a further similar bound forward would put her bang there. If.
The twice-raced Kind Of Blue is the other worth noting. James Fanshawe has had some very good sprinters - remember The Tin Man? - and while it's very early to include this colt's name in the same sentence, he looked very good in the second of two novice stakes wins last time. That was good to firm ground on Doncaster's straight track, so no conditions fears, but this is a chasmic class rise. One to keep on side going forwards and it will be interesting, though not wager worthy, to see how he goes in this G1.
This is quite difficult. I want to be against Inisherin, whose ability to lead may be compromised against genuine top class sprinters. Obviously, I expect him to win now. Elite Status made a big jump on figures on his sole three-year-old start and may have matured into a far better model, with similar comments applying to the slightly more lightly-raced Jasour; the latter is a bigger price and appeals as a bit of value at around 6/1. And at Hail Mary prices, I want to take penny flyers on the two fillies, Classic Flower and Pandora's Gift. There are reasons to believe both could step forward a chunk on what they've achieved under these markedly different conditions and, while they might fail badly, the price justifies small interest. Two fillies have won this in its short history so there are no reservations on that score: it's 'simply' whether they'll be remotely good enough!
If I'm wrong about the Sheikh Obaid pair, so be it, but it looks a more open contest than the top two to me...
Suggestion: 80% of a unit win Jasour at 6/1, 5% e/w Classic Flower 33/1 and 5% e/w 25/1 Pandora's Gift
3.45 Coronation Stakes (1m, Group 1, 3yo fillies)
Preview by Rory Delargy
Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna is arguably more exposed than a few around her in the market for the Coronation Stakes, but she is proven at the highest level and her form stacks up well given she has previous at the track and the likely fast ground suits her ideally.
Porta Fortuna was a decisive winner of the Albany Stakes here twelve months ago, where she impressed with the way she moved through the race before taking it up at the furlong pole and repelling the challenge of Matrika. She was below form on softer ground in both the Phoenix Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes (5¾ lengths joint-third to subsequent Irish 1000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel) but belatedly built on her Royal Ascot win when clocking a smart time in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket at the end of September, beating Rubies And Pearls by a length and a half on ground Timeform called good to firm.
She then ran a screamer in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf on her first try at a mile, and again shaped really well after an absence when second in the 1000 Guineas on good ground. She was forced to go earlier than ideal there in pursuit of Ramatuelle, and that pair gave Guineas winner Elmalka a target to aim at, with the margin between the trio at the line very small. The closing sectional suggesting that the winner was favoured by making her move latest of all.
The pair she split are both respected but I’m more than happy to continue to support Porta Fortuna, who has more than once shown herself to be very game under pressure. The fact that she is proven on track and ground is a big positive and the turning mile should suit better than the straight one at Newmarket given her tactical speed.
Ramatuelle could be considered an unlucky loser at Newmarket with plenty blaming Aurelien Lemaitre for kicking too soon but, while Lemaitre has made a couple of high-profile errors, I thought he gave the Justify filly an excellent ride, maximising her superior speed at a crucial part of the race and almost stealing it as a result. My view is that she barely stays 7f and that she will be vulnerable here where she has a draw in stall one which means she must either be ridden aggressively to get track position, or hope that others give her room which is far from certain.
Elmalka is unexposed and will be fancied by many to progress again, but we saw Notable Speech fail to match his 2000 Guineas effort in the St James’s Palace earlier in the week, and Ascot does present challenges of its own. As mentioned, I thought that while the ground she made up late looked remarkable she happened to be in the right part of the track the way that race unfolded, and I’m not sold on her superiority on the day.
Recommended: 1pt e/w Porta Fortuna @ 7/1 (general)
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4.25 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (1m4f, Class 2 handicap, 3yo+)
Presented by Sam Darby's "Winning Post Profits" service
This is probably my favourite race of the week and one of the best course and distances to have a bet on in big fields. That’s because there is a strong draw bias that is largely overlooked in the betting.
The line graph above shows the PRB3 performance by draw. It’s quite clear that the bottom eight or so stalls perform far worse than any higher stall and this trend is repeated with the win and place data too. The lowest seven stalls have won four handicaps on good or better ground whilst the next eleven stalls have won twenty times in the same time period.
The heat map shows draw and pace in combination and this is even more enlightening. There seems to be a fairly significant advantage in racing prominently or in mid-division from middle to high draws. Those run styles/draw combinations have accounted for 14 of the last 20 handicap winners in these conditions.
The only other ‘positive’ draw and run style combination is leaders from middle draws. The worst performing combinations are high drawn front runners and low drawn hold up performers.
It’s relatively easy to explain this draw bias. Big field mile and a half handicaps here can be really rough races where those on the rail often don’t get anything resembling a clear run. They don’t get long to sort themselves out in the straight so the horses that are a bit handier, and on the outside, are well positioned in relation to the lead and are pretty much guaranteed a clear run.
Fortunately, the one I’ve liked for this since the declarations first came out is a prominent racer and drawn high, which should see him to maximum effect. For quick reference, you can use the Geegeez Gold pace map below to see which horses fall into the likely advantaged category here.
On Tuesday I was strongly against Belloccio in the Copper Horse Stakes because Willie Mullins needed to suddenly improve the horse by 10lbs+ on turf for him to figure. Mullins worked his magic and the horse won well. My gripe with the Mullins horses is we know from previous experience that they are very likely to win or run well. At the same time, they often come here unproven over the trips at which they are running, unproven on the ground and their handicap marks are usually complete guesswork. That’s not the case with Ethical Diamond who ticks all those boxes and also even boasts some of my beloved ‘hot form’.
As a 3yo, before moving to Mullins’ yard he improved for the step up in trip from 10f to 12f, when beating a subsequently 94-rated runner up by 2 lengths giving her 5lbs. That run alone makes him look well treated as he is also rated 94 now himself.
He didn’t really fire over hurdles for Mullins but the ground was testing on all three occasions and he was very highly tried. The return to the flat in May did the trick, though, as he was beaten just a short head over 10f at Leopardstown. The winner has since won a handicap off an 8lb higher mark (admittedly over further) whilst the 3rd has since won a 19-runner handicap (admittedly over shorter).
Ethical Diamond has unfortunately gone up 5lbs for that effort but the form looks strong and he’s almost certain to improve for the step back up to 12f here. He likes to race prominently and is drawn in stall 18 (will probably be 16 by the time the reserves come out) so the only thing not to get excited about is the price. He’s around 5/2 at the time of writing and although that might seem short in a big field handicap, it looks pretty fair given how lightly raced he is and the scope there is for more to come stepping back up in trip.
If the race doesn’t go to Willie Mullins, it still looks more than likely it will go back to Ireland as they have a strong grip on this. Crystal Black is a very progressive rival, winning four of his last five starts. He’s been winning over a mile and also 10f and having that mile pace suggests he might not see out this trip. He’s also drawn in stall 4 which is another reason I'm happy to take him on.
Deakin represents last year’s winning trainer, Joseph O'Brien, and he was a neck behind Crystal Black over 10f last time out. Unlike Crystal Black, he’s very much proven over this trip and should have a good chance of reversing that form here considering the extra trip and also the fact he’s drawn in stall 21 (will be 18 after the reserves come out). He’s unproven on fast ground but has coped fine with good and looks a likely player.
Behind Crystal Black and Deakin last time out was Safecracker and he looks overpriced at 16/1 or so. He’s proven over this longer trip and, crucially, is also proven on fast ground. His run style isn’t ideal for the round course but I wouldn’t be surprised if he too reverses form with Crystal Black.
The home challenge is headed by Shadow Dance, a Roger Varian-trained 4yo who hasn’t run since finishing runner up in the Old Rowley Cup in October, traditionally one of the stronger 3yo races of the season (last year’s renewal has produced future winners yet again). Varian’s horses have generally been running to form first time out this season and Perotto had the same prep before finishing 3rd in Wednesday’s Royal Hunt Cup. He’s likely to be seen to best effect over further in future and I think he might end up poorly positioned so I’d be slightly again him here, but I fancy his chances of winning a decent 14f handicap before long.
La Yakel also reappears here after a break and, given he’s generally looked better over shorter and on softer turf, he is opposable from stall 1. Fairbanks and Sea King are both progressive and in form but stalls 2 and 6 could be a disadvantage for that pair. In any case, Fairbanks probably showed the handicapper too much when winning comfortably on his penultimate start, and Sea King might be better in smaller fields and when fresh.
Bague D’Or was one I liked for the Copper Horse earlier in the week but the main angle with him is his record over 14f on fast ground. Back in trip, I’m far less keen on him.
In summary, I think there is a good chance we see an Irish one-two in this year's Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes. I’m pretty keen on Ethical Diamond and I’m not put off by his price. Deakinis my clear next best and I might even have a little go on the forecast/exacta. I can see Shadow Dance and Safecracker finishing well from off the pace but they might be at a tactical disadvantage.
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5.05 Sandringham Stakes (1m, Class 2 handicap, 3yo fillies)
Presented by Josh Wright from "Racing To Profit"
These Royal Ascot handicaps do not get any easier and unfortunately for me it is not the strongest of trends races, not against the sort of pointers I use anyway.
However, it should be noted that the market has been some sort of guide with 13 of the 16 winners sent off 11/1 or shorter ISP, those sent off bigger, 3/251, 25p. Having said that, between 2017-2020, three of the four races were won by 20/1+ shots, two trained by Charlie Fellowes, who isn’t represented this year. Over the last three renewals, those sent off 12/1+ are now 0/65, 6p. It would make all our jobs a little easier if the market continued to be some sort of guide, even though I do like the odd big priced-poke in such races.
Ignoring the market for the moment, there are a couple of pointers which can help. Horses that had two or three runs in the previous 90 days, who’d won or placed at least once on their last two starts and who’d run at Class 3+ at least once in their career, would have found 13/15 of the UK/Irish trained winners (Wesley Ward winning this in 2017, not included in these stats).
If that profile was to hold we'd be left with a long list of 12, but without any pointers to narrow it further other than hoping the market is once again a guide. Those twelve are:
Everlasting, Zaynab, Flight of Fancy, Fair Angellica, Battle Queen, Cat Ninja, Asian Daze, Arisaig, Soprano, Marcella, My Margie, Raknah
Looking at horses representing trainers who have won this race previously can also be useful.
- John & Thady Gosden: Cat Ninja, Mrs Morrell, D Fawless, Strutting
- Charlie (and Mark) Johnston: Arisaig
- Johnny Murtagh: Asian Daze
Cat Ninja, Asian Daze, and Arisaig are the three horses to hit my trends profile and which represent yards who know how to win this race.
I'm going for two each-way bets from the trends list, with as many places as you can find, and hope that once again it's the turn of an outsider to take this race.
Arisaig - 25/1 - EW - Charlie Johnston's filly has been in decent form, and his dad knew what was required to win the Sandringham so hopefully that's rubbed off. Arisaig appeared to appreciate more patient tactics when last seen, having been ridden very aggressively at Newmarket the time before, but still running with credit. She showed an impressive change of gear at Lingfield and won like a horse on the upgrade. It was a performance to think that a fast run mile on this straight course with plenty of cover up the middle could be just what she wants. I always like the booking of Jamie Spencer on this track, where you can almost back him blind each way at the Royal Meeting for interest stakes; and he got the job done again yesterday with a 16/1 > 5/1 SP winner. He booted home 90/1 and 140/1 BFSP winners last year. Spencer will switch Arisaig off, get her in a rhythm and allow her to finish her race - I'd like to think that may be good enough to run into the places here, and who knows after that? Evidently she needs to step up again, but she's going the right way and her relative experience could be worth plenty here.
Soprano- 25/1 - EW - George Boughey's filly has been highly tried in her career to date - straight into Group 3s and Listed contests after her Newmarket maiden win - and this is her handicap debut having finished her juvenile season 'winning' her side in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. She's been running with credit, but often running on in small fields with the leaders having set sail for home. It's her first attempt at a mile, and trying such a trip here is never ideal, but that's built into the price and is arguably a reason for a jolt of improvement. Like Arisaig, she may relish this strong pace, being covered up and running through tiring horses. She's related to a few milers on her dam side, so fingers crossed she appreciates the extra distance. Billy Loughnane was on the scoresheet on Day 1 and I'm hoping he'll be patient and try and thread his way through. The yard is in fine form also. Soprano has a touch of class and if seeing out the trip can hopefully grab a place at worst. As always, if you can grab a place, you can win, so fingers crossed.
Predicting any draw bias on this straight track appears impossible and so far this week it appears to have been riding fairly, more a case of where the sustained pace comes from. These two will have the option of staying up the middle, though Jamie could go low if he wishes and Billy could go high if wanted, so all bases covered there.
It could be the market has this right again, Indelible stepping out of maiden/novice company, but she does look very short to my eyes. Ralph Beckett is 0/10, 0p in the race also, which wouldn't fill me with confidence if wading in, but maybe she's just a cut above these - the market suggests so and given how good Ralph is generally, and especially with fillies, he will surely win this at some point.
I could name ten more horses and get nowhere near the winner, it's that sort of contest! However, Arisaig and Soprano are two lively outsiders who look overpriced to my eyes. Some bookies are paying as far down as eight places, which could help! Good luck with any bets.
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5.40 King Edward VII Stakes (1m4f, Group 2, 3yo colts & geldings)
Presented by Gavin Priestley's "Festival Trends" service
For the purposes of the trends we'll overlook the result from 2020 because, due to Covid, the Derby was actually run after Royal Ascot that year.
Traditionally sandwiched in the middle of the Epsom and Irish Derby's the 'Ascot Derby' is a pale shadow of either of those Group 1's, and the Epsom winner hasn't shown up here in a very long time although the Derby second did run, and win, last year. In fact, five of the last seven winners had their last start at Epsom where they had finished 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 10th (twice).
This year we have just two Derby runners taking part: Voyage, who was actually first past the post at Epsom but did so without a jockey having stumbled and unseated Pat Dobbs shortly after leaving the starting stalls, and Macduff who was quietly fancied for the race but pulled too hard and never got himself into a challenging position.
So, as is usual for the King Edward VII we have a field made up of a couple of also rans from Epsom, a few that missed it for one reason or another, a number of lesser lights from the O'Brien stable, a couple of winners stepping up from novice company and a few trainers tilting at windmills hoping to pick up some black type and place money. We do also have a couple of French raiders to spice things up this year, however, including the 5th from the Prix du Jockey Club.
The trends say we need a run as a 2yo, 1-3 seasonal runs, 2-7 career starts and the most recent within the last 12-56 days in a class 1-3 race where they finished in the first four (unless it was the Derby). All of the last nine winners were rated 103+ and, interestingly, 13 of the last 17 winners had yet to win a Group race. It also hasn't paid to get too fancy odds wise recently with four of the last five favourites winning and eight of the last nine winners returning 7/1 or shorter.
We can knock a few out on the trends for one reason or another but there are still plenty of the field that seem to tick all the boxes so I'm simply going to go with that recent trend regarding the Epsom runners and side with the horse that was down the field in the Derby.
MACDUFF did well as a 2yo and rounded off his season with a 4th in the Royal Lodge before shaping with promise in the Classic Trial at Sandown on his seasonal debut. He was a staying on second there behind Arabian Crown and, on the back of that run, he was nibbled at ante post at big prices for the Derby and was eventually sent off at 14/1. Taking a keen hold he never really got going and raced in rear throughout to come home a disappointing 13th of the 16 runners. Ralph Beckett now reaches for the first time cheekpieces in the hope they'll help settle him (Macduff not Beckett!) and I'm willing to give him another chance based on his earlier form. He wouldn't be the first horse to fail to handle Epsom before winning here, and he does seem a big price on what he had achieved before Derby day.
SELECTION: MACDUFF 1/2pt EW 25/1
6.15 Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes (5f, Class 2 handicap, 3yo)
Preview by David Massey
Pace. It’s important. We’re always told “pace yourself”, whether that’s life in general, or you’re on a three-day bender over a bank holiday weekend. (Please drink responsibly.) Without a certain amount of pace, we’d never get to where we want to go. And if it’s over five furlongs at Royal Ascot, you arguably need a bucketful of it, and that’s what this field has. And in spades, too. Buckets and spades...
Wherever you look here, there’s pace: seven of the nine runners drawn in single figures have led at some point in their last three runs, four from the middle and five from those drawn 20 and above. That’s pretty much half the field that like a view of the front, and unless one of them is an Art Power in disguise - remember him back in 2020, they came here instead of the Commonwealth Cup and he absolutely took them apart with a devastating display of front-running - I cannot help but think this will suit something that can travel in midfield and come through late to win it.
Step forward Blue Storm, who has already taken one big handicap this season after winning the 3yo Dash at Epsom last time out, reversing form with three of those that had finished in front of him at Chester on his seasonal reappearance the time before. He was nicely on top at Epsom late, and this stiffer track should suit even better. A 6lb rise for that is fair, he’s now proven himself in a full field, he’ll travel well in centre pack and has the strength late to play a part. He ticks a lot of boxes for a 14-1 chance, for me, and heads up my list.
Fantasy Master hit the frame in this back in 2021 for Mick Appleby and his Shagraan has a similar sort of profile. You’d be hard pressed to say he was unlucky against Equity Law at Sandown two starts back but I was impressed with the way he travelled there and, once he did find the gaps, he stayed on well for second. I thought at the time this might be the race for him after that effort. He did nothing to dissuade me when third to James’s Delight at Newmarket last time, form that’s already working out, and I think he can reverse placings with second home Two Tribes if given a more patient ride today. Mick seems to have rejuvenated the horse after he left Clive Cox, and I suspect he’s had this race in mind for some time. Stall 19 gives him options, too.
Speaking of Clive Cox, his Symbology is worth a mention at a huge price as well. The negatives aren’t hard to find - she’s not shown much in two starts this year, although in her defence, she’d probably have needed her first start of the year in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury after nine months away from the track, and then she got no cover at the weekend when well held in the Scurry Stakes. So, yes, you have to be forgiving, but here’s the figures bit - Clive Cox, when running his handicappers within seven days of their last run, is 9-46, which is pretty good on its own, but even better when the expected winners was just over six.
There’s a lot to take on trust and ideally I’d have preferred another furlong, but at 66-1 we don’t have to pay a lot to find out whether she can bounce back to form on a track for which she’s already shown a liking. (In fact, she’s the only horse in the whole field to have finished in the frame at Ascot previously. Another little plus…)
*
And that, dear reader, is that. 28 races covered by seven writers, six of them guests, across four days; and a great smattering of winners already in their midst. Thank you for making geegeez.co.uk a part of your Royal Ascot 2024 experience and, if you like what we do and are not yet a member of our multi-award winning Gold racecards and form tools service, you can take it for a spin for as little as £1 at this link.
Thanks again, and be lucky.
Matt
p.s. What did you think of the previews this week? Did you enjoy them? And what was your personal highlight of the week so far? Please leave a comment below and let us know
Apologies for the lack of a post for Wednesday's racing, I was up in the Troodos mountains all day/evening with no signal. There'll also be no column for Friday's racing, as I'll be making my way back home from Cyprus on Thursday.
As for Thursday's racing, did you know that the Instant Expert tab is by far the most popular tab on the geegeez racecards?
That's because it has the ability to condense the entire form profile of every runner in the race into a single, easily digestible, view. The report covers the form in terms of wins (or places), runs, and win (or place) percentage for each of going, class, course, distance, and field size. It also compares today’s official rating with the horse’s last winning official rating. The display is colour coded: green for a higher percentage rate, amber for a middling percentage, and red for a low percentage. Horses with no form under a certain condition have grey figures.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Where a horse has no UK/Irish form – i.e. it is having its first run in Britain or Ireland under Rules – it will not show up on Instant Expert at all.
This GOLD feature is so important that we make freely available to ALL readers EVERY Thursday alongside our usual selection of FREE races which, for this Thursday are...
3.20 Ripon
3.45 Ascot
4.10 Chelmsford
6.00 Wolverhampton
7.50 Leopardstown
Obviously the Ribblesdale at Ascot is the ‘best’ race on that list, but there are others here on Geegeez better qualified to assess a race of such magnitude (and I’m sure they already have or are about to!), so I’ll switch my focus to Essex, where there’s a reasonable-looking (on paper, at least) handicap in the shape of the 4.10 Chelmsford, an 8-runner (fingers crossed!), Class 3, 4yo+ A/W handicap over a left-handed 1m2f on standard polytrack …
We have two LTO winners in this field today, Wadacre Gomez who has won 4 of his last 8 on the A/W and Sniper’s Eye, who is actually up two classes for just his second handicap appearance and wears a hood for the first time upon his comeback from a lengthy (266 days) absence. Stay Well was the only other runner to make the frame on their last run, but he’s also the only runner in this race without a win in six, having been beaten in fourteen straight contests since his last win in October 2021.
In addition to the Sniper’s Eye, bottom-weight and sole female Roxanne is our only other class riser as she steps up one class and also sports a hood for the first time, whilst top-weight Enfjaar is our only class dropper, down one level from Class 2. He has, however, not raced for 229 days and has been gelded during his layoff. Like Sniper’s Eye, Tarjeeh also makes just a second handicap run.
We’re a bit shy on course/distance success here, but both Wadacre Gomez and Zealot are former course and distance winners, whilst Enfjaar won here over a mile thirteen months ago, interestingly after another long (236 days) absence, so the break might not rule him out today. Stay Well has also won over today’s trip, albeit on quick ground at Windsor, way back in April 2021.
Feature of the day Instant Expert shows how the field have performed under similar conditions over 2yrs, 5yrs or all-time and this is the 2-year snapshot…
...where Zealot and Wadacre Gomez have clearly had the most recent success even if Zealot has struggled over the last year, losing five on the bounce since winning seven of eight races in a four month period from December 2022 to March 2023. That raised his mark from 59 to 99, but he's now running off 84, some 12lbs below his last win, which could make him dangerous. As for Wadacre Gomez, he has four wins and a place from five efforts over course and distance and is only up 2lbs from his win here two weeks ago. Enfjaar probably shades the role of third best on those numbers above.
Quite a few of those have swathes of red next to their name, especially Diamond Ranger who looks the most vulnerable of the eight, but maybe he has just been unlucky not to win. The place stats will tell us quickly enough...
...and they suggest that he's not as bad as his win record would suggest, but that he's clearly not at this best at Class 3 and/or over 1m2f. Stay Well's place stats are also poor and I think I'd rule these two out here. Top of our speed ratings, Roxanne, is unexposed under these condition and could be a dark horse.
Course and distance specialist Wadacre Gomez is drawn widet of all here, out in stall 8, but I don't think that will make or break his race, as there's no huge draw bias over 1m2f here at Chelmsford in 8-runner contests, if truth be told...
Stalls 3 to 5 may have a slight edge in terms of wins and those in 4 & 5 have clearly better place returns and whilst this is encouraging news for the likes of Tarjeeh, Sniper's Eye and Diamond Ranger, they are among the weaker runners here and might need all the help we can get.
Pace, however, is generally a different kettle of fish here at Chelmsford and regular readers of this column and/or users of our pace stats won't be surprised to learn that the further forward you race, the greater the chance of a win or place! (not the best poetry you'll ever read, but it's true!)...
So, where is the pace going to come from? Well, we don't know for sure, but by looking at the field's recent runs, we can usually make an informed guess...
There's a possibility that this might be a falsely run affair, which would play into the hands (hooves) of Wadacre Gomez on his favoured track/trip, but then again he also has the highest average pace score. Zealot was looking like an E/W possible, but having to come from the back is never easy here and that might be an issue and I think this opens the door for Enfjaar and Roxanne.
Summary
Pace wins the race they say in Chelmsford and with Wadacre Gomez heading the averages above alongside his excellent course and distance record, I'm not sure a 2lb rise here will stop him from going in again and this is probably why he's the 5/2 favourite with Bet365 (only book open at 3.45pm Wednesday) I was hoping he'd be more like 10/3 for this, but either way he's the one I think should win here.
I did like Zealot as an E/W option, but the pace might count against him. That said, if it's a falsely run race that might well suit him, as he's used to doing all his best work late on. Enfjaar was third best on Instant Expert and was handily placed in the pace profiler, as was the filly Roxanne who was a one-length runner-up over course and distance two months ago and should go well again here.
Enfjaar currently trades at 9/2, which again is a little shorter than I expected and too short for an E/W bet, but from that angle 16/1 might be generous about Zealot and/or Roxanne if things fall their way.
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