Hallelujah U will bid to turn the tables on past rivals in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket.
The James Owen-trained three-year-old is owned by the Gredley family and was last seen finishing sixth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.
He was slow into his stride but was still close to the action when beaten two and a quarter lengths, with two of the horses ahead now set to line up against him again on the July course.
“He ran an absolute cracker in the Queen’s Vase and just looked a shade unlucky,” said Owen.
“Both the track and trip should suit him, if he could take even a tiny step forward then he’s going to have a big chance.
“He wasn’t far behind some of these horses at Ascot and he was still relatively unexposed there.
“Now he’s had that race he should come forward again, so we’re very much looking forward to running him.”
Opposing him will be Andrew Balding’s Furthur and Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia, second and fifth in the Queen’s Vase respectively.
Behind Hallelujah U in seventh place was Adrian Murray’s Titanium Emperor, who also runs at Newmarket, with Richard Hannon’s Nightime Dancer completing the field of five.
On the same card is the Listed Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, run over a mile for three-year-olds.
Godolphin have a trio of runners, with the Charlie Appleby-trained Heron Stakes winner Opera Ballo and stablemate Spectacular View joined by Saeed bin Suroor’s Arabian Story.
The latter horse has won both starts this season, taking an all-weather event at Chelmsford before landing the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“He’s come back in good form, he ran a huge race at Ascot,” said Bin Suroor of the Invincible Spirit colt.
“A mile is definitely his trip and he’s going from a handicap to a Listed race to try to get some black-type form for him.
“We’ll see how that goes, we’re really looking forward to running him on Thursday.”
Of his two runners, Appleby said via the Godolphin website: “We were delighted to get Opera Ballo back on track in the Heron Stakes.
“He has a penalty to carry, but he has done very well since Sandown and we are hoping to use this as a building block towards a nice campaign in the second half of the season.
“It suits Spectacular View to be ridden prominently and he won’t mind the ground or trip.”
Also involved is Charles Hills’ Elarak, unbeaten in two novices this term, with Stan Moore’s Brian, Balding’s Royal Playwright and Hugo Palmer’s Seagulls Eleven all in the line-up too.
Hannon is represented by King Of Cities, who was last seen going down by fourth lengths in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
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More Thunder will be given the chance to gain compensation for his Royal Ascot near-miss in Newmarket’s bet365 Bunbury Cup on Saturday.
Although campaigned at a mile and a quarter when trained by Sir Michael Stoute last season, the four-year-old has thrived back down in trip since joining William Haggas this term, winning his first two starts of the season over six furlongs.
He agonisingly missed out on a hat-trick of victories at the distance when a head away from Wokingham glory at the Royal meeting, with connections feeling now is the right time to gradually increase the colt’s yardage to seven furlongs.
“I think he will go for the handicap, the Bunbury Cup,” said owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Philip Robinson.
“I think the seven furlongs will help him and it looks to me like that will be his best trip. We will get to find out and then know where we go from there.
“He was flying at the finish at Ascot and in another stride would probably have got there.”
More Thunder is as short as 2-1 for Saturday’s £100,000 handicap on the July course, while he also holds an entry for Group events in the coming weeks including the Curragh’s Romanised Minstrel Stakes on July 19 and the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes during the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2.79959852-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2025-07-09 09:05:302025-07-09 09:05:30Thunder ready to roll in Bunbury Cup
Last year’s winner Giavellotto is a notable absentee after just six horses stood their ground at the confirmation stage for the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.
Marco Botti’s stable star was a decisive winner of the Group Two feature on the opening day of the July Festival last season and rounded off his campaign with top-level success in the Hong Kong Vase.
Having finished a creditable third in last month’s Coronation Cup at Epsom, Giavellotto was being readied to defend his crown on the July Course before being scratched on Friday morning.
Marco Botti trains Giavellotto (Mike Egerton/PA)
Explaining his absence, Botti said: “We scoped this morning, he had a few coughs and we weren’t happy with the scope. Tomorrow (Saturday) he was meant to be doing a piece of work and we felt he wasn’t going to be 100 per cent.
“It’s disappointing because this race has been in my mind for a long time and there’s not many left in the race, but on the other hand the horse’s welfare comes first and if we feel he’s not going to be 100 per cent, there is no point in going to the races.
“These things normally just take a few days and then they are OK and it’s just unfortunate that we’re so close to the race and were meant to gallop the horse tomorrow. We just felt it’s not the right thing for the horse to gallop with a little bit of infection, but I’m sure it will clear up soon.”
Botti is unsure where Giavellotto will make his next appearance, with a return to Sha Tin in early December top of his agenda.
The trainer added: “We have made an entry in a Group One in Germany in August and long-term we would obviously like to run him in Hong Kong, so we’ll work backwards from that.
“As the season goes on into the autumn another thing we have to bear in mind is the ground, because he doesn’t want it soft.
“He has an entry in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but we made that entry a long time ago and I would say at this stage it’s not a race we’ll probably go for. All the other options will be considered and Hong Kong would be the priority basically.”
A small field is guaranteed for the Princess of Wales’s Stakes, with Charlie Appleby leaving in Arabian Crown and El Cordobes and John and Thady Gosden confirming both Military Academy and Palladium.
The other contenders are James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye and the Clive Cox-trained Ghostwriter, who was last seen finishing third behind Godolphin’s globetrotting star Rebel’s Romance in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Maximized winning the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA)
Six entries have been made for the Group Three Bahrain Trophy, including Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Galveston and Scandinavia, with the former of particular interest after finishing third in the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Andrew Balding’s Furthur, who came even closer to Ascot success with a close-up second in the Queen’s Vase, also features.
Nine juveniles are in the mix for what looks a strong renewal of Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes.
Appleby could saddle Norfolk runner-up Wise Approach and the unbeaten Maximized, while Ed Walker’s Do Or Do Not also brings strong form the table having finished second in the Coventry Stakes.
O’Brien’s sole representative is Curragh maiden winner Brussels, with Eve Johnson Houghton’s Salisbury scorer Zavateri, Paul and Oliver Cole’s impressive Goodwood victor Jel Pepper and Hugo Palmer’s dual winner Tricky Tel others of interest.
There was a win for Yorkshire in Newmarket’s Empress Fillies’ Stakes, as Tim Easterby’s Argentine Tango danced her rivals into submission.
Yet to finish outside the first two in her career to date, she headed south with some fine form to her name, including finishing second to Albany Stakes winner Venetian Sun on her penultimate start before winning Beverley’s Hilary Needler Trophy later the same week.
Sent off at 9-1 in the hands of David Allen, she put her experience to great use to battle her way to a narrow head victory over Ed Walker’s Midnight Tango, with Richard Hughes’ 6-4 favourite Bella Lyra a neck further back in third.
Easterby said: “She’s just super tough and super game and just like her sire Mattmu, she’s hard as nails.
“She’ll go on any ground, soft or firm it wouldn’t matter and she got the six furlongs well.
“If you look her form up she tried to give the Albany winner 6lb at Carlisle which was a hell of a run. She ran at Carlisle on the Monday and went to Beverley and won on Saturday, that’s the type of horse she is.
“You can’t believe how tough and hard she is and Mattmu was just the same, she has a massive heart and you can’t give her a day off as she’ll just buck them off, racing is like nothing for her.”
With Listed success secured and having proven her liking for six furlongs on her first try at the distance, Easterby will now consult with the owners to plot a route forward with their hardy youngster, who now has three wins from five starts.
“We were just going down there today as we had no other options really,” continued Easterby.
“We had planned to skip Ascot and other than going to another fillies race where she could pick up a bonus but have a massive penalty, this was the obvious race and it was a very competitive field.
“We’re open to ideas and will just decide as we go along, but you can’t give her days off as she’s so tough and hardy.
“We’ll figure out a route and she’s won a Listed race now which is great for a filly like her and great for the sire. She’s bred by a top stud in Bearstone and they always come out of there tough, so we’ll just keep going and see what there is and where we end up.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2.80137973-scaled.jpg12802560https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.png2025-06-26 15:32:132025-06-26 15:32:13Argentine Tango waltzes to Newmarket success
Anthelia puts her unbeaten record on the line when she steps up in trip for the Empress Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.
Rod Millman’s daughter of Supremacy has proven deadly over five furlongs so far in her career and dazzled in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown last time, but having made the decision to skip Royal Ascot, connections now head to the July course for a first try at six furlongs buoyed by last week’s results at the summer showpiece.
“She carried a 3lb penalty for her win at Sandown which obviously makes life a little bit harder but the form has stood up well and there was a couple of horses not beaten far at Royal Ascot last week,” said Millman.
“One horse was only beaten two lengths in the Windsor Castle (Dylan Cunha’s Kamakameleon) and the other ran very close in the Queen Mary (Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Eskimo Pie) and they were held behind her at Sandown, so the form stacks up well.
“She’s been a very good filly for us and has trained very well since Sandown, so hopefully she can run well again. I think she will take six furlongs well and in all her races she has finished strongly.
“It was always the plan to miss Royal Ascot. Ascot is fantastic, but it is always so competitive – this is a competitive race obviously, but it wouldn’t be as tough as a Queen Mary. All being well we’ve got a busy season planned for her if it all works out.”
Anthelia’s chief market rivals appear to be Richard Hughes’ Windsor winner Bella Lyra and David Loughnane’s Amberia who created a real impression when making all on debut at Leicester, bolting up by six lengths.
The daughter of Coulsty, who cost just €2,000 as a yearling, has since been purchased by American owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, with Loughnane eager to see how his exciting prospect performs up at Listed level.
Loughnane said: “She’s in good order and she’s come on both mentally and physically since Leicester.
“It wouldn’t concern me dropping back to six furlongs as she jumped and travelled and showed plenty of speed in her first start.
“Obviously it’s a massive step up in grade but we hope she can go there and be competitive and if she comes home with black type that would be great.”
Tim Easterby’s Argentine Tango accounted for Karl Burke’s subsequent Prix du Bois fourth Meelaf when they met in Beverley’s Hilary Needler and heads to HQ in winning order, as does Hamilton scorer Midnight Tango who could continue the Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark hot streak in a race the stable won with Celandine 12 months ago.
Hugo Palmer’s Game Striker arrives on the back of a win last time, with the Manor House handler also saddling Miss Piggle. Gemma Tutty’s Awraad completes the line-up.
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2.80428668-scaled.jpg12802560https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.png2025-06-25 14:33:082025-06-25 14:33:08Empress date looms for unbeaten Anthelia
Spring has well and truly sprung in May, writes David Massey. The winter jumper has (almost) been packed away, the shorts are back on and will be until September now, and the cereal has been changed. By this I mean, for eight months of the year my chosen breakfast is Weetabix with hot milk on. A malty delight, I'm sure you'll agree. But from May to August it's the summer cereals - take your pick from bog-standard corn flakes through wholewheat hoops to Special K with red berries in. Fairly sure the last named counts as one of my five a day, along with the two segments of Terry's Chocolate Orange I allow myself with a yoghurt each evening. Orange is the key word here, ignore the other bits.
I have been to three of our most picturesque courses in the past few weeks. Newmarket for the Guineas meeting, followed by two days of Chester and, last week, three days of York. Newmarket and Chester also have something else in common, namely I have more wi-fi and connection issues there than anywhere else in the country, and that includes Fakenham, despite the Norfolk venue being in the middle of nowhere.
Anyway, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Newmarket saw myself and the wife head down for two days of quality Flat action, although not before I'd been at Cheltenham for the Hunters evening. "You just can't leave it alone, can you?" said Vicki to me on 2000 Guineas Day as she caught me looking at Worcester's Monday card at the time. She's right, it's an addiction. "Hello, my name is David, and I'd like to start by saying I can't stop looking at poor quality jumps cards between May and September." Sympathetic nods from the rest of the room.
Vicki very much drives the Trackside bus during the Flat season and I take a back(ish) seat, although I'm more than happy to stick my oar in when it comes to the all-aged handicaps, as that's where I'm happiest. So the Saturday, for all we've a Group 1 on the card, backed up by some other class contests, is very much a game of two halves, Brian, with Vicki taking the first five and me the last four, as the World Pool want nine races today and by Jove they're going to have them. However, with the last four all being handicaps and Vicki doing other work on the day, I'm going to help out and cover as much as possible late on. But, those wi-fi issues. It means finding a sweet spot in the paddock and not moving, or I lose connection completely. Some repeaters around the paddock - as Cheltenham have done - might be nice. So not only am I struggling to relay information, it also means I can't get the live pictures from Uttoxeter. (There's no helping me. Save yourselves.)
The wife is having the same issues and is struggling to place a bet, so I'm pleased it isn't only me, in that respect. Newmarket's free wifi has all the signal strength of two tin cans and a bit of string, so that's of no help. I decide we're going into Newmarket tomorrow and I'm buying a dongle to solve our tech problems.
Our Airbnb for the night is in Cambridge, and it's a strange one. Normally you take a room in someone's house for the night and to an extent that was true here, but there were about a dozen rooms and seemingly someone living in most of them. The room and place itself were almost new, to the point where the stickers hadn't been taken off the appliances (it's fine, I know how to use a bath, thanks for the help) but it's the first time I've ever known twelve flats within one house. Only issue was the bed was in a corner, so whoever slept next to the wall is pinned in for the night. Unlucky if you need the loo at three in the morning...
We head back to Newmarket for a fancy breakfast in the Tack Room, which is attached to the Racing Museum in town. If you've never been, I recommend it; a touch pricey and you're paying for a bit of theatre (you can gaze lovingly at the statue of Frankel as you wolf your locally-sourced sausages down) but the food and service are always top-notch. Bellies full, we head into town and the EE shop for my dongle. Turns out it's closed on Sundays, which means another day of intermittent signal issues. Oh well. At the moment that's less of a concern than the freezing cold weather. The wind has really got up and you'd not think it was spring. It was warmer than this at Cheltenham on Friday night. The winter jumper makes an unwelcome, if brief, reappearance as the day passes by without much incident, the signal barely holding up again.
Chester is my next port of call. It's a lovely town, with beautiful Roman architecture, an incredible open-air theatre and, of course, those Grade 1-listed walls. What Chester isn't designed for is traffic, and God help you if you miss your turning in town, it'll add half an hour to your journey as you try and get back to where you were. But I finally arrive at the course with time to spare. I'm here for the first two days of the May meeting, and the sun is finally out.
Much like Newmarket, Chester is a lovely track to visit as a punter, a more sociable day out you'll struggle to have; although the queues for the ChesterBet pitches tell me this isn't a crowd here for a serious wager. On one of the hottest days of the year so far, lunch is chicken curry. I decide to pass, and go in search of a sandwich.
I'm not going to bang on about the wifi again, suffice to say Chester, in its own little valley, makes Newmarket seem like 5G Central. There are precisely three places I can stand and get a signal. Thankfully, standing still is very much a physical activity in my wheelhouse, so I get through the afternoon unscathed. Little Trackside hint here: I thought Aidan's Minnie Hauk, who won the Cheshire Oaks, would come on a ton for that, and she is most definitely top of my list for the Epsom version.
I've left dining arrangements for the evening to "Scoop" Linfoot from the Sporting Life and he's found us a decent Italian, he says. Not only is he right, it's superb, but we have the best result of the day as we're informed it's the Wednesday Special - two courses and a bottle of wine (each!) for twenty notes. And they say you can't eat value. I disagree, if only for tonight.
Having dined well, it's back to my digs, and I've lucked in here as well. Really comfy place and the lady that owns it is a photographer, and has loads of old cine equipment around the house. Also, a slight obsession with Monopoly memorabilia. She's also got a clapped-out TR7 on the drive she appears to be doing up. So, slightly mad, but in a lovely way, and I'll return here again. In fact, if it was twenty minutes nearer Aintree...
Finally, to York last week. Three days of top-class action and it does not disappoint. York was the first time Vicki and I have shared accommodation and the fact we're still speaking to each other tells you all went well. That, despite me forcing her watch the Eurovision semi-final on the Thursday night, which I think she secretly enjoyed (was all in the name of research, I'd volunteered to do the Eurovision preview for the Life and yes, I did put the winner up, thanks for asking).
It was also great to bump into some old friends I hadn't seen in a while, and have a catch up on the Champagne Lawn. Not that I was, obviously, with work to do and a clear head needed. The strongest thing I had on the week was a Coke Zero, as I'm trying to be good and cut a little sugar out recently. However, that all went out the window when, on the Thursday night, Vicki discovered The Sweet Lab, a place where all your magical sugary dreams come true. My heart-attack-inducing Galaxy Brownie, slathered in whipped cream, contained about a million calories and ruined all the good work of the day, but hey, it tasted amazing. When are we back here for the Ebor? 😉
It wasn’t Mullins, Willie or nephew Emmet; nor Gordon Elliott; neither O’Brien, Aidan or Joseph; nor even tricky old Charles Byrnes that was slipping away silently to collect the proceeds from a 33/1 winner of the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch at Newmarket on Saturday, writes Tony Stafford. No, it was that man Martin again.
Tony of that ilk is a mastermind at, in racecourse parlance, having it off. He did under his own name in the Chester Plate (Cup consolation) in May; lost his licence but still had the brass neck to stand grinning alongside his sister Cathy O’Leary – the trainer in name – after the same horse, Alphonse Le Grande, also picked up the Northumberland Plate consolation at Newcastle in June. Martin must have had more than a little influence in Saturday’s even more spectacular coup de grace on Dewhurst Stakes Day.
I would imagine those closest to the horse won a few bob – it’s difficult not to when the SP is 33/1 and presumably in a race that was at least ten short of the optimum figure - and no better for it - they must have got longer than that in the build-up.
It was almost with glee then that on the TV coverage after the photo-finish verdict was announced, Lydia Hislop and Nick Luck counted the whip strikes administered by apprentice rider Jamie Powell and came up with ten, the magic number which would normally be construed as the borderline for disqualification.
Nothing will be finalised until tomorrow when the whip offences committee reviews a case that seemed to satisfy the local stewards and young Powell himself, namely that he did indeed hit Alphonse Le Grande ten times.
The £99k first prize will be a significant loss to the owners, the appropriately named Bet Small Win Big syndicate, but their respective sibling trainers have done them proud collecting three very tough handicaps in the UK this year. Pretty rough justice for the rider, too!
The hapless jockey is no novice. Before this year he had amassed 59 wins in three seasons at home. In that context, only seven more from 171 rides in 2024 when an acceleration might have been expected along with experience, is quite an anomaly.
But nothing like the anomaly where riding for Saturday’s trainer, or indeed her brother when he still held the licence, is concerned. Cathy O’Leary has had an almost equal number of domestic runners on the flat and over jumps in the past period. Until September 5 when En Or won a two-mile handicap at Clonmel, she had not trained a single domestic winner and, until now, it’s En Or from 37 runs. Over jumps, it’s nought from 30, so one from 67 in all.
As to the possibility of a rider/trainer(s) connection, forget it. Young Powell, as I mentioned earlier, has had 171 rides in Ireland this year, yet none from either Mrs O’Leary or her brother. I wonder if the disqualification is confirmed tomorrow whether he’ll be asked to get up on another of their plots.
Plots they surely are. One report suggested Alphonse Le Grande had been down the field in his previous race in Ireland as though it was a rubbish run. His eighth of 30 in the Irish Cesarewitch, worth almost 500k to the winner, represented a very good performance. I just watched the replay, and he was almost the only runner staying on in a race won by Aidan O’Brien’s The Euphrates
In the last furlong and a half, he passed at least half a dozen high-class handicap stayers, many like him laid out to try to win the massive prize. Had there been another 100 yards to run, he would have been fifth.
Anyway, one win in 67 at home: yet two in five for Cathy in the UK. Her Zanndabad came over for the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot, started 9/2 favourite and finished sixth under William Buick. Belgroprince accompanied Alphonse Le Grande to Newcastle and finished seventh behind him.
Her final UK runner in that time is probably one to write down in your notebooks or trackers. The 47-rated Jackie Brown came to Hamilton in August and was unplaced in a low-grade handicap.
Since returning home, the filly has had three runs and started 25/1 each time. First it was 14th of 17; next 5th of 12; then last week at Navan she was beaten only half a length in an 18-runner handicap. Remember the name and watch out UK, Cathy might well be coming!
If the result is amended tomorrow, it will mean that never mind the 12-horse Irish assault, the UK will have ended two years of their domination in the race with a 1-2. The Crisfords’ Manxman won the race on the far side by half a length from Ian Williams’ Aqwaam, who looked all over the winner a furlong out. Strong-finishing Alphonse Le Grande nosed ahead on the near side of a race shaped into two halves by Ryan Moore’s guiding Queenstown across as they entered the ten-furlong straight.
Ryan and Aidan had earlier had the disappointment of the withdrawal of overnight odds-on shot The Lion In Winter from the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.
In his absence, once raced, and that only a week earlier, Expanded made a brave battle of it with Godolphin’s Ancient Truth up the stands rail while Shadow Of Light, the other Charlie Appleby runner, switched over from the far side group to get up late in a battle of heads.
All three colts will probably be aimed at a Guineas, though whether it will be in Newmarket, Longchamp or at the Curragh is anyone’s guess at this stage. It didn’t appear there was another City Of Troy in there this year, but you never know and it was a great effort for Shadow Of Light to come back so soon after his emphatic Middle Park Stakes win over Whistlejacket two weeks earlier.
Saturday’s racing for the big teams was almost a half-term break after the excesses of three days of Tattersalls October Yearling sale Book 1.
The board behind the auctioneers shows several currencies in addition to the UK guineas bidding, with Euro, US dollar and Yen to the fore. I am grateful to the Blood Horse for revealing that Newsells Park Stud, owned by Graham Smith-Bernal, grossed almost three times as much as any other vendor, his lots accruing more than $23 million. That’s 17.6 million guineas!
The median figure (the middle when all 400 are laid out from top to bottom was an astonishing 250,000 guineas and the average 340,000 guineas, both records, as was the total turnover of 128 million guineas. That figure beat the 2022 record when 120 more yearlings were catalogued.
Sixteen lots exceeded one million guineas, and two buyers dominated throughout. Amo Racing, in a concerted effort to break into the territory that Kia Joorabchian described as “the province of the home-breeders like Coolmore, Godolphin, Juddmonte and Shadwell”, paid a total of 20 million for 17 yearlings.
Godolphin might be prolific breeders these days, but Sheikh Mohammed and team were also very active, even exceeding Amo Racing’s tallies with 18 yearlings at just over 22 million guineas.
Smith-Bernal, happy for the international break so he could concentrate on his lovely yearlings rather than Tottenham Hotspur FC, sold the most expensive of the lot at 4.4 million for a filly by stallion of the week Frankel, naturally to Amo.
Lots of love, as the ancient Romans and Latin scholars might have said, going around at Tattersalls. And plenty of Amo too!
- TS
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AlphonseLeGRande_Manxman_Cesarewitch_Newmarket2024.jpg319830Tony Staffordhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngTony Stafford2024-10-14 00:35:042024-10-14 00:35:42Monday Musings: A Mishap for Martin
Today's UK meetings, pools and minimum guarantees are as follows...
The big money is at Newmarket & York and we'll head to HQ and good to soft ground for the day's richest races, starting with...
Leg 1 @ 1.07, a 15-runner, Class 2, 2yo fillies stakes over 7f...
Head To Head, Luna Girl and Wilhelmina all finished as runner-up on debut last month, whilst Rockin The Boat and Wild Angel both have two third place finishes from their two starts. Mother Mara is the only other with a run behind her and although she was five lengths down as 4th of 6 at Haydock on debut, it was at this grade and on good to soft ground.
Of those who have raced before, I'm unsure about Luna Girl and Wilhelmina stepping up two classes, so I'll omit them, but I am going to take (3) Head To Head because her debut run was the most impressive of this field, she represents the formidable O'Brien/Moore combo and has these numbers behind her...
I'll also take (12) Rockin The Boat who is a half-sister to quite a few runners, has shaped well in both stars so far and also has some good stats to support her as a selection...
...whilst of the debutantes (you just know at least one will go well!), it's very hard to ignore the claims of the Godolphin entry (13) Verse of Love. It's Newmarket, it's Godolphin, the breeding is good and it's Appleby & Buick and again the numbers are incredible...
Leg 2 @ 1.47, an 11-runner, 2yo Group 3 contest over 5f...
Kullazain, Treasure Isle and Blue Zodiac all won last time out (UK races) and Midnight Thunder comes here seeking a hat-trick. Mr Lightside and Coto de Caza have both won twice already, but Treasure isle's Listed class success at the Curragh is the only Class 1 win amongst this field's fifteen successes to date, although The Strikin Viking has a pair of Group 2 runner-up finishes to his name, beaten by just half a length each time.
Elsewhere at Class 1, La Bellota was a Gr 2 runner-up beaten by just a neck last time out, Mr Lightside was 3rd of 15 in the Gr3 Molecomb beaten by less than a length in July, Coto de Caza was 3rd of 14 in a Listed race at Ayr three weeks ago and Grande Marques was 3rd of 13 in a Group 3 race at Ayr a day later.
From all this, I'd take (3) Midnight Thunder as the form horse, (5) The Strikin Viking for his Group 2 performances and (6) Treasure Isle for consistency at a bigger price.
Leg 3 @ 2.25, a 10-runner, 2yo Group 3 contest over 7f...
All ten have won at least one race, but none at Class 1, although the consistent Flight (2213 so far) was third of nine at Group 2 last time out, headed late on and will hopefully appreciate the drop back to 7f, whilst Miss Fascinator was only beaten by half a length as a runner-up behind the promising Tabiti too good in a Group 3 race Salisbury last month and she has already won here at newmarket, albeit on the July course.
Charlie Appleby & William Buick won this race last year with Dance Sequence and they team up again here with the 2 from 2 Magical Trail although this looks tougher for her after a pair of Class 4 Novice races. William Haggas' First Instinct is also two from two and she comes here off the back of a Class 2 Novice success on good to soft ground at haydock, so the going should be fine and it's a smaller step up in class, although she has only raced at 6f so far.
And my shortlist is completed by Cathedral and Ecstatic. Cathedral's breeding is impeccable and she showed a blistering change of pace in an easy win on debut. Hard to tell what she'll end up as, but plenty of promise from that first run, whilst Ecstatic is probably/possibly better than her 5th of 10 at Doncaster last time out might suggest. She blew the start and stumbled out of the gates. It took her a little while to get going and then had to play catch-up, but did get to within four lengths of the winner and was two lengths behind Flight.
Our pace/draw heat map suggests the front end is the place to be, advancing the claims of Flight, Magical Trail, Cathedral and Ecstatic...
...and if I'm going to omit one of those four, I'd leave Cathedral out. I'm not sure what she's ging to be and she's drawn higher than the others, so I'll go with (2) Ecstatic, (4) Flight & (5) Magical Trail here.
Leg 4 @ 3.00, an 11-runner, 3yo+ Group 2 contest over 7f...
Noble Dynasty was slowly away and finished last of eight in the Gr 2 Lennox Stakes last time out, but had won five of his previous six outings, including two over course and distance, so I'd not write him off just yet. Quinault comes here off the back of three successive Listed class wins. He's 4 from 5 here at HQ (2/3 on the Rowley) and prefers it softer than good.
Royal Scotsman won the Gr3 Diomed at Epsom back in June, making all in a fairly comfortable success and if showing no ill effects from not having raced since, could go really well here too. Witness Stand is 121 in his last three having won a Listed race at Newbury last month and bottom weight/sole filly Great Generation has four wins and a runner-up finish from her six starts to date, has won two Group 3 races already this year and receives weight all round (2 to 5lbs). All five of these show up really well on Instant Expert, as you'd expect...
...and these are the five that I'm going to choose from. Lower drawn runners go well here...
...as do front runners...
..so I'm taking (9) Witness Stand for ticking both boxes. (2) Noble Dynasty is my 'one to beat' here, so he's also in, leaving me with a one from three pick. I really liked Royal Scotsman's run LTO, but he's been away from the track and stall 11 isn't ideal for feeling your way in, the market isn't over keen on Great Generation, so I'll take the in-form front-running (4) Quinault.
Leg 5 @ 3.35, a 7-runner, 2yo Group 1 contest over 1m...
So seven run here and six have a decent chance in my opinion with six-race maiden Califonia Dreamer the exception. Anna Swan, Dreamy and Tabiti (mentioned earlier) are all 2 from 2, whilst Godolphin's Desert Flower is three from three and won a Group 2 contest last time out beating the re-opposing January by a length and a half in the process and her form and the strength of that last run put (4) Desert Flower straight on my ticket builder.
The three runners below her on the card have all also won at Class 1 with Dreamy landing a Group 3 last time out, January winning a Listed race two starts ago before bumping into Desert Flower LTO and the unbeaten Tabiti also a Group 3 winner last time out. Of this trio of Class 1 winners, January looks the weaker on form and also when you look at the pace data...
...so I'm with (4) Desert Flower, (5) Dreamy & (7) Tabiti for this one.
Leg 6 @ 4.10, a 15-runner, Class 2, 3yo handicap over 1m4f...
Grey Cuban won at Doncaster last time out and has won three of his last four and Mount Atlas is 131 from his last three starts having landed a Class 2 handicap at Ascot on his latest run, beating subsequent Melrose-winner Tabletalk by two lengths in the process. Brioini landed a soft ground handicap at Ascot on her last run and has made the frame in six of her eight starts (2 wins)
Kildare Legend was narrowly defeated as a runner-up at Pontefract but now seeks a hat-trick after wins at both Southwell and Doncaster, but he is up in class here. Due To Henry completes our list of LTO winners, having taken a Class 4 handicap by a neck at Newbury three weeks ago for a third win in his last six, whilst from a consistency perspective Blake has made the frame in 4 of 8 career starts and Goodwood Odyssey has done so 5 times from 7.
Despite an 11-week layoff, the manner of Mount Atlas's win last time out and the subsequent form of Tabletalk, I think that he might well be the one to beat here. Kildare Legend is hot right now and Brioni looks really progressive and this trio are rightly at the head of the market and if I was just trying to find the winner here, I'd most likely go with one of this trio.
Things don't always go to plan, of course and in a big field, there are always hard-luck stories and horses outrunning their odds so, I'll add persistent placer Goodwood Odyssey to my selections. If truth be told, this could be a cracker of a race, where you could select six runners and still not get in the first three home!
But hopefully one or more of (3) Goodwood Odyssey, (4) Mount Atlas, (5) Brioni & (7) Kildare Legend will!
*
All of which gives me...
Leg 1: (3) Head To Head, (12) Rockin The Boat & (13) Verse of Love
Leg 2: (3) Midnight Thunder, (5) The Strikin Viking & (6) Treasure Isle
Leg 3: (2) Ecstatic, (4) Flight & (5) Magical Trail
Leg 4: (2) Noble Dynasty, (4) Quinault & (9) Witness Stand
Leg 5: (4) Desert Flower, (5) Dreamy & (7) Tabiti
Leg 6: (3) Goodwood Odyssey, (4) Mount Atlas, (5) Brioni & (7) Kildare Legend
...and here's how I'd play them, whilst trying to stay close to a nominal £20 total stake...
As ever, good luck, today looks fiercely tricky. Chris
Today's UK meetings, pools and minimum guarantees are as follows...
The biggest pot is at HQ once again, where the Rowley course is said to be soft for our races which kick off with...
Leg 1 : 1.50 Newmarket, a 6-runner, 3yo+ Listed race over 1m...
Doom started the season with three placed efforts at Gr 2/3, but seems to have lost her way lately finishing last of nine and sixth of seven. This is a slight drop in class, but others arrive here in better nick. Sirona also started her season with a pair of Gr 3 placed finishes going sown by no more than a length each time, but after finishing 5th of 7 in a Gr 1 race here at Newmarket, was only 6th of 8 at Ascot last time out.
Spiritual was a Listed class runner-up at York in mid-May and then a winner at Sandown seven weeks later where she made all, but couldn't repeat the feat last time out when upped to Gr 3, finishing 4th of 9. Arisiag's best effort to date is a narrow Class 3 handicap win at Goodwood three starts ago and whilst she's probably going to be a decent handicapper, she might be out of her depth here.
Fair Point looks progressive and after finishing in the first three home in all seven career starts (2 wins), she comes here off the back of a Class 2 handicap win at Ascot where she made all on soft ground. Yes, she's up in class here, but could well be suited to the task. Rolica won a Class 2 maiden here over 7f and was then thrown straight into the 1000 Guineas over this course and distance in early-May, where she wasn't disgraced going down by three lengths as 6th of 18, but couldn't replicate that effort next/last time out when a Gr 3 5th of 9 at Sandown, a place and two lengths behind Spiritual, although she's 3lbs better off here.
Sirona, Spiritual and Fair Point have all won on soft ground, Spiritual has a Class 1 turf win, Rolica has won on this track, whilst Spiritual, Arsaig and Fair Point are all one-mile winners on the Flat, whilst place form looks like this...
Arsaig is probably the one I'm least keen on here, but you could make a case for any of the other five. However, after looking at the pace data and seeing that front-runners fare best, this...
...leads me to picking (3) Spiritual and (5) Fair Point
Leg 2 : 2.25 Newmarket, an 8-runner, 3yo+ fillies and mares Group 3 contest over 1m4f...
Mistral Star has won three of her last seven, including a 1m4f Listed success on the July course here two starts ago and this should represent a slightly easier task than her last race, when 4th of 8 in the Gr 1 Yorkshire Oaks. Time Lock actually won this race last year, but hasn't reproduced the same form in four subsequent races at Gr1 & Gr 2, but the ability to win this is certainly there.
Elsewhere Sea of Roses won a soft ground Listed race last time out, Divian Grace won a Listed race on the July course here two starts ago and the unexposed 3yo Place of Safety was second in the same race, a length and a quarter behind Divina Grace, but remains open to improvement.
Sea of Roses has won two of four on soft ground, but her 1 from 10 record at Class 1 is a worry, mind you Time Lock is also 1 from 10 at Class 1, but has won twice here at Newmarket and twice over this trip, as has Mistral Star, whilst the place stats suggest the top half of the card is the place to be...
(2) Mistral Star is the horse I'd back here if I was looking to find the winner, so she goes on the ticket and from that graphic above, I have to take last year's winner (4) Time Lock who is now down in class with (1) Divina Grace the outsider option.
Leg 3 : 3.00 Newmarket, a 7-runner, 2yo fillies Group 2 race over 7f...
AP O'Brien sends both Bubbling and Ecstatic over for this one and I think I marginally prefer the former to the latter. Bubbling was denied a clear run at Leopardstown last time out, but was still 3rd home of 9 in that Listed race, beaten by less than a length. A clearer run here could be all that it takes for her to land this, although Formal looked very impressive when winning on soft ground at Leicester last time out. She looked strong, made all and had the race wrapped up with a furlong to go. She's up in class here, of course, but looks really progressive. Duty First is also of interest, having finished a Group 3 runner-up on soft ground at Goodwood last time out and as a confirmed front-runner is of obvious interest here.
Runners (1) Bubbling, (3) Duty First and (5) Formal for me here in a bid to cover most bases!
Leg 4 : 3.35 Newmarket, a 6-runner, 3yo+ Group 2 contest over a mile...
Ice Max has won three of his last four including a soft ground Group 2 success at Goodwood over today's trip last time out, beating the re-opposing Poker Face by a length, although Poker Face is now 5lbs better off today, so he could reverse those placings today. Lead Artist is possibly the one to beat here. He has been in the first three home in all five career starts to date, won a Group 3 race two races ago and was a Gr 2 runner-up behind the experienced Kinross at Doncaster last time out.
Of this three-runner shortlist, Instant Expert suggests that Poker Face might be the weakest of the trio under today's conditions...
...and with him being closely matched with Ice Max, I'll side with the latter and take (3) Ice Max along with (5) Lead Artist here
Leg 5 : 4.10 Newmarket, a 13-runner, Class 4, 2yo maiden over 7f...
Seven of the thirteen have yet to race and of the six who have, Seaplane sets the standard with a pair of runner-up finishes, the most recent by just a neck in a higher grade at Ascot with the re-opposing Frankini a length and a half further back on his debut and with Frankini's yard having a 43.2% place strike rate with runners making their second start, he's of interest here...
Archivist was also a runner-up last time out, beaten by a length and a half at Leicester after a slow start and if he gets going a little quicker here, should also be in the mix. Of the debutants, William Buick has chosen Secret Theory over Music of Time from the Appleby-trained Godolphin pair, so that might be a pointer here too.
And in a safety first approach to a field of unknown quantities, I'll take all four from my shortlist ie (1) Archivist, (5) Frankini, (10) Seaplane and (11) Secret Theory
Leg 6 : 4.45 Newmarket, a 9-runner, 3yo+ Listed race over 1m4f...
Military Academy is 2 from 2 and Lucentio has won his last three, but this Gosden-trained pair are both significantly up in class today, although they do both get weight all round from their rivals. Quietness has five wins and a runner-up finish from her last six.
Ziggy's run of eight top-three finishes (2 wins) was ended when he was 13th of 20, beaten by 7.5 lengths in the Ebor last month, whilst stamina shouldn't be an issue for Epic Poet who won the Old Borough Cup at Haydock over 1m6f last time out, staying on well and was 4th in the Ebor over the same trip on his penultimate run. Bigger fields don't faze him either.
My shortlist is completed by Aimeric, who landed a pair of Class 2 handicaps 252 days apart in September '23 and May '24 before a four-race run at Class 1 and whilst not winning any, has run his race each time as a runner-up in back to back Listed races beaten by 2.75 lengths and then by a neck. He was beaten by just over three lengths in a Group 3 race at Goodwood before going down by less than half a length to Sea of Roses (runs in the 2.25 here) in a soft ground Windsor Listed race last time out. An unlikely winner here, but definitely in contention for the frame.
Of this half dozen, only Lucentio has won on soft ground, whilst Aimeric is 4 from 8 at the trip and Quietness is 3 from 3.
Our pace/draw heatmap suggests that the winners comes from (4) Epic Poet and (9) Military Academy...
...so I'll take both of them along with a longer-priced runner in the shape of (7) Quietness from the place heatmap...
*
All of which gives me...
Leg 1: horses 3 & 5
Leg 2: horses 1, 2 & 4
Leg 3: horses 1, 3 & 5
Leg 4: horses 3 & 5
Leg 5: horses 1, 5, 10 & 11
Leg 6: horses 4, 7 & 9
...and here's how I'd play them, whilst trying to stay close to a nominal £20 total stake...
Today's UK meetings, pools and minimum guarantees are as follows...
...and I think we'll head to HQ, where the going is expected to be predominantly good for...
Leg 1 : 1.35 Newmarket, an 8-runner, Class 4, 2yo maiden over 1m
Not the easiest start to a placepot with seven of the eight on debut! Seacruiser is thew only one with a run under his belt, having finished 5th of 10 in a Class 2 maiden at Goodwood just over three weeks ago. He was beaten by 4.5 lengths that day after being sent off as the 5/2 fav. He should find this easier today, having had that experience and he also drops two classes. The two horses immediately in front of him have both won next time out, so that's a good sign.
Of ther debutants, Naval Command is a half-brother to St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov and has already got a Group 1 entry for the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster in October, so his team must think he has something and with William Buick riding him over stablemate Present Times, you could assume Naval Command is the Appleby first-string?
That said, due to bloodlines, you can never safely rule out Goldolphin 2 yr olds on debut, so Present Times is still in the reckoning, despite Mr Buick choosing Naval Command (James Doyle is no mug in fairness), as is the Gosden trained Devil's Advocate.
I'd hate to crash & burn on leg 1, so it's a safety-first approach with runners (1) Devil's Advocate, (4) Naval Command, (5) Present Times and (6) Seascruiser taken for the ticket builder and I'm still worried!
Leg 2 : 2.10 Newmarket, a 7-runner, Class 4, 2yo nursery over 1m
Another tricky inexperienced field to deal with here, as only Jack Andrea has raced in handicap company before and after only finishing fourth of six at Sandown recently, is now fitted with cheekpieces.
Celeborn and Louie the Legend are the only two with wins under their belt so far. The former took a while to settle on debut at Leicester back in June but once the penny dropped, he stayed on really well to win by 1.5 lengths. He was then gelded during a three month break and returned with a more than creditable third place at Salisbury a fortnight ago.
Louie The Legend has got progressively better in his three runs, finishing 4th of 8 (4.5 lengths down) over 7f at Newcastle on debut at the end of June and then 2nd of 12 (2L) at Chelmsford in early August, before winning at 7f maiden at Chepstow on his turf debut a month ago in a 15-runner field.
Elsewhere, Olympus Point looks reasonably well treated off a mark of just 78 despite making the frame in all three career starts and never beaten by far and the same could be said about Gap Year off a mark of 72. Three of his four starts have been at Class 2 and he drops two classes here having finished 2nd of 15, 3rd of 10 and 4th of 11 at that higher grade. Throw in a 4th of 15 at Class 3 and it could well be that he's better than the assessor thinks.
These four would be my shortlist here, but I don't want to take four from seven from each of the first two races. (1) Celeborn and (2) Olympus Point are definite picks for me based on the above and of the other two, I'll take (3) Louie The Legend, because he won LTO, but might be a longer price.
Leg 3 : 2.45 Newmarket, a 7-runner, Class 2, 3yo+ fillies handicap over 6f
Another tight-looking race here, but one I should be more comfortable with all seven runners having raced at least five times and all having won at least once. That said, none of them even made the frame last time out, which os a negative, as are the 139 day and 209 day layoffs for Geologist and Kinta.
Bottom weight Dance and Romance has two wins and two places from her five career starts, whilst Funny Story has seven top-three finishes from her last eleven starts. Seven of her last eight runs have been in Listed company and with a string of results reading 2712234, you'd have to think she could be a bit better than Class 2?
If I'm against Geologist and Kinta (even if Kinta did win this last year) due to their lay-offs, then Instant Expert suggests that Executive Decision is the most vulnerable of the remaining five contenders...
Of the four still under consideration, recent form is against both Pinafore and Sophia's Starlight, so I'll just take (1) Funny Story and (7) Dance and Romance (who might try to make all here) from this one.
Leg 4 : 3.20 Newmarket, a 7-runner, 2yo, Group 3 contest over 7f
Diego Ventura is two from two so far, both over 6f, but doing his best work late on which suggests the step up to 7f will suit him. Huscal has won each of his last, also both staying on over 6f, but the step up from Class 4 company is huge.
Monumental was a runner-up over 6f and a winner over 7f in Ireland recently before a UK debut saw him finish second on the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster less than a fortnight ago, beaten by just half a length (behind Bay City Roller) and the strength of that run alone makes him the one to beat here
In a similar vein, Symbol of Honour was a clear winner of a Class 4 maiden in mid-May before going down by less than a length in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Ascot a month later. He then took three months off before returning to action as a Listed class runner-up beaten by half a length at Doncaster a fortnight ago. The re-opposing The Waco Kid was third on that race a further 0.75 lengths back and whilst the latter is a contender here too, he'd have to improve more to be ahead of Symbol of Honour, but he makes my 5-runner shortlist.
Of the five, Huscal steps up three classes and The Waco Kid is held by Symbol of Honour, so I'll omit those two to take (3) Diego Ventura, (5) Monumental and (6) Symbol of Honour here.
Leg 5 : 3.55 Newmarket, a 7-runner, 3yo+ Listed race over 2m
In racecard order, I suspect that this might well be a four-horse race between Harbour Wind, Al Nayyir, Night Sparkle and bottom-weight Fighter which would also represent the views of the handicapper. I know it's not a handicap, of course, but if it were, then Al Nayyir would be well in at the weights along with Fighter.
Harbour Wind's half length defeat as a runner-up on his second outing is his sole defeat in five starts and he comes here off the back of Listed class wins at both Leopardstown and Limerick, but he does concede weight all round today.
Al Nayyir was last seen pushing Irish St Leger runner-up Vauban all the way to the line in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York five weeks ago, going down by just a short head, matching his result in March's Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan and those runs make him the one to beat here on form.
Night Sparkle has won three and been runner-up in four of her last ten on the Flat, but is winless in seven and with her 2024 form reading 272242, she screams 'consistent, but not quite good enough to win' She was 4th in the Lonsdale (above) a further two places and four lengths behind Al Nayyir and although 2lbs better off here and Group 2 runner-up LTO, I still don't see her beating Al Nayyir, but she might get closer than their last meeting.
As for Fighter, this Frankel colt is a bit of an unknown in the UK, he's getting weight all round and has won both his last two starts (Curragh & Leopardstown), but is now asked for three furlongs more than he's ever raced. That's a tough ask, but he's by Frankel and represents the O'Brien/Moore combo, so you never know.
Instant Expert suggest all four might go well here, as could Samui...
And unusually over a 2m trip, front-running has been beneficial here at Newmarket, albeit off a small sample size of races, which could benefit Fighter more than the others...
Overall, I see (2) Al Nayyir battling with (6) Night Sparkle for the win and whilst I like the breeding and the Trainer/Jockey combo behind Fighter, I think this is a big step up in both class and trip, so I'll take the ultra-consistent (1) Harbour Wind to complete my picks for this race.
Leg 6 : 4.30 Newmarket, a 9-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ handicap over 1m4f
Baltic is 5 from 5 in handicap company and that has elevated his mark by some 24lbs, but he remains the one to beat here, especially with his yard's record with LTO winners...
Candyman Stan has improved with each run and made all to romp home by nine lengths at Lingfield recently and an opening mark of 80 doesn't look too punitive. Fighter Command drops in class here after a win and three places from his five starts, whilst Woner Kid has two wins and a runner-up finish from his last four and drops two classes here.
Elsewhere Macari has made the frame in his last two, but as a 4yo is 7lbs 'wrong' here with most of the field being 3 yr olds. Instant Expert leans towards the top of the card too...
..as do the pace scores...
I'd definitely want to take (1) Baltic and (4) Candyman Stan here and it's a bit of a toss-up for the final pick and although I do like the look of Fighter Command, I think (2) Wonder Kid might be better than his last result suggests.
All of which gives me...
Leg 1: horses 1, 4 , 5 & 6
Leg 2: horses 1, 2 & 3
Leg 3: horses 1 & 7
Leg 4: horses 3, 5 & 6
Leg 5: horses 1, 2 & 6
Leg 6: horses 1, 2 & 4
...and here's how I'd play them, whilst trying to stay close to a nominal £20 total stake...
Today's UK meetings, pools and minimum guarantees are as follows...
I think we'll head to the Rowley at HQ where the ground is expected to be good (firmer in places) for our six races today, starting with...
Leg 1 : 1.35 Newmarket, a 7-runner, Class 4, 2yo fillies novice stakes...
Of the four with racecourse experience, Fool Again and Sea To Sky are ther obvious picks after runner-up finishes on debut three weeks ago. Sea To Sky was second to Flight, whose career form reads 2213 after she subsequently finished third in a Group 2 race.
Sea To Sky also drops two classes here and with her yard in such great form right now...
...she'd be my main pick here, but I'd also take Fool Again on the back of her run at Beverely. She was slow away but soon got the hang of things, gave chase, stayed on and ended up a runner-up beaten by just half a length. Maywedance was 3 places and 7 lengths further back and she has gone on to make the frame since.
Of those making their debut today, Pearl Of Hope would be the one for me. She's a half-sister to a Group 1 winner and there's a stack of stats to suggest she might go well here...
I'll take runners 2, 6 & 7 here.
Leg 2 : 2.10 Newmarket, a 13-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ fillies handicap over a mile...
You could make a case for several of these in an open-looking race. Reach looked like she needed the run at York last time out, but had three wins and two places from her previous six outings and she's down two classes here. Surveyor has two wins and two runner-up finishes (inc LTO) from her last six, has already won over today's trip and also drops in class. Get Jiggy With It is another class-dropping LTO runner-up and she has made the frame in ten of her twelve career starts and overall I suspect we'll be making our selection from the top half of this graphic...
...and on the basis of this, I'll stick with my in-form class droppers Reach, Surveyor & Get Jiggy With It, aka runners 1, 4 & 11 with Sea Regal the obvious danger.
Leg 3 : 2.45 Newmarket, an 11-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ handicap over 7f...
King of Charm won last time out, as did Kracking, whilst Musical Mystery and Bell Shot were runners-up and Kodiac Thriller finished third and on form, they'd be my shortlist here. Of those, Kracking is stepping up two classes here, so that makes life more difficult for him, but he is 2121 in his last four and looks perfectly poised on the pace/draw heat map to make the frame chasing Bell Shot home perhaps?
...whilst Instant Expert for my shortlist looked like this...
All five are easily good enough to make the frame, but I need to make a decision and I'm going to side with Bell Shot, King Of Charm and Kodiac Thriller here, runners 4, 6 & 8. I did like Kracking too, but the two class rise and that IE graphic have tempered my enthusiasm a little, but he'll probably give it a right go up front.
Leg 4 : 3.20 Newmarket, an 11-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ handicap over 6f...
Regal Envoy was a runner-up last time out, whilst both Ingra Tor and Angel Shared finished third. Miss Show Off ran really well at Sandown three weeks ago and despite finishing 4th of 10 was within three quarters of a length of the winner and a nose behind the above-mentioned Ingra Tor despite not having raced for 14 months since winning at Newbury in July 2023. Equiano Springs won this race in both 2021 and 2022, but the 10 yr old is on a 9-race losing streak.
From a pace perspective, it has paid to race in advance of mid-field here over the straight six, which gives an advantage to Dashing Dick, Miss Show Off, Regal Envoy, Angel Shared, Jungle Land, Spring Bloom and Ingra Tor (just!)
...whilst Instant Expert points to the following...
On countback of positive mentions, the closely-matched pair of Ingra Tor and Miss Show Off feature most, so I'll take both of them here with Spring Bloom as a backup plan ie runners 2, 8 & 9
Leg 5 : 3.55 Newmarket, a 12-runner, Class 2, 3yo+ handicap over 2m2f...
Bringbackmemories won last time out a week ago for a second win in three starts (but last home of 16 in between the wins!). Story Horse, Robert Johnson and Premiere Ligne were all runners-up with the latter finishing 31222 in his last five whilst both Diamond Bay and bottom-weight Yorkindness has finished 323 in her last three. Elsewhere Tactician has two wins and a runner-up finish from his last four outings and as the sole 3yo in the race will get a more than handy 11lbs weight allowance.
All bar Story Horse of the above seem well suited to the task ahead according to Instant Expert with the addition of Trooper Bisdee...
..and as earlier, I could sit and make a case for all of these, but based on form/Instant Expert, I'm going to go with Bringbackmemories, Premiere Ligne & Tactician, numbers 4, 6 and 10 on your racecards.
And we close with Leg 6 : 4.30 Newmarket, a 7-runner, Class 4, 3yo+ fillies handicap over 1m2f...
Speriamo won two days ago in a race I covered and didn't pick her! Dubai Melody and Milliterries also won last time out. Ciara Pearl is 1223 in her last four, Chorus won two starts ago and Mrs Twig is two from four and three from six, but needs to bounce back from a couple of disappointing Class 3 outings, whilst Dayzee might need the run after 204 days off, although she does seem to have the ideal pace profile...
...along with Ciara Pearl who is the pick of the pack on Instant Expert...
...making her my first choice here and with both Chorus and Dubai Melody dropping down two classes and receiving 5lbs allowances as 3 yr olds, my picks here are runners 2, 4 & 5.
All of which gives me...
Leg 1: horses 2, 6 & 7
Leg 2: horses 1, 4 & 11
Leg 3: horses 4, 6 & 8
Leg 4: horses 2, 8 & 9
Leg 5: horses 4, 6 & 10
Leg 6: horses 2, 4 & 5
...and here's how I'd play them, whilst trying to stay close to a nominal £20 total stake...
My workload is starting to pick up as the season progresses, and now the evening racing has kicked in, even more so, writes David Massey. I shall tell you about the knock-on effect of that for me later, but let's start this episode at the beginning of the month, and two days at the Guineas meeting at Newmarket.
You'll notice only the two - we decided not to go on the Friday, as the Silver Ring, which is where we will be working both days, has next to no business that day. So we set off on the Saturday morning, and in this case the "we" is myself and the good lady, who has purloined a free ticket from a friend of hers. The forecast is mixed, with some showers due early afternoon but should pass through quickly. I trust the weather forecasts as much as I'd trust having my palm read to determine if it'll rain or not, so the wet weather gear is packed.
We arrive in plenty of time to get set up, and start betting. It is extremely slow to get going, with families still coming in as the first goes off. However, before that, the rain begins, and up go the bookmakers' umbrellas, along with a whole row of gazebos as families that have been a bit more forward-thinking take shelter.
The rain gets a bit heavier and behind us are some very dark clouds indeed. It soon becomes fairly clear that the wet stuff is set in. Worse, it appears to be coming in sideways. When rain falls directly on you from overhead it isn't so bad, as the umbrella does its job and keeps the majority of it off you. When it comes at you from the side, everything gets wet. You're not only trying to protect yourself but all the electrics - if your printer packs up as the damp gets in, that's game over - and a second pair of arms is called for.
We take very little on the first race, which is just as well as the jolly old favourite wins. The two joint-favourites are hand-in-hand over the line for a 1-2 in the next, too, but it hardly matters as the rain is absolutely killing the business.
It gets heavier still. One family in front of us packs up and goes home. Two races. That's all they have seen. I hope they feel they had value for money but, equally, the idea of going somewhere warmer and drier appeals to me right now, too. I fancy Probe a bit in the next and give it a cheer as it wins. At least I've got a few quid in my pocket after that, even if the firm haven't. I really don't need to tell you how the rest of the day went, as the rain did not go anywhere and it was quite literally a wash-out. After five races the water-resistant coat I'm wearing becomes resistant no longer, and my shirt underneath develops some big damp patches. I have to go back to the car and change. The deluge eventually stops as the last gets underway. The least said about this day, the better.
Sunday comes and is a different kettle of fish. The sun is shining to the point I need sunscreen, and there are families pouring in on what is traditionally a family day. The puppet show (the same noisy one as last year, but mercifully further away from us this year) is in full swing, the inflatables are proving popular and the ice-cream van has a queue all afternoon. I wouldn't mind a 20% share in that action today.
We get going an hour before the first. It isn't long before a bloke, who appears to have been on the early shift at Wetherspoons, comes up to me. I shall try and give you an idea of the conversation.
"Is this the first race?"
"Yes mate, it is."
(Long pause)
"And these are the runners?"
"That's right."
(Long pause)
"For the first?"
"Yes."
(Very long pause)
"Can I have a bet in the second race?"
"After this one you can, yes."
(Long pause)
"Is this the first race?"
And so on. He gets bored after ten minutes and goes to the bookmaker next door, and asks exactly the same questions. He looks absolutely out of it. I shout over to Tony, the bookie next door, that he can have him all afternoon if he likes! For some reason Tony doesn't want him. I cannot imagine why...
It is, as you'd expect for a Silver Ring, all small money we are taking but surprisingly we do plenty of business on debit cards, too. HMS President is a good result and so is Running Lion in the Pretty Polly, with Queen Of Fairies one of the best backed horses all afternoon. There are a lot of first-time punters, and as is always the case, one of them has backed the first three winners. I let her into the secret that "we always let you win first time" before she promptly gets the four-timer up with Via Sistina.
Now, there has been a distinct waft of weed in the air all afternoon (sadly, all too common on racecourses these days) and the lady with the drugs dog is in the area to try and find the source. It doesn't take the dog long to latch onto the scent and he's pulling her towards someone.
It's only matey boy who was such a pain in the backside before the first that she's after. Suddenly, that conversation makes a bit more sense.
Laughably, he's off and trying to get away from the dog. "STAY THERE!!" the handler bellows at him, and he knows the game is up. He sinks to his knees in despair, his face pleading for mercy. She's having none of it, and within a couple of minutes he's escorted off the premises by three security guards.
"Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio!!" goes the chant as he's marched off. Myself and Tony are killing ourselves laughing as he tries to get a roll-up in his mouth, only to miss, and isn't allowed to go back and fetch it. He seems more upset about that than the fact he's got to leave.
Anyway, back to the main event, and the 1000 Guineas. Business is solid and I take a £200 bet on the favourite, which stays in the satchel as Mawj proves too good. It's that good a result I'm sent for four Magnums from the ice-cream van, a bargain at fourteen quid. And they moan about the margins that they bet to in the ring.
Two races to go and, from nowhere, I have a punter that's having a few quid on. He has £200 on Hectic and £100 on Saxon King. Where's he been all afternoon? Has he got any mates that want a bet, I ask him with a smile?
He backs the winner and with the £600 he collects, has £300 back on Lion Of War. Sadly there's no good ending for him as it finishes a well-held fourth. I enquire as to whether there might be a second round of Magnums only to be told I was lucky to get the first one!
There are cars stuck in the car park on the way out, parts of it have just turned to mud after yesterday, and the tractor is going to be busy. Not for us though, and after getting paid it's out and we're on the way home.
The following Saturday, with so many meetings, saw me pick up a day for a firm I don't usually work for. Martyn Of Leicester (for it was he) had pitches at Ascot, Leicester, Nottingham and Warwick, a total of 16 in all, and that requires a lot of workers. I'd been asked a couple of weeks ago if I'd like a home fixture and so I worked the rails for him at Nottingham on what was their Ladies Day.
I often moan about how soulless Nottingham can be but there was no lack of atmosphere on Saturday; the place was buzzing with a great crowd up for an enjoyable day in the sun. All the other rails pitches had three workers on them, but I was on my own ("just do your best" says Martyn; I informed him I always do my best) and was busy from the word go. Most of the punters seem to know what they are doing, always helpful, and the first two results go our way. Come race four, though, and I have a problem.
The 10 horse, Showalong, wins easily but one bloke brings a losing slip up, saying I gave him £20 number 2 rather than £20 number 10. It's entirely possible I misheard him - a genuine mistake if so, particularly with a loud tannoy system - but I point out to him it's too late to do anything about it now. It clearly says on every ticket we print "please check your ticket" as I can change a bet beforehand, but he's not happy. I tell him I can get the ring inspector if he wishes but he's not listening, he's stormed off with a few choice words regarding myself getting a hearing test. The other 500-odd punters I deal with over seven races have no such problems. Please, ladies and gentlemen, check your tickets...
At the end of the day Martyn is delighted with the efforts I've made. He's had a winning day and he pays me well, with a good top-up on my wages. Better still, I only have a five-mile journey home. If only all tracks were five miles from my house. I could work twice a day, at least until the end of August...
- DM
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/CheltenhamFestivalBookmakerOffers.jpg320830David Masseyhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDavid Massey2023-05-16 12:02:242023-05-16 12:02:24Roving Reports: HQ, and Closer To Home
For a few years now I’ve had a constant companion on my bedside table, writes Tony Stafford. Horse Trader, published in the early 1990’s and written by Patrick Robinson with Nick Robinson, tells the story of Robert Sangster’s unlikely path to the pinnacle of international racing and breeding.
I’ve read it cover to cover at least six times and when I tell you it must be the best part of 250,000 words (at least three times as long as my sporadic offerings over the years) that’s plenty of reading material.
Nick Robinson, like the young Sangster, prospective heir to serious money, back in the late 1960’s had knowledge of racing through family connections. Over time in a Liverpool coffee house then favoured by the sons of leaders of Northern industry, he imbued his friend, the heir to the Vernon’s Football Pools fortune, with a similar love of the sport.
Without Nick Robinson there would have been no Sadler’s Wells, no Golden Fleece, no Galileo. None of the many champions of the past 40 years to have emanated from Ballydoyle and its adjunct Coolmore stud in its two distinct phases. The first, which goes to the end of the book in 1992, is basically pre-Arab domination.
Then there is the second period where the skill and enterprise from Vincent O’Brien’s successor, the not related Aidan, linked always by the constant of John Magnier, Vincent’s son-in-law. Magnier of course was the man who recruited the young O’Brien to succeed Vincent as well as embracing Michael Tabor and later Derrick Smith to the party in place of such as Sangster and Danny Schwartz as well as others who dipped in and out, like Stavros Niarchos.
At one time the owner himself of more than 1,000 horses worldwide and at the time of the book’s conclusion, owner of shares in all the best Coolmore stallions, Sangster’s destiny seemed secure. His six children, sons Ben, Guy and Adam and daughter Kate from his first marriage, and Sam and yet to be born Max from his third, could anticipate a never-ending stream of wonderful thoroughbreds in the family ownership.
But, as Sam said when I suggested it to him one day last year: “As if!” Recently though, the wider family fortunes on the racecourse have shone, particularly with Saffron Beach, the four-year-old filly trained by their Australian-born step-sister Jane Chapple-Hyam, daughter of Sangster’s middle wife, Susan mark 1. Winner of the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at the Royal meeting last month, Saffron Beach is owned by Ben’s wife Lucy, James Wigan, and Ben and Lucy’s son, Olly.
The success of the Sangster, O’Brien, Magnier formula only came to its conclusion as the competition from the Arabs strangled the team’s buying power in Kentucky. For more than a decade their team of unrivalled experts had monopolised the best-bred and best-conformed individuals almost to the extent of “what we want we get!”
In some of the latter years, that buying power had greatly eroded and people like Schwartz, who was accustomed to put up his few million dollars every July (as it then was) and sit back and wait for the Classic and Group/Grade 1 wins to roll in and the stallions to roll off the production line, could no longer rely on that certitude.
Classic Thoroughbreds was the would-be replacement scheme whereby Vincent thought the Irish racing fan would take the opportunity to buy into his proven “buy and win the biggest races” formula. It needed, though, many thousands of small shareholders rather than a few major players taking serious financial positions to work.
It did initially succeed, to the extent that Royal Academy, the yearling O’Brien coveted above all those of the 1988 Kentucky yearling crop, won the July Cup and then later memorably the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Ridden by Lester Piggott on that never-to-be-forgotten day at Belmont Park in October 1990, only weeks after Piggott’s release from his prison term, he came past the whole field to win under his 54-year-old jockey. But it was unsustainable.
Meanwhile, Sangster had bought Manton, the historic Wiltshire training estate, spending lavishly under Michael Dickinson’s brief stewardship. The first year’s meagre return of four wins inevitably ended the Dickinson era and as MW went on to win major races in the US, Sangster battled on. Barry Hills had a successful stint there but when Barry moved on to open a public stable in Lambourn, his assistant Peter Chapple-Hyam took over, making an instant impact.
Dr Devious had been a hard-working two-year-old, winning even before Royal Ascot, where he finished runner-up to Dilum, before his Superlative and Dewhurst Stakes successes. Sold to Jenny Craig and husband Sidney, he was bought principally to run in the Kentucky Derby and after a prep race second in Newmarket he shipped to Kentucky but he could finish only seventh to Lil E.Tee.
In such circumstances he was in some ways a surprise Derby winner, returning after such a short time, his toughness enabling him to beat St Jovite by two lengths. St Jovite got full revenge in the Irish Derby, but the Doctor gained a second narrow win over his rival in the Irish Champion Stakes for Jim Bolger and owner Virginia Kraft Payson that September.
Earlier that year, 1992, Rodrigo De Triano had given Lester his final English Classic win in the 2000 Guineas, adding to it at The Curragh with the Irish equivalent a fortnight later. He did take his chance in the Derby under Piggott and actually started the 13-2 favourite, but could finish only ninth of 18. Returned to shorter trips, further success came in the Juddmonte at York and in the Champion Stakes. He was sold as a stallion to Japan.
Chapple-Hyam was still at the helm when Commander Collins won the 1999 Superlative Stakes and Racing Post Trophy in front of young Sam Sangster, but then the rift came. John Gosden took over as the Millennium turned with Jimmy Fortune as his stable jockey. After Robert’s death in 2004 his older boys kept the show going with Brian Meehan as their trainer.
Success was never far away and Meehan, previously assistant to Richard Hannon, always had a sure hand with young horses and also developed many high-class fillies. Over the years he has won big races all around the world - one of his Breeders’ Cup successes came with a first-crop son of Galileo, the three-year-old Red Rocks who won the Turf race in 2006.
In later years the Sangsters sold Manton, although Ben still lives in Manton House and has also moved the mares and young stock of the family’s Swettenham Stud to land close to the house. Martyn Meade, now training in conjunction with son Freddie in another part of the 2,000-acre estate, is its owner.
When I started this piece, I used Horse Trader simply because of an encounter at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon after Isaac Shelby, trained by Brian Meehan, won the Group 2 Superlative Stakes. The colt is owned by Manton Thoroughbreds, a syndicate set up by Sam Sangster, who buys all the stock, usually as yearlings.
Earlier in the meeting, before Isaac Shelby ran a brave race to remain unbeaten after a drawn-out battle with 5-4 favourite Victory Dance, another Sangster yearling buy, Show Respect, was an excellent second in the Group 2 July Stakes. He is also trained by Meehan.
I’ve had the privilege of visiting Manton many times, and as I go through Marlborough and along the half-mile-plus long drive down to the Meehan stable area, the excitement never fails. It was there that I saw the gallop when Derby favourite Crown Prince flopped many lengths behind Delegator. I backed the latter at 33’s that morning, forgetting to add the words “each-way”. Sea The Stars had the temerity to beat him!
Sam and Brian, along with Brian’s wife Jax, were suitably thrilled on Saturday when all the chat, much of it fuelled by an on-the-ball Matt Chapman, was about the last winners of the Superlative Stakes to win in those colours – Sam has secured the use of his dad’s green, blue and white for Manton Thoroughbreds – to much approval on Saturday.
Everyone remembered Derby winner Dr Devious – sold by Robert to Jenny Craig, the California diet magnate, before his Classic win – but Sam also recalled Commander Collins. “I came that day with dad and I think I was ten or maybe eleven.”
Incidentally, Commander Collins was named after one of Robert’s great friends, Old Etonian trainer AK “Tony” Collins, who found fame or rather infamy for his role in the Gay Future affair, when some of the horses linked in multiple bets rather mysteriously did not manage to leave their stables on that Bank Holiday. The one that did, Gay Future, won and with bookmakers prevented from laying off commitments when the phones went down, it caused a furore in those innocent days. You couldn’t cause a whole telephone exchange to be out of commission nowadays – or could you?
Well A K spent Friday afternoon in the owners’ restaurant at Newmarket in the company of another grand old stager, former trainer Bill Watts. From a famous Newmarket training family, Bill left to go north to Richmond, Yorkshire, from where he sent Teleprompter and Tony Ives to Chicago to win the Arlington Million in 1985. Watts has moved back to Newmarket since retiring from training.
I managed a quiet word with Sam when the excitement died down a little later and said: “I always told you that you were the most like your father,” a suggestion that always brings its share of embarrassment for him. But he did say: “You know Horse Trader? Dad is wearing a tie on the front, and I’ve had it in my possession for years, but am wearing it today for the first time,” pointing to the rather old-fashioned neckpiece.
Trying to find potential Classic and Group-race winners in face of such incredible competition is getting ever harder and to secure the Night Of Thunder colt Isaac Shelby, Sam had to stretch to 92,000gns, one of his more expensive buys. The Godolphin-owned runner-up, by Dubawi, and trained by Charlie Appleby cost £700k. In this market, that colt will be regarded by connections as being right on track and showing terrific potential, so Isaac looks very well bought.
For me, the best part of the Sangster/Meehan operation is their mutual trust and loyalty. Brian has had some quieter years from the heyday when he had more than 100 horses in his team but, like most longer-established trainers, he finds it harder to get new owners and therefore new blood.
Sam, still in his early 30’s, does though have access to younger businesspeople who find enjoyment in the syndicated horses he unearths and buys. Meehan, as with Isaac Shelby, does the rest. If that ends up with a Group 1 success, which looks eminently possible about this still unfurnished and to the shrewd John Egan’s eyes, “still up-behind” colt, that could easily be the eventual outcome.
I had intended writing copiously 24 hours after my first wholly enjoyable, nay rejuvenating, visit to Newmarket racecourse for two years about a brief conversation of which I was the sole observer, writes Tony Stafford. The conversants were those two genial giants of our sport, Charlie Appleby and Aidan O’Brien, but I will leave that until later.
It was in the evening during a catch-up scan through the Saturday results that I noted the 7.30 p.m. race at Chelmsford was called the Tote.co.uk Now Never Beaten By SP Handicap (Division 1).
I’ve noticed that race title before, marvelling that the object of so much ridicule and indeed suspicion in its Betfred-owned days between 2011 and 2019 had been apparently transformed upon its acquisition and operation by the group formerly known as Alizeti Capital but now UK Tote Group.
Their intention, I remembered reading, was exactly that - to ensure the Tote returns were never to be bettered by SP and to help grow its new version to be of financial benefit to the sport.
In its rubric, Tote Group UK says it is “now owned by a group of racehorse owners and breeders who are passionate about the sport, backed by people who own and train over 1,000 horses worldwide.
“We’re united by a shared desire to secure British racing’s finances for generations to come through a revitalised Tote”. Glowing contributions in that notice in support of UK Tote Group have come from Sir Anthony McCoy, John Gosden, Richard Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud, and the Racehorse Owners Association.
I scrutinised all 36 races run in the UK on Saturday and in 24 of them, including the 7.30 at Chelmsford, SP was better than the returned Tote price about the winner. Course and betting shop punters would not have benefited, but I am reassured that online Tote odds backers will have been, according to the publicity (admittedly confusing) blurb to the tune of a maximum £500 per bet. [The race title referred to tote.co.uk, the online arm of the tote]
The three regular backers I know whom I thought might have been able to confirm this as correct all were unable to do so as they all three to coin a theme “had my account with the Tote closed years ago.” They all habitually try to get a few hundred quid on a horse. One big firm, asked for £500 each way on a horse the other day, offered to take £2.80 each way. Still theirs is a happy slogan and I wish anything that might correct the joke level of prize money in the lower reaches of the sport, a potential blessing. But as my three friends I’m sure would say: “Don’t hold your breath.”
I mentioned Charlie and Aidan’s very amicable chat earlier at Newmarket soon after the Darley Dewhurst Stakes victory of unbeaten Native Trail and the Irishman was glowing in his congratulations to his younger English counterpart.
Three wins on the day had already pushed Appleby past Andrew Balding at the top of the trainers’ championship standings for the first time and Aidan admired both Native Trail and the less exposed Coroebus, easy winner of the Group 2 Autumn Stakes.
Where Native Trail was a breeze-up buy for 210,000gns in the spring, able to make his debut in early July and now was making it a perfect four-for-four, there is no Godolphin blood in him, being by Oasis Dream out of an Observatory mare – Juddmonte all the way.
Coroebus meanwhile is Godolphin through and through: by Dubawi, their version of Coolmore’s great stallion Galileo, out of a mare by Galileo’s first superstar, the unbeaten Teofilo.
O’Brien remarked on both colts’ physicality, to which Appleby replied: “Coroebus is 540 kilos and Native Trail is 545, and that’s as heavy as Adayar who you know is a monster!” Formidable for two-year-olds you would agree!
The wins brought Appleby some elbow room at the top of the table and with a dearth of major and valuable races to come save next Saturday’s Qatar Champions Day at Ascot and the Vertem Futurity (just over £100k) at Doncaster the following weekend, opportunities are somewhat polarised.
Aidan told me he plans to run his top juvenile Luxembourg in the Vertem Futurity and expects that outstanding Camolot colt to go first in 2022 for the 2000 Guineas where he will almost certainly encounter Native Trail and Coroebus.
While Appleby has been inching his way up to and past Balding, who has had a season that must have surprised him with more than £4 million already in the satchel, he will be aware that John and Thady Gosden, who started slowly this year, are still in there pitching.
Balding has ten entries for Ascot, but only a couple, both 8-1 shots – Invite in the Fillies and Mares race, and Alcohol Free in the QE II – have better than outside chances. Appleby’s hopes from six entries centre, should he run, on Derby winner Adayar, about whom 3-1 is probably a little tight after his Arc exertions.
But the Gosden ten, with six in the closing Balmoral Handicap - Gosden senior dearly wants to win that race – include four serious darts at the biggest prizes of the day.
Mishriff, saved from the Arc in favour of the Champion Stakes, is 6-4 favourite for the £680k Champion. Palace Pier vies for favouritism with improving Baeed in the £623,000 to the winner QE II. Additionally, Free Wind is 7-2 for the £283,000 Fillies and Mares, and Stradivarius, should he renew hostilities with Trueshan, is second favourite behind that horse in the similarly-endowed Stayers’ race.
The Gosdens lurk around £500,000 behind Appleby and, unless such as Snowfall and maybe something else can edge out Mishriff, or The Revenant, back with a near miss at Longchamp, could possibly again unseat Palace Pier with Baeed’s help. Otherwise it seems a dominant position for a hat-trick for Clarehaven. It looks theirs to lose.
While that stealthy challenge in the trainers’ race has suddenly crystallised, the jockeys’ battle between incumbent Oisin Murphy and his nearest challenger William Buick has been a constant side-show most of this year.
It’s easy to portray this tussle as between Mr Naughty and Mr Squeaky Clean and certainly Oisin Murphy’s second failed breath test, which for the moment merely cost him one day’s riding at Newmarket on Friday, has done nothing for his reputation.
The jockey stressed that the alcohol reading while exceeding the permitted limit for being allowed to ride a racehorse was below that excluding him from driving a car. Great! Only slightly pissed then!
He dominated talk at Newmarket on Saturday, most people saying that for a repeat offence the case should get a proper investigation and the inside story at Newmarket on Saturday was that an inquiry will be held at the BHA today.
A one-day slap on the wrist, if that is all that happens for the offence, seems inappropriate to me. Suppose he hadn’t been tested, thus was free to ride on Friday and had caused danger to other jockeys and their horses. That puts the six-month ban (now ended) for promising apprentice Benoit de la Sayette when he was found in breach of the drug rules back in the spring in some context.
In the end, of course, Murphy was free to ride Buzz in the Cesarewitch and he gave the one-time Hughie Morrison horse a peach of a ride, one befitting of a champion, to make it a third win in the race for Nicky Henderson.
Buzz came to deny Burning Victory and William Buick in the dying strides, maintaining his margin over his rival to eight, when had the result been turned around it would have been only six. Charlie isn’t giving up on his jockey though and plans to run plenty of talented maidens between now and D Day on Saturday. Burning Victory of course was only Mullins’ second string but it would have been a nice result for readers of this column who may have noticed my frequent mentions of the mare in recent weeks.
So we had a seven-year-old winner who hadn’t raced on the Flat for two years beating a mare who had never previously run in a Flat race either in England or Ireland outclassing 30 other stayers. Burning Victory’s defeat and the no show of favourite M C Muldoon stopped a Willie Mullins four-timer in this contest.
Why are jumps trainers so good at winning on the Flat? We’ve known about these two for decades, but another younger member of their profession, an Irishman based in Gloucestershire, is showing similar tendencies.
Until 16-year-old daughter Fern attained that age in the summer, her father Fergal O’Brien was so disinterested in Flat racing that he had only winner from 50 runners in sporadic seasons from 2013 to 2019.
Fern, mentored by Fergal’s assistant and partner Sally Randell, a former star military race rider, won at the first time of asking a couple of days after her birthday and now stands on four wins from eight rides for her father as a lady amateur. His other 16 runners have yielded another four victories, including smart hurdler Gumball making all in a decent staying handicap at York on Saturday and Polish getting home first in a jump jockeys’ Flat race at Goodwood yesterday.
That makes it eight from 24 and a strike rate of 33%, a figure the Gosdens, Balding, William Haggas and the rest would kill for. And none of them has 55 jump winners since the end of April either!
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...making her my first choice here and with both Chorus and Dubai Melody dropping down two classes and receiving 5lbs allowances as 3 yr olds, my picks here are runners 2, 4 & 5.
