Category: Racing diary

 

Ryan Moore only has one ride for Sir Michael Stoute at Windsor tomorrow night and that is on Deny in the 8.40. Might be significant.

 

The big handicap tomorrow at Newmarket is the Bunbury Cup at 2.55. It is obviously a difficult puzzle to solve but I will give you 3 names to look out for. Striking Spirit is yet to win over 7 furlongs but he did run a cracker over the trip at Ascot when 3^rd from a bad draw last month. King of Jazz was runner up to Sagramor at Haydock in May and the winner has since franked the form. Lastly Al Khaleej is the only course and distance winner in the field and is a big price.

The July Cup (3.35) has not been a great race for favourites in recent times. Bated Breath and Dream Ahead are both lightly raced and could give the jolly a run.

My main hope for a winner at Newmarket is Spifer in the 5.55.

York next and the 2.40 is another tough looking handicap. Fox Hunt is on a hat trick and is at least in red hot form. At a really big price La Vecchia Scuola ran well enough at Newcastle last time and is better than his price would suggest. Modun and Pekan Star are my two against the field in the 3.15.

Another Citizen is just creeping down the weights and has an each way chance in the 5.35.

Jeremy Noseda’s has his horses in great form and his Sandown winner Ritual will be hard to beat in the Ascot 2.30. Others to note in this race are Mac’s Power, Secret Witness and Courageous. Cityscape and Dick Turpin look likely to fight out the finish in the 3.45. My slight preference is for Cityscape.

In the 4.55 I am going for a bit of a long shot in Junket. His form last season looks good and he would be a shorter price if trained by a more high profile handler.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.

 

We had a reasonable day at the races with most of the horses mentioned in last night’s preview finishing there or thereabouts.

Once again there is a plethora of racing tomorrow.

I have been following Jade for a couple of seasons but he let me down last time and I am inclined to give him a miss tomorrow in the Newmarket 1.20. It looks a difficult race and I don’t really have a view on it.

Desert Law’s, run last time at York looked too bad to be true and it might be worth giving him another chance in the 1.50.

In the 3.00 Memory and Joviality might offer a bit of each way value.

With all bar 3 of the runners making their debuts the 3.35 is largely a matter of guesswork. My guesses would be Menelik and Balty Boys. Thimaar sets the standard in the 4.10.

At Ascot Poole Harbour has the look of a good thging (that should put the mockers on him!) Belgian Bill ran a cracker at Ascot last time and should run well at Chepstow in the 8.05.

My selections at York are Defence of Duress and State Opera (3.10), and Fieldgunner Kirkup (4.20).

 

The main meeting tomorrow is at Newmarket where the race that interests me is the 2.25. Labarinto and Fulgur were 2^nd and 3^rd in a good race at Newbury where the 5th horse has won since. Both look as though they have more to offer. Well Sharp was 3^rd in a valuable handicap at Ascot and shapes as though tomorrow’s shorter trip will play to his strengths. Mijhaar was 4^th at Ascot to the highly rated Nathaniel and looks well handicapped. The doubt about him could be the ground which could be on the firm side for him. Of the quartet Mijhaar looks the pick if he handles the ground but the other three have decent each way prospects.

Elsewhere on the Newmarket card Census is consistent and should give us a run in the opener at 1.20.

The form of Redwood’s 2^nd to Rewilding in Dubai in March reads pretty well not and he looks the one to beat in the 3.00.

Fury was 5^th in the 2,000 Guineas and was then only beaten a nose at Sandown. He must go close in the 4.05 where Slim Shadey looks over priced if the first time blinkers have the desired effect.

There are plenty of other meetings. At Doncaster I am hoping that The Caped Crusader can come to our rescue in the 8.45, while at Folkestone Sir Mark Prescott looks to have found a winning opportunity for Fire Fighter in the 4.20.

At Warwick Mungo Park did enough in two starts last season to suggest he can go well in the 3.25. Farlow makes his handicap debut in the 5.35 after showing a taking attitude to win a Beverley maiden. He is lightly braced and on the upgrade.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Sally Martin

 

I have two selections for you for tomorrow;

Kempton 7.20 King Ferdinand

Lingfield 3.00 Viewing

 

My losing run now stretches to 3 days. There is not much to go at tomorrow but hopefully Thubiaan can break the sequence in the 5.00 at Pontefract

 

Monday selection Brighton 4.00 Wom

 

It wasn’t my lucky day today as 5 of my selections finished 2^nd and another came in 3^rd!

Not much that really catches my eye tomorrow. Strong Suit should go well at Chantilly in the 2.45 if he gets the mile.

 

We had a profitable time of it today with a 40% strike rate at nice prices.

The big race of the day tomorrow is the Eclipse – not really a race to bet on, more one to watch and enjoy. Workforce looks the value to me if you must have a wager.

Elsewhere on the Sandown card I will stick with Astrophysical Jet in the 2.00. This one must come good sooner or later.

Light From Mars and Leviathan are a couple of old friends of this column that run in the 2.35. I wouldn’t rule this pair out but I have a sneaking feeling that it might be Start Right’s day.

Although Flying Cross is having his first run of the season in the 3.40 he goes well fresh and is my selection.

I am torn between Dubai Queen and Cape Dollar in the 4.15.

Luca Cumani has an outstanding record in the Old Newton Cup (Haydock 3.25) and his representative Bourne is fancied to carry on the tradition.

Secret Witness has a race in him somewhere – hopefully it will be tomorrow in the Haydock 4.30!

Luca Cumani has a good chance in the last race at 5.30 with Dysios.

Just one selection at Beverley Medaille D’Or in the 5.10.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Margaret Barrett

 

Ritual has won his last 3 races and will be hard to beat in the Sandown 2.20.

Forte Dei Marmi has been below par this season but I am hoping that he returns to form in the 4.00 at Sandown where he is a course and distance winner.

In the 4.35 I am hoping that Oceanway can follow up her recent win at Chester.

In the 5.05 the increased distance and the fitting of a first time visor might do the trick for Nibani.

The unexposed Voodoo Prince is a tentative selection at Haydock in the 8.15.