Weekend Review

Hi all,

Inside today’s main piece I’m looking back at yesterday’s Arc and Saturday’s Cambridgeshire Day at Newmarket.

There were plenty of talking points from the weekend both from Longchamp and Newmarket.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day

It was glorious hot sunny weather and quick ground for Arc Day. That was in a complete contrast to the last two years where its been wet with very testing ground.

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the most prestigious Flat race run in the flat racing calendar.

This flat season has lacked a true champion. However, this year’s Arc gave favourite Ace Impact the opportunity to stamp himself the best horse in Europe.  He did so with a ‘wow’ performance.

What An Impact

As I predicted they didn’t go quick in the early stages, and it was a bit of a messy race.  Not that concerned the winner.

Ace Impact held up in the rear he travelled like a champion, and he produced his trademark turn of foot to streak clear of his rivals inside the final furlong.

We needed a superstar performance, and we got it.  The winner became the first French trained 3-year-old colt to win the race in 17 years. It seems an eternity since I backed him ante post for the Coral Eclipse, a race he didn’t run in.  I thought he was a special colt after he won the French Derby, and he’s proved it.

Westover did best of those ridden prominently in finishing runner-up. He was given a great ride by Rob Hornby but had no answer to the winners final thrust. It was another cracking effort in defeat for the 4-year-old in defeat.

Onesto bounced back to form on quicker ground to finish a running on third. Japanese mare Through Seven Seas ran a cracker from the rear to finish a 3 length fourth. St Leger winner Continuous ran as I expected in finishing fifth.  He didn’t have the speed over 1m 4f on quick ground but was doing his best work at the finish.

Bay Bridge wasn’t disgraced in sixth. He had been a bit keen in the early stages and the ground would have been a bit quick for him. Hukum was also up with the pace from his wide draw. He was another who probably did too much too early and would have preferred more juice in the ground.

Fantastic Moon came with what looked a promising run 2f out, but the German Derby winner ultimately found this company too hot.

Cambridgeshire Day

Newmarket’s three day Cambridgeshire meeting ended on Saturday with a Group 1 double header and of course one of the most competitive handicaps you’ll see all season.

It was good to firm at Newmarket on Saturday. As it had been on the previous two days of the Cambridgeshire meeting.

Ghostwriter

Ghostwriter took his record to 3-3 when winning the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes.  He travelled beautifully just behind the leaders and picked up well when asked for his effort 1f out. This year’s race looked decent on paper, and I think this year’s race produced an above average winner.

Frankel won the Royal Lodge in 2010 and whilst Ghostwriter probably wont end up as good he’s a smart colt.  

Trainer Clive Cox thinks he could be Derby horse and you can see why on pedigree. Although he’s by Invincible Spirit his dam won over 1m 4f and he should be very effective at 1m 2f next season.  He’s a best priced 16/1 with William Hill for next year’s Derby and the same price for the 2,000 Guineas with Paddy Power. I hope connections to train for the first colts classic given he handled Newmarket so well on Saturday.

Runner-up Al Musmak, had finished second to Rosallion at Ascot before winning a Listed race at Haydock last time, ran a well and should do well as a 3-year-old.

7/4 favourite Capulet didn’t seem to handle the track. He got outpaced after being headed 1f out but to his credit rallied once hitting the rising ground to snatch third. He did look a bit slow though.

The fourth home Macduff is bred to appreciate 1m 2f+ as a 3-year-old and shaped well with the future in mind.

Porta Fortuna

A dirty scope meant Lowther Stakes winner and ante post favourite Relief Rally was forced to miss the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes.

The drop back to 6f and a return to quick saw Porta Fortuna return to winning ways in this Group 1 contest. I don’t think it was the strongest renewals of the race though and I don’t think we saw a future 1,000 Guineas winner in the line-up.

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Santa Anita looks an ideal race for her. Fast turf and an easy mile around a bend should be perfect.

The well backed second favourite Jasna's Secret didn’t look comfortable on the quick ground and even more so the track.

Soprano is becoming a bit frustrating, but she ran better than her 3 ½ length 7^th suggests. She raced away from the main action and had no chance from her position.

Vandeek

Vandeek made it 4-4 when winning the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. In the process the colt produced one of the juvenile performances of the season.

He impressed physically before the race and impressed in the race itself. Slowly away and held up but accelerated coming into the dip and quickly asserted to win by 2 ¼ lengths. He idled a bit close to home otherwise he would have won by further.

Vandeek has the turn of foot of a future champion as a 3-year-old but it’s likely to be at 6f than a mile. He could go for the Dewhurst Stakes next where he could up against the unbeaten City Of Troy.

If there was a Guineas contender in the line-up it could be runner-up Task Force. He’s bred to be a 3-year-old over 1m + and stayed on to snatch second from River Tiber.  He could also head to the Dewhurst and the extra furlong will suit. However, he looks more one for next season.

River Tiber was well positioned and had no excuses. As he showed in the Prix Morny previously when behind Vandeek that he needs further than 6f. He could now head to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Astro's King of the Cambridgeshire

There was a 5/2 favourite in Greek Order for the 34 runner Cambridgeshire Handicap. A crazy price for such a competitive race but he had shaped like he was Group horse in a handicap.  Sadly, for his backers he got no sort of run between the final two furlongs and winner Astro King had first run on him. Once in the clear Greek Order ran on well but couldn’t catch Astro King who got a perfect run close to the rail.  

It was a fine weight carrying performance from the top-weight who was giving the runner-up 17lb. That said if you ran that race ten times Greek Order wins it seven times. If you were on the runner-up, you will be bitterly disappointed punter.

Oviedo ran a stormer to dead heat for fourth with last year’s winner Majestic.  Given he was drawn low compared to those who finished around him it was good effort. As I thought he would be suited by the race. I was put off by his draw but it almost backfired. If he had been drawn high, I think he would have won.  

Majestic didn’t get the clearest of runs 2f and probably needs a bit further than 1m 1f these days.

Monday Review

When you have had the excitement and quality of Arc Day anything 24 hours later is going to look poor. In that respect Monday’s racing doesn’t let us down.

Hamilton Pointers:

Roger Varian has a 50 % win strike rate – 10 winners from 20 runners at Hamilton – in the past 5-years. He looks to have a good chance of short-priced double with Classic Times (3:40) and previous course winner Botanical (4:10).

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John