Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece, you can read my thoughts on Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap.
York’s Ebor Festival
We’re less than a week away from my favourite summer racing meeting, York’s Ebor Festival. Four days of top-class action get underway on the Knavesmire on Wednesday. I love York. It’s one of my local tracks, its well-run with good prize money and a great place to enjoy a day’s racing. I’m likely to go for one of the four days, but I haven’t decided which one yet.
I have already started my look at the Ebor Festival races, and I’m genuinely excited about what’s coming up. For trainers and punters, the biggest question is whether the dry weather will hold in the lead-up to the meeting and during it. According to the Norwegian weather app I consult, not much rain is forecast—just 5mm up to Tuesday and 6mm between Wednesday and Friday. However, the usual caveat applies to anything forecast weather-wise in Britain beyond three days.
Stonehenge Numbers: Another Nail in Salisbury’s Pattern Race Coffin
Just three runners were declared for yesterday’s Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury, and one of them was the Aidan O’Brien-trained The Parthenon. You might think some trainers would have looked to pick up easy prize money for their juveniles a week before York. Not on this occasion. With £40,000 in guaranteed prize money, you can’t really criticize Salisbury racecourse on this occasion.
Clearly, good to firm, and most likely closer to firm ground, hasn’t helped the numbers. If you have a nice 2-year-old running at a mile as a 2-year-old, they are likely bred to be better as a 3-year-old. Why would you risk a nice juvenile on that ground? I certainly wouldn’t if I had a decent one, that’s for sure. Trainers are taking a long-term approach as they seek to avoid injuries.
I believe the race used to be run later in the month but was moved a few years ago at the behest of the BHA. So maybe the race should take place at the end of the month rather than in the middle as it is now. One thing for certain, having three runners in the Stonehenge Stakes is another step towards no Pattern races at Salisbury.
Looking Ahead to the Weekend
In yesterday’s column, I previewed Saturday’s Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. Today, my attention turns to Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap.
Ripon: William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap
The Great St Wilfrid Handicap, run over six furlongs, is named after St. Wilfrid, the patron saint of Ripon. As one of the highlights of the racing calendar at Ripon, the handicap normally attracts a competitive field of sprinters and often produces close and exciting finishes.
Here are a few contenders at the front of the ante-post betting. The sponsors have last year’s runner-up, Summerghand, as the 7/1 favorite. Beaten a head 12 months ago, the 10-year-old can now race off an 8lb lower mark.
Dare To Hope (10/1), a recent eye-catcher for me when finishing 4th of 14 at York two starts back, finished in front of Summerghand in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood last time. He wasn’t seen to best effect at Goodwood and has winning form over C&D.
Korker (10/1) finished two places in front of Dare To Hope at York, proving his stamina for 6f. However, he normally hampers his chance with a slow start.
Kitai (12/1) bounced back to winning ways at Goodwood 18 days ago. She’s up 3lb but remains on a competitive mark based on past form.
Chepstow winner Manila Scouse, who needs softish ground, and Ramazan & Rock Opera, stablemates of Dare To Hope, are in the mix. As are Supreme King, Ingra Tor, and Secret Guest. The latter is trained by Bryan Smart, who won this race in 2016.
Thursday Racing
The Racing League caravan rolls into Windsor this evening. However, the most interesting race is the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (3:25) at Deauville. The race sees the return to action of Economics, who has been off the track since his impressive success in the Dante at York in May.
Outside of the Racing League, Thursday’s most valuable races are the Red God Handicap (5:10) at Dundalk, which has €29,500 on offer to the winner, and the British EBF Premier Fillies Handicap (4:40) at Salisbury.
Dundalk
5:10 – Despite the good prize money on offer, just nine have been declared for this year’s Red God Handicap. The Michael Halford & Tracey Collins training partnership has a couple of contenders in Slieve Binnian and Ameerat Jumaira. Both are very effective on the surface. Indeed Slieve Binnian is a dual C&D winner and unbeaten in three starts at Dundalk.
Golden Twilight was trained by Michael Halford when winning this race in 2022. However, he needs to bounce back from some underwhelming runs on turf.
Shamwari won a maiden over C&D last summer and has the form to be competitive on handicap debut.
Squire Danagher was back to form when a close-up 3rd of 8 at Navan last month and is 2 from 4 at Dundalk. He’s one to strongly consider in what’s an intriguing race despite the small field.
Thursday’s ‘Lay or Play’
Wednesday’s qualifier Sergeant Mayer was sent of the 9/4 favourite but got hampered on the rail and finished 7th of 9. Those who backed the 3-year-old into favouritism weren’t aware of the trainers record with last time out handicap winners.
There’s one Thursday’s ‘Lay or Play’ qualifier.
Good luck with your Thursday bets.
John