Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I look ahead to the best of Friday’s action.
In truth there’s not much to get enthused about quality wise but it’s that point in the season between Goodwood & York and we had a Racing League fixture on Thursday evening
If you’re getting as excited as me about the Shergar Cup, ok excited may be too strong a word. Well, we have six races with ten runners, all the races look competitive contests, with nearly £40,000 on offer to the winners. What’s not to like from a betting perspective.
The declarations for this year’s competition came out on Thursday. I mentioned I was keeping any Jessica Harrington runners onside. Well two of her three entries are set to run and I’m hoping she’ll be able return to Ireland with a winner.
There also plenty of runners from the Andrew Balding, William Haggas and Roger Varian yards.
Friday Preview
The best quality race on Friday is the Listed Churchill Stakes (7:00) at Tipperary. As for the rest of today’s sport both sides of the Irish Sea its mostly Class 4 handicaps or lower.
“Brighton Bullet” Handicap (4:00) is one of the most popular races run at Brighton during its flat season and it’s the feature race on the final day of it’s three day summer festival. There’s just £10,808 on offer which shows just how bad the prize money is at the south coast track.
A short but hopefully sweet main piece begins with the Tipperary feature.
Tipperary
7:00 – Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes (Listed Race) – 7 ½ f
A fascinating 2-year-old contest where three of the seven runners hold Group 1 entries. Deepone made it 2-2 when winning at Killarney last month. Both wins have come on a sound surface, but his sire had winning form on soft ground. He looks a smart prospect and the one to beat.
Breman, a full brother to Ribblesdale winner Warm Heart, built on racecourse debut promise when winning a Killarney maiden 25 days ago. Open further improvement and the type to make up into a 3-year-old.
Warnie wasn’t disgraced when 9th of 16 in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his racecourse debut. Comfortably won a Bellewstown maiden 35 days ago and likely remains capable of better.
Brilliant the sole filly in the line-up has improved with each of her three starts and was too good for 12 rivals when winning a Leopardstown maiden (soft) 15 days ago. A half sister to four time Group 1 winner Alcohol Free she should be bang there at the finish.
Brighton
4:00 – The likelihood of a strong pace will suit Granary Queen who was just beaten a nose here yesterday. The cheekpieces return and although the mare has yet to win below 7f (0-6). The forecast end to end gallop will suit her.
Antiphon's sole visit to Brighton resulted in a handicap win (5 ½ f) 12 months ago. The 4-year-old bounced back to form when 2 length 3rd of 13 in the Fitzdares Sprint Series Final at Windsor on Monday. Drops a couple of notches in class here and a reproduction of his latest effort would see him go close.
Friday Selection:
Grey Fox wasn't the best away and would have gone close to winning at Sandown on Thursday evening. But hopefully some of you were on Defence of Fort. There was double figure odds about the 3-year-old last evening who was racing in the first time hood. I said I wanted 10/1 to get involved but I have to confess I ignored my own advice and backed him at 9/1 in the morning. It often pays to be flexible odds wise especially when your dealing with a mere point.
I’m heading to Brighton for today’s selection in the “Brighton Bullet”.
Brighton
4:00 – Antiphon – 6/1 @ Coral.
Good luck with your Friday bets.
John