Hi all,

Inside today’s main piece I have some thoughts on the return of the Racing League. Plus, there are two future winners for the tracker and and ante post selections for the Goodwood Stewards Cup and St Leger.

Racing League: It’s back for another year

Some of us hoped that after just 7,935paying supporters turned up to watch last year’s Racing League fixtures that the stomach churning concept would be tossed into the bin of racing history. No such luck. Its back for a third year starting at Yarmouth on Thursday.  

A project clearly devised by halfwits with no true love of the game. People who have failed to understand the ingredients required to attract people to the sport, to consolidate their interest and lock them in for life.

There’s an interesting opinion piece in the Racing Post from Lee Mottershead on the Racing League.

What Lee doesn’t talk about and it’s something that puzzles me. How does this thing make any money?

I was surprised just how bad the ITV4 audience was with just an average of 88,000 viewers for each programme.

Ok so betting turnover on a Thursday will have increased but at the expense of other established fixtures during the period the Racing League takes place. 

It’s no coincidence that the weekend handicaps, just below Heritage level, had smaller, lower quality fields last year. All due to the Racing League garbage.

We already have a congested fixture list which has a negative impact of field sizes this trend didn’t need intensifying with concepts like the Racing League.

The really concerning thing for me is that an inevitable increase in attendances this time around, it won’t be worse than 2022 and probably slightly increased viewing ITV figures, will lead to calls for it to be given another chance in 2024. As ever only people with a vested interest in the worthless concept would want it repeating for another year.

Please let 2023 be the year the Racing League is finally put into the bin.

Future Winners

Some weeks it’s a struggle to find one horse for the tracker. Then there are other weeks when you could add ten horses.  Today’s its case of the former.

The first of today’s tracker horses ran at Hamilton on Friday.

Khunan – Richard Fahey

Khunan was a well backed 4/1 favourite to go one place better in Friday’s Scottish Stewards Cup. The 5-year-old had looked well treated off 4lb higher on his ½ length 2nd of 10 at Haydock previously.

A high draw wasn’t a positive and he raced away from the main action and had a to make a big move 2f out to get to the heels of the leaders. A career record of 1 win from 20 starts isn’t great but he can win a handicap when all the cards fall right.

I’m off to the Curragh for today’s final future winner which ran in the valuable Paddy Power Scurry Handicap.

Albasheer – Archie Watson

Albasheer seemed to take to the first time blinkers when a running on 3 length 11th of 27 to stablemate Saint Lawrence in Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot last time. 

He ran another very promising race on Saturday when a finishing a 5 ½ length 7^th of 20 to Strike Red. Dropped to the rear he made good headway 1f out but made his effort on the unfavoured far side. Not subjected a too hard race when his jockey realised he had no chance from his position. Lightly raced for a 5-year-old. He travelled through the race shaping like he’s on a good mark.

Saturday’s ground was the softest he’s encountered and although he seemed to handle it. I think he’s a better horse on a sounder surface. Granted he’s not won his juvenile racecourse debut but he’s only had eight starts since.

This should have set him up for a tilt at the Goodwood Stewards Cup. I was hoping the bookies may have eased him a bit after Saturday’s race but if anything, he’s been cut.

The 16/1 available with Bet365 & William Hill about Albasheer looks value to me.

Two others may be worth noting from the same race.

No More Porter was a 1 ½ length fourth in the Scurry and was racing from 2lb out of the handicap. Both his wins have come at the Curragh, and he’s suited to a big field handicaps. He probably needs further than 6f to get his head in front though.

Heavenly Power finished a 2 ¼ length fifth. Given he was racing from 8lb out of the handicap this was a mighty effort by the 5-year-old who was back to his best. Both his career wins have come at the Curragh (6f) and on soft ground.

St Leger Ante Post Selection:

Chesspiece, third in the Queen’s Vase, returned to winning ways in the Listed Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton on Friday evening.  And I have to say I was quite impressed by his success and more so than when he ran at Royal Ascot on his previous start. He's getting better with experience and away from really really quick ground looks a good stayer in the making.

He got his own way out in front but 1m 3f is a trip short of his best and he’ll be suited a by a return to further and to a more galloping track. 

Granted he’s got 5 ½ lengths to find with St Leger ante post favourite Gregory on their Queen’s Vase form but slightly easier ground will suit him better.

One of the first rules of ante post betting is to ensure that your selection is going to go for the race and Cheespiece is being aimed at the final English Classic.

Chesspiece is a best priced 20/1 with Sky Bet and a generally available 16/1 looks good to me.

Tuesday Preview

There are 34 races across Britain & Ireland on Tuesday and not one of the is worth more than £8,000 to the winner.

Ballinrobe

6:38 – Can't Stop Smiling has won her last two starts here latest of them coming 56 days ago. Both those successes have come over 2m/ 2m ½ f but today’s 2m 1f shouldn’t hold any terrors stamina wise. A 6lb rise doesn’t lack harsh especially as she’s back at a track she goes well at. She looks the most likely winner today, but her price will reflect that.

Chelmsford

7:50 – Tarbaan won a C&D handicap in December and can race off 2lb lower. The 4-year-old was a respectable enough 5 ½ lengths 4^th of 10 at Haydock last month and looks to have a good chance of returning to winning ways with Tom Marquand booked. At 5/1 or bigger he looks worth a play with few solid value opportunities.

Tuesday Selection:

When I started writing this column Tarbaan was 13/2. Three hours later he was a best priced 100/30. I’m not sure I will be a player at those odds.  Mind you it's possible that Can't Stop Smiling could drift out to a backable price. I have offered up a couple of ante post selections at value prices and they will do for today.

Good luck with your Tuesday bets.

John