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Thursday Fancy

Morning all,

The flat racing Champion Jockey crown is still up for grabs. William Buick rode a double at Nottingham yesterday with leader Osin Murphy failing to ride a winner. It means Murphy leads Buick by two. The pair are riding at Chelmsford and Buick has seven rides to Murphy’s six. It could be an interesting evening.

Inside today’s main piece you can read my thoughts on the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Plus, I have a selection from the Curragh.

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Wetherby Selection & Champion Sprint Preview

Morning all,

There was much froth produced about moving the Arc due to the heavy ground that seems to be the norm.  It’s something that’s been occasionally said about Champions Day. Now neither the Arc nor Champions Day are going to be moved from their slots in the racing calendar. Unlike Longchamp, Ascot does have the option of switching races on to the inner jumps track. However, that would only come into play if the meeting was in danger of being abandoned and rightly so.

Since the first Champions Day in 2011 seven of the fixtures have gone off on soft (6) and heavy (1). However, this year although the ground is presently being described as good to soft, soft in places on the straight course and soft, good to soft in places on the round track. The rest of the week is due to be mainly dry. Of course, this isn’t June so the going won’t end up being quick by Saturday but it will be much nicer than in recent seasons.

Inside today’s main piece I look forward to Champions Day. Plus, I have a selection from Wetherby.

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Cesarewitch Preview & Kempton Selection

Morning all,

Another sign that the winter jumps campaign is about to gain momentum is Exeter staging its first fixture of the season.

On Friday the momentum gathers pace. Chepstow's two-day ‘Persian War’ meeting is typically seen as the starting point of the winter season.

There’s still plenty of life left in the flat season though. On Friday Newmarket hosts Future Champions Weekend. Highlights of day one includes the Group 1 bet365 Fillies' Mile (3.35), the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes (1.50) and Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes (2.25). Add in the bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap (4:10) and you have the makings of an excellent seven race card.  ITV are covering five races from Newmarket, two from Chepstow and two from York on a bumper nine race programme.

It's even better on Saturday. All eyes again on the top two-year-olds at Newmarket, this time the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes (2.55). There’s also the big betting race of the week the second leg of the ‘Autumn Double’ the Cesarewitch (3.35).  There’s also another day of jump racing at Chepstow and York hosts it final fixture of the 2021 flat season.  You can see the best of the action from Newmarket & York on ITV.

The good racing doesn’t end on Saturday either. On Sunday the focus switches to Ireland. There’s action for fans of both codes of the sport. It’s the Ladbrokes Munster National (4.30) at Limerick and the Curragh hosts the Irish Cesarewitch (3.05).

Inside today’s main piece I begin my look ahead to the weekend’s big race action. Plus, I have a selection from Kempton.

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