Plenty Of Winners

Hi all,

Inside today’s main piece I’m looking back at the weekend’s action.

A new week and I’m excited.  It’s just two days until the start of my favourite flat race meeting York’s Ebor Festival.

Hopefully the rain is going to stay away. Well, it certainly looks like it will until Friday anyway. There’s potentially some rain forecast for Friday and Saturday. However, it’s a bit too early at this stage to be certain how much the track will get.

For now, things are looking good on the Knavesmire. The going is good and so the meeting will finger’s crossed start on perfect flat racing ground.

After a dreadful start to the month, I was back among the winners this weekend with another two on Sunday.  It's just what I needed coming into Ebor week.

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Weekend Review

It’s fair to say that the racing in Britain & Ireland wasn’t of the quality that we’ll be seeing at York this week. That said we saw a couple of quality juvenile winners at the Curragh on Saturday. More on that pair in Tuesday’s column.

The race of the weekend wasn’t in Britain or Ireland though. It was across the channel at Deauville and the Prix Morny.

Prix Morny

Vandeek, trained by Simon & Ed Crisford, took the Deauville feature in a thrilling finish. The favourite Ramatuelle looked to have the race won when taking it up 1f out, but she was caught close home by the winner.

River Tiber who had missed work prior to the race was held up. He wasn’t as well positioned as the pair that finished in front of him but stayed on well to take third. He might have preferred quicker ground although I’m not sure the going was as testing as the official going description of very soft suggests. It was a decent effort by the colt who looks in need of 7f now.

The winner proved up to Group 1 standard in what looked an above average renewal of the race. Indeed, I would say it was the best 2-year-old Group 1 race we have seen this season.  He looks a speedy sort so hopefully connections will keep him to sprinting.

Newbury

Arrest beaten favourite in the Derby at Epsom returned to winning ways in Saturday’s Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes. The rain that arrived on Friday came out the right time for the colt. Frankie Dettori set out to make it a true stamina test and the well backed market leader and he duly as he ran out a comfortable winner.

Saturday’s success wasn’t in the strongest of races he’s got to be considered a live contender for next months the St Leger. Both the track and distance will suit him, but he will likely need good to soft or indeed soft to win the final English Classic.

Last year’s Group 2 Hungerford Stakes winner Jumby was a late non-runner in this year’s race.  That seemed to ease the way for favourite Chindit to gain a final success before heading to India to take up stallion duties.  

It wasn’t to be for favourite as his stablemate Witch Hunter came from last to collar New Endeavour inside the final furlong with Chindit back in third.

The winner proved he’s up to pattern company and take nothing away from him, but this was a weak Group 2.

Samurai cuts down grey rivals

Silver Samurai bounced back to winning ways to take the Grey Horse Handicap at Newmarket.He had shaped like he was returning to form on his previous start and the 6-year-old appreciated the drop into Class 4 company.

Ripon

Saturday’s feature race at Ripon was the Great St Wilfrid Handicap. Ripon’s most valuable race went the way of Sophia's Starlight.

The winner who had run well on her previous start at Goodwood when the saddle slipped made all in the group that headed far side. And she just enough in hand at the finish to hold off the late challenge of Summerghand.

The front two pulled nicely clear of the rest. The runner-up hit form at this time last season and he’s coming to boil once again. He will likely head to York for a 6f handicap that he won 12 months ago.

Wobwobwob, dropping back to 6f and in the first time visor did best of the smaller group that raced stand side but was no match for the first two. There's a 6f handicap to be won with him off his present mark on an easy surface.

More useful juveniles:

Just like last weekend we saw some useful juveniles in action on Friday & Saturday.

On Friday Miaharris overcame a slow start to power home in the Listed St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury. She only won by head but she didn’t get the best of runs 2f out so her win can be upgraded. She’s a smart juvenile sprinter who should stay 6f and can make her mark in Group company in the autumn.

Runner-up Majestic Beauty and third Tears Of Clown are both useful fillies and can win more races.

Curragh

The highlights of Saturday’s card at the Curragh were two juvenile Group 2 races.  Both race winners look excellent prospects.

Henry Longfellow

Aidan O’Brien has plenty of smart juveniles in his yard. Henry Longfellow is another to add to the list after his win the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh. His win gave O’Brien his eighth win in the race in the last ten years.

Henry Longfellow, a son of Dubawi out of seven time Group 1 winner Minding, ran out an easy winner of Saturday’s race.  It looks like the colt will head to Newmarket for the Dewhurst Stakes and not surprisingly he was cut for both next year’s 2,000 Guineas & Derby after this success.

He has a good chance of staying 1m 4f, his dam won the Oaks. However, he doesn’t lack gears so the first Colts Classic should be ideal for him if he trains on.

Vespertilio

Aidan O’Brien couldn’t gain a notable juvenile Group race double at the Curragh. As 13/8 favourite Pearls And Rubies could only finish 5^th to Vespertilio in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes.

Vespertilio runner-up to the O’Brien trained filly Yiang Ylang in a Group 3 at Leopardstown on her previous start, improved again to win Saturday’s race and looks the type to continue to do so.  Travelling powerfully in the rear, she cruised past her rivals 1f out in the manner of a high class filly and ran out a comfortable winner.

The Group 1 Moyglare Stakes over C&D is next up for the winner. She will likely face Yiang Ylang there and I wouldn’t be surprised if she reversed placings with her old rival.

Monday Preview

A dreadful day’s racing in truth. There’s only one race that interested that’s how good it is.

Catterick

4:10 – Recent Hamilton winner Borough will be tough to beat off the same mark as when successful in an apprentice race 7 days ago. He’s won two of his last three starts and this most likely winner.

Fortunate Star won at Nottingham (soft) in May and hasn’t been disgraced on either start since. Blinkers go on for the first time and if the headgear works, he shouldn’t be far away.

The one I like at the prices is High Opinion. The 4-year-old looked unlucky in the run when a 1 ¾ length 5^th of 7 at Ripon (soft) 13 days ago. Held up he didn’t get the best of runs inside the final furlong and would have gone closer to winning if he had done. He’s down to his last winning mark provided he’s as effective on drying ground has a good chance. It’s a low confidence selection but the 7/1 looks a bit of value if nothing else.

High Opinion – 7/1 – Gen.

In tomorrow’s column. I will be looking ahead to York’s Ebor Festival with stats preview of the meeting which will be worth reading.

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John