Hi all,
A week of high class racing began with the Group 1 Coral Eclipse on Saturday.
I’m back in festival mode next week with Newmarket’s July Festival getting underway on Thursday. Everything culminates on ‘Super Saturday’ when the Group 1 July Cup along with the John Smith’s Cup at York are the highlights of a mammoth 11 race programme on ITV on Saturday afternoon.
Inside today’s main piece I look back at the highlights from Saturday’s action at Sandown & Haydock.
There were just four runners for Saturday’s Group 1 Coral-Eclipse. Clearly a small field is never ideal but small fields have tended to be the norm.
I can remember when Pebbles beat thre rivals to win in 1985 and St Mark's Basilica also faced the same number of rivals when successful in 2021. Indeed, you have to go back to 2009 for the last time there was a double figure line-up when Sea The Stars beat nine rivals.
I’m biased but the mid to late 1980s were a golden period for the race:
In 1985 Pebbles became the first filly to win the race.
Dancing Brave demolished high class field in 1986.
Mtoto won the race in 1987 and retained his crown in 1988.
And Derby winner Nashwan dropped back to 1m 2f to beat five rivals in 1989.
I think this year's renewal produced a a really good winner.
The Bear Gives Rivals The Stare
This year’s renewal got the ‘clash of the generations’ with Irish 2,000 Guineas & St James’ Palace winner Paddington taking on Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn.
It was a smart move by connections of outsider West Wind Blows to keep the gelding in the race. The 4-year-old would pick up £40,000 for doing nothing more than finish and £80,000 if he could beat a rival. Nice work if you can get it.
It looked a two horse race on paper but also a tactical one. And in a tactical race who do you want in the saddle but Ryan Moore.
There was late money on the exchanges for Paddington and once more that late support proved significant.
The race turned out to be the clash that we hoped for. Paddington in receipt of 7lb from Emily Upjohn found plenty in the closing stages to hold off the filly in cracking finish. And to be fair the winner was always holding the runner-up in the closing stages. His head carriage isn’t visually pleasing but he’s not ungenuine far from it.
To Emily Upjohn’s credit she gave her all. She’s better over 1m 4f and the winner just had to much speed/class for her over 1m 2f.
Where do the ‘lads’ go next with Paddington?
They could drop him back to a mile for the Sussex Stakes or keep him at 1m 2f for the International Stakes at York. My suspicion is that they will go to Goodwood.
Paddington clearly stands up to his racing very well and just seems to be getting better and better with racing. He could stay 1m 4f but if we do ever see him at that trip its likely to be in the Breeders’ Cup Turf around a bend at Santa Anita which would suit him ideally.
Earlier on the Sandown card
Equality was always to the pace in a race and ran out a decisive winner of the Coral Charge. A comfortable winner of a Windsor handicap under 10-4 on his previous start. Highly tried earlier in his career the 5-year-old had always threatened to make his mark in a Group sprint over the minimum trip.
Marshman was sent off the 3/1 favourite. He was slowly away and could never get into the race from the rear. Even considering his slow start this was a disappointing effort by the 3-year-old who doesn’t seem to have trained on.
Mystic Pearl was the lowest rated of the fillies in the Listed Coral Distaff but she improved from out of the blue to win the race. Prior to the race she had looked exposed and not surprisingly she was sent off an unconsidered 22/1. Stenton Glider had set out to make the running and to her credit she gamely held off several challengers but had no answer to winners final thrust.
Poptasic Oaks Performance
It wasn’t all about Sandown, though. Up on Merseyside the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks and the historic Old Newton Cup Handicap were the highlights of a good Haydock card.
The forecast heavy thundery showers didn’t arrive in time for the feature races.
Poptronic was better positioned than favourite Sea Silk Road in the Lancashire Oaks and that proved decisive close home. It looked like the favourite was coming with a winning run inside the final furlong, but she had made her effort from much further back and Poptronic rallied when headed to win by a neck.
The quick ground meant there were six non-runners in the Old Newton Cup including favourite La Yakel.
Those non-runners completely changed the complexion of the race.
They crawled in the early stages and the eventual winner Wootton’Sun was always well placed just behind the leader. Joe Fanning sent him to the front 2f out and runner-up Scampi never looked like he would catch him.
Joe’s riding as well as ever
It was an excellent ride from winning jockey Joe Fanning. In the twilight of his career but he’s riding as well as ever. He probably won’t be crowned Champion Jockey this season but he’s not far behind William Buick in second place and if you had backed all his rides this flat season you would have made a £61.01 profit to a £1 level stake.
Nothing got into the race from behind and it proved a disappointing renewal. Mind you if you were on the winner, you wouldn’t have cared.
Hollie At Sandown
Hollie didn’t ride Sandown at all well on Saturday and it prompted me to look at her record at the track. Prior to Saturday’s racing she’d had just 7 winners from 90 runners 8% -49.21 5 placed 28%.
For a jockey of Hollie’s quality that’s a poor win strike rate. Especially when you compare her to her peers.
It’s something worth noting for future meetings at Sandown.
Monday Preview
I didn’t get much right on Saturday. I’m struggling in the big field handicaps which have been my bread and butter races in the past and something that I need to rectify. Mind you I’m gearing myself up for Newmarket’s July Festival. So hopefully I will be back to winning ways later this week.
On a quiet start to the week the best of today’s action is at Ayr.
Ayr
I mentioned above how well Joe Fanning is riding and he’s got five booked rides at the Scottish track this afternoon. The two that interest me most are his rides for Linda Perratt – Judgment Call (4:40) and The Caltonian (5:15).
Fanning made all to win on Judgement Call over C&D in May. The 5-year-old hasn’t been disgraced in better races on his last two starts and is back in Class 5 company today with Joe back in the saddle once more. Provided the ground isn’t too soft he should give his backers a good run for their money.
Lightly raced 4-year-old The Caltonian put in a much improved performance when a ½ length 2nd of 9 on handicap debut over C&D 16 days ago. He’s been nudged 1lb but must have a good chance of going one place better in the last.
Worcester
Brian Hughes & Richard Hawker don’t combine every often, but the pair are 1 winner from 2 runners, 2 places when they have done. They team up with Gastara in the 5:25. I think this one will either go very close or totally bomb out. Looking at the 18 race maidens profile you would say its most likely to be the latter. However, the 8-year-old does have bits of form that suggest he’s well treated for a return to hurdles.
Monday Selection:
Ayr
4:40 – Judgement Call.
Good luck with your Monday bets.
John