Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I look back at a sizzling Saturday of action across Britain & Ireland. Plus, I preview this afternoon’s Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar.
The sun was out, and it was the warmest day of the year at British racecourses on Saturday. It was great to see to some good crowds enjoying some excellent racing on fast but safe ground at Goodwood & York.
Watering again!
It pains me that I must keep revisiting the subject of watering flat racecourses. However, it reared its head again this weekend.
Get All of John's SelectionsWhen you Trial his Victor Value serviceJust £7 for 14 DaysClick Here for Immediate Access |
Haydock going was officially described as good to firm, good in places on Saturday. On times anyway the ground was closer to good. On the Thursday and Friday, it was good to firm. Yet it was much slower on Saturday due to watering.
The BHA directive is supposed to be, water to produce good to firm which I don’t have a problem with. Its not producing ground on the easy side of good which seems some courses want to produce for their showpiece meetings. Time for the BHA to get a grip on the tracks and enforce what is their own directive. I’m not holding my breath that they will though.
Sadly, the Curragh management also didn’t let nature take its course as regards the going. Despite not one race coming within two seconds of standard on the Friday evening card. The course decided to turn the taps on Friday night.
Why did they feel that they had to do it? There was no reason on welfare grounds for them to do it that’s for sure.
Anyway, back to the action on the track.
Curragh
Aidan O’Brien gained a twelfth Irish 2,000 Guineas courtesy of Paddington. The improving colt took another big step forward to gain a fourth career win in the first Irish colts Classic.
Hi Royal took the field along and his own pace and was only headed by Paddington inside the final furlong and then got a bump from the winner which probably cost him second.
Paddington only really opened-up in the final 110yds to put 2 lengths between himself and runner-up Cairo at the finish with Hi Royal having to settle for third.
The winner might have a head carriage that doesn’t appeal to the purists but there’s no doubt that he’s an uncomplicated ride and a tough sort. The heavily watered ground certainly didn’t inconvenience him either.
There will be more to come from Paddington as he steps up to 1m 2f. The manner of his win on Saturday screamed a horse needing further for me. It seems for now he will stay at a mile and take on Chaldean in the St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) would seem a perfect race for the colt, but that race is on Sunday and will come too quick for him.
It will be interesting to see how Paddington handles genuinely quick ground at Royal Ascot a surface he’s yet to race on.
The big disappointment of the race was 6/4 favourite Royal Scotsman. Supplemented for the race the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas third never picked up. Not sure whether it was the watered ground or something else was amiss. Whatever it was, he didn’t give his running.
Haydock
It was hard to make up ground from behind on the round track on Saturday afternoon. And there was also a notable draw bias on the straight course. Both Group 2’s on the card produced good winners.
No sweat for Frankie
Frankie Dettori got the fractions spot on to land the Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap on the well backed favourite Covey. The son of Frankel completed the hat trick in good style. Frankie quickly sent the colt to the front, and he wasn’t for catching. He was ridden like he had plenty in hand of his initial handicap mark. So, it proved, as he was a cut above some decent rivals.
Very effective on quick ground Covey looks likely to head to Royal Ascot for the Britannia Handicap over the mile. Or he could drop a furlong for the Group 3 Jersey Stakes. Whichever race he goes for he would need to be put on the shortlist.
Royal Cape ran on well from the rear to grab second close home. But on a day when it paid to race handily, he had no chance with the winner. The ground would have been plenty quick enough for him. He’s another who seems likely to head for the Britannia Handicap, but he’ll probably need easier ground.
Just Bring It didn’t get a run 1f out and close to the line otherwise he would probably have finished runner-up.
Bodorgan ran well on his seasonal reappearance/handicap debut to finish fifth. He starts the season on a decent mark and should win a handicap before too long.
Sandy Lane Stakes
Little Big Bear outclassed his rivals to win the first of the cards Group 2’s. Back sprinting and on a sound surface Little Big Bear was back to winning ways after poor run on soft ground in the 2,000 Guineas.
He was drawn on the favoured stand side for sure but was still far and away the best horse in the race.
The winner has a got a good change of gear for sprinter and he turned this race into a procession and was cut into 6/4 for the Commonwealth Cup by Paddy Power after this win but a more realistic 5/2 with Coral & Ladbrokes.
He’ll be tough to beat at Royal Ascot against his own age group. There will be tougher tasks ahead for him especially when he comes up against the old sprinters though.
Shouldvebeenaring ran on past tired rivals to take second. The third home Bradsell hasn’t grown much from two to three and didn’t build on a good Ascot reappearance. Cold Case who had beaten Bradsell at Ascot ran no sort of race. He was being pushed along 2f out and this run was too bad to be true.
Temple Stakes
As was the case in the Sandy Lane Stakes you had to be drawn on the stands side. In fact, the draw bias was even more marked here. The first four home were drawn 10, 13. 14 & 11.
As expected, Live In the Dream blazed a trail on the favoured stands rail. Dramatised got a good tow into the race from the leader. And as leader drifted slightly away from the rail the 3-year-old got a perfect seam though on the rail to win by a length.
The winner who has clearly trained on from two to three and should improve a bit more for this run. She’s a best priced 8/1 with Coral & Ladbrokes for the King Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Things won’t pan out as well as they did here but there’s no reason why she shouldn’t go well in the King Stand Stakes.
Top sprint juvenile The Platinum Queen might not have liked the quick ground on her seasonal return but more likely hasn’t trained on.
Last year’s runner-up and Kings Stand runner-up Twilight Calls disappointed for the second time this season. Given he likes a quick surface there were no obvious excuses for this lifeless run.
Apart form the winner the only other horse to catch my eye was the fifth home Mitbaahy. The 4-year-old was a progressive 5f sprinter on a sound surface last season. He was drawn in stall 3 here and made his effort towards the far rail. He had no chance from his position and in the circumstances this was a good effort. It would have been interesting to see how close he would have got to the winner if he had been drawn stands side.
Monday Preview
It’s a Bank Holiday and there are six meetings for punters to get stuck into today. There’s been much to talk in the racing media about the ‘premierisation’ of racing. It’s not a subject I have time to look at here, but I wonder when a Bank Holiday will ever see some high quality action. That said I’m probably being a bit harsh on today’s fare. For a Monday its ok.
The most valuable race is the Mayo National (6:30) at Ballinrobe which has €47,200 on offer to the winner. This side of the Irish Sea the best race is Redcar’s Zetland Gold Cup Handicap (4:00) which has £45,000 in guaranteed prize money. The latter race has a special place in my heart as it’s the first race meeting, I attended as a child with my dad.
The Zetland Gold Cup is one of those historic handicaps that has seen better days. Indeed, there’s slightly less prize money on offer than was the case 10 years ago. Considering inflation, it shows what a state the sport is in.
Redcar
4:00 – Racing TV Zetland Gold Cup Handicap
Andrew Balding saddled Good Birthday to win the race in 2021 and he has the bookies early bird favourite in recent Chester winner City Streak. The 4-year-old is just 2lb higher than when winning last time but the ground is going to be a lot quicker.
Mark Johnston won the race three times between 2012 & 2022 and son Charlie saddles previous C&D winner Pillar Of Hope. The lightly raced 5-year-old won over an extended mile at Beverley last month and off just 2lb higher should go close here.
Just one 3-year-old has run in the race since 2008. Oviedo is the sole representative of the classic generation in this year’s race. The colts standout piece of form is his 3 ¾ length 3rd of 9 to Chaldean in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York. He made a solid return to action in a Newcastle Listed race (1m) at Newcastle last month.
Turntable won twice at Newmarket last autumn for his previous trainer. Better was expected of the 7-year-old on his debut for a new yard at Newmarket last month. He’s better than he was able to show last time especially returned to a sound surface.
Cap Francais is a useful handicapper but not the most consistent. He has however dropped down to 1ln below his last winning mark (Turntable 12lb worse off today). Nicely treated if reviving but was last of 13 at Kempton on his return to action last month. He should be a lot shorter than 25/1 on last season’s winning form but is a 150/1 chance on his Kempton run.
Zetland Gold Cup Verdict:
City Streak & Pillar Of Hope both come into the race in winning form and are rightfully at the head of the betting. Of the pair my preference is for Pillar of Hope. The 3-year-old Oviedo is interesting stepped up in trip for his handicap debut. Cap Francais is the outsider of the nine runners but on a going day the 7-year-old is overpriced.
Monday Selection:
Redcar
4:00 – Pillar Of Hope.
In Tuesday’s column I will complete my review at the weekend’s action with a look back at Irish 1,000 Guineas Day.
Good luck with your Monday bets.
John