Good morning all,
Just a week until my favourite of the summer festivals York’s Ebor meeting. Before all that there’s some decent action between now and Sunday.
The quality of racing starts to ratchet up from today. We have the start of Salisbury’s two-day August meeting with the Listed Upavon Fillies’ Stakes (4.15) the feature race of a six-race card.
There is more Listed action across the Irish Sea with the Hurry Harriet Stakes (5.35) at Gowran Park. It’s a race that has been dominated by Aidan O’Brien and Dermot Weld. The former has saddled the winner 5 times since 2011 and the latter 3 times.
Inside today’s main piece I start to look ahead to Saturday’s big races. Plus, I have a selection from Gowran Park.
Weekend Watch
Weather permitting, we have some good racing to look forward to this weekend.
On Saturday there’s an excellent card at Newbury, tith the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes (3.30). Preceded by Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2.20) and the Listed Denford Stakes (1.45).
It’s also Ripon’s biggest race day of the year. The feature race of a seven-race card is Great St Wilfrid Handicap (3:45) with £75,000 in guaranteed prize money.
Newmarket stages its traditional grey horse handicap (2:35) as part of a seven-race card. You can watch that race, the Great St Wilfrid, and the best of the action from Newbury on ITV4.
Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Ripon
The valuable William Hill sponsored Great St Wilfrid Handicap is the highlight of the garden racecourse‘s season. With a maximum field of twenty runners its normally a competitive contest and takes a bit of studying.
Horses either like the Ripon or hate it. There may be only minor undulations on the straight track but time and time again you see horses still struggle to handle them.
Here are few contenders for this year’s race:
The Contenders:
Two inform sprinters in Mr Wagyu and Desert Safari head the ante post betting. The first named is twice a C&D winner so no fears over the track for him. He’s been in the form of his life this year and last time out comfortably won the Goodwood Stewards Cup consolation race. He is 8lb higher now but goes from strength to strength and another big performance looks likely.
You don’t get many 3-year-old’s run in the race, just nine since 2010 with Don’t Touch winning in 2015. That one was trained by Richard Fahey, he also saddled Mayson to finish third in 2011. He could saddle Blind Beggar although he’s unlikely to get in the race. If he did he would have a great chance.
Boosala won both his juvenile starts but was off for 519-days before finishing a close-up 3rd of 6 in a minor race at Wolverhampton in December. Has another long absence to overcome but can run well fresh and has been gelded since his last start. A mark of 100 for his handicap debut could underestimate the William Haggas trained 4-year-old.
Staxton won the race 12 months ago off 4lb lower but he’s also won off just 1lb lower over C&D in April. Finished one place and ½ length behind Mr Wagyu in the Scottish Stewards Cup two starts back and gets a 9lb pull with that one on Saturday. However, he was 7 lengths behind his old rival at Goodwood. Back here expect things to be much closer, as the 6-year old's C&D form figures are 235111.
Wednesday Racing
Tuesday’s selection Gentlemen At Arms put in a good weight performance to win at Nottingham.
Salisbury
4:15 – British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies' Stakes (Listed Race) – 1m 2f
Technique ran Zeyaadah to a head in a Group 3 at Newcastle two starts back and then as well as could be expected when a 4 ½ 4th of 6 behind Lady Bowthorpe in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes last time. Looks up to winning a pattern race against her own sex.
Gloria Mundi a winner at Newbury on her racecourse debut in April. She improved again when running Eshaada to a neck at the same venue in a Listed race on her next start. Far too keen to do herself justice when only 7th of 13 in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes when last seen in action. Remains capable of better and the yard won this in 2015 & 2019.
Gowran Park
5:35 – Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hurry Harriet Stakes (Listed Race) – 1m 1f ½ f
I mentioned earlier, the dominance of Aidan O’Brien and Dermot Weld trained runners in this contest. Both trainers are double handed here and all four runners are contenders. The best of them could be Emaniya who looked up to Listed class when runner-up to the useful Mehnah at Killarney two starts back. Granted she was well beaten at Galway 15-days ago but she may not have handled the very soft ground and/or the track that day. Preference is for the improving filly So I Told You. A three-time winner this year, including C&D two starts back. The 4-year-old put in a career best effort when a 1 ¾ length 3rd of 9 at Sligo 7-days ago. Looks worth a try at this level and is one of three Joseph O’Brien trained runners.
Wednesday Selection:
Gowran Park
5:35 – So I Told You – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Good luck with your Wednesday bets.
John
John Burke is the tipster behind the long standing Victor Value service you can join him here – https://victorvalue.uk