Tag: York

York Friday Preview

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John Gosden came to our rescue again on Thursday when Eastern Belle won the Listed race at Newbury. Unfortunately his runner in the handicap could not land the double but the early 7-2 was enough to keep our noses in front.

It is all about quantity rather than quality at York on Friday with the usual mixture of maiden races and wide open handicaps. Not surprisingly, the top yards are keeping their powder dry for Royal Ascot next week.

There are still some promising types on show in the mile and a quarter three-year-old handicap at 2.30 and preference is just for Richard Hannon’s Tabreek. The chestnut colt has only raced twice, following up his promising debut run at the Craven meeting with a victory at Newmarket the following month.

He was forced to battle hard to fend off the persistent challenge of Venezia by a neck but both look capable of winning their share of races. The early money has been for Luca Cumani’s Newmarket winner Connecticut who is an obvious threat while Arabian Comet is on a hat-trick after winning a couple of minor contests.

True Pleasure looks generously priced as she bids for a hat-trick in the 3.40 race. She is one of four last time out winners in the field and ought to be well exposed at the age of seven. However, I liked the style of her win at Catterick last time and she is worth a bet at double-figure odds.

The big danger is probably Dusky Queen who represents the Richard Fahey – Ryan Moore combination. She is already a course and distance winner although she had precious little to spare.

The pick of the action over at Sandown is the fillies handicap at 3.15 with Token Of Love expected to make up for her Newbury defeat. It was a messy race won by Aertex and she will not have been suited by the slow early pace. The field spread across the track when the pace quickened and she was doing all of her best work at the finish.

The danger here is the improving Ghinia who bolted up at Newmarket despite hanging away from the whip. The handicapper has put her up 8lbs and that may just be enough to give Token Of Love the edge.

Tabreek 2.30 York at 11-2 BetBright

True Pleasure 3.40 York at 11-1 Bet Victor, Coral

Token Of Love 3.15 Sandown 11-8 Stan James

York Friday Preview

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It has been a tough week at York and yesterday’s Dante result hardly clarified the Epsom Derby picture. Supporters of True Story have to be disappointed with his third place effort and they finished in a bit of a heap. Arod is probably the horse to take out of the race but perhaps he is more of a St Leger candidate than a Derby horse. His free running style in the early stages and his tendency to take a while to hit top gear will count against him on the Surrey track.

The third and final day of a long week looks like a red-letter day for Sir Michael Stoute. He has four runners, all with leading chances. Arab Spring should get the ball rolling in the handicap at 2.15. It is true that he is up 11lbs for his facile Doncaster victory but Sir Michael has entered him for the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes. He has followed a similar route with his lightly-raced older horses in the past and Arab Spring shapes like a potential Group horse.

Next up is Gospel Choir in the Yorkshire Cup. He was most impressive when sweeping to victory in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket where his victims included last year’s Irish Derby winner Trading Leather. Pether’s Moon was second and he ran another solid race last week.

The toughest rival will be Tac De Boistron who breezed home at Ascot in the Sagaro Stakes. The form may be questionable as neither Simenon nor Harris Tweed appeared to run their races. Even so, he is a proven Group 1 stayer and must be feared.

Radiator was hyped beyond belief after winning a maiden at Lingfield by 15 lengths. Admittedly that is a rare occurrence but she was way too short at 11-10 for the Newmarket race won by Miss France from Lightning Thunder. Radiator was fourth but that form does not look too dusty after the 1-2 filled the same places in the 1000 Guineas!

The final leg of the Stoute four-fold is Mairise in the closing handicap over a mile and a half. The bare form is nothing to write home about but she was staying on strongly at Yarmouth last time over two furlongs shorter than she faces tomorrow. There aren’t many Stoute horses running with a handicap mark in the low seventies and the son of Authorized should be up to the task.

Arab Spring 2.15 York at 11-8 Paddy Power

Gospel Choir 2.45 York at 9-2 William Hill

Radiator 3.15 York at 9-2 William Hill

Mairise 5.00 York at 2-1 William Hill, Bet365

York Thursday Preview

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The opening day of the York Dante meeting proved tough going with That Is The Spirit saving our bacon in the 3.50. Regardez did finish in front of Cambridge but was only good enough to take third in the Musidora, a race which looked anything but an Oaks trial.

The Dante does not look likely to have much impact on the Derby picture unless something wins by a street. The prime candidate to do that is True Story, the mount of Keiren Fallon. The form of the Feilden Stakes is patchy and I was very disappointed with Somewhat at Chester last week. Even so, he did win by seven lengths so he is entitled to be hot favourite here.

You could argue that Arod has similar credentials in that he pulled hard but still won easily at Windsor. However, he beat little and this is a shot in the dark. Bunker’s form received a boost with the French Guineas last weekend and he is not out of it, although the Hannon horses seem to need a run so far this season. The only sensible policy is to sit this one out.

For my main bet on the card I’m going for the unlucky Spring Cup runner-up Spa’s Dancer in the Hambleton Handicap. At seven-years-old he is not likely to be improving but he may well have caught Gabrial’s Kaka at Newbury with a clear run. Haggas throws a spanner in the works with the un-raced pair Queensberry Rules and Fury, either of whom could win on their best form.

The Middleton Stakes is also a bit of a puzzle. I was a keen supporter of The Lark last season and took 33-1 each-way in the Oaks (third) and backed her to win at Doncaster. She has a liking for soft ground but this looks on the sharp side first time out.

Secret Gesture may have been flattered by her 10 lengths Lingfield Oaks Trial win last season and her second at Epsom may have been as good as she is. Thistle Bird is probably the form choice but has not run this season while Gifted Girl may step up on her Newmarket third. It’s a tricky one but we’ll side with Gifted Girl at an each-way price.

I would probably have as much chance of finding the winner of the opening sprint with a sharp pin but Top Boy ran well enough at Chester to warrant support.

Top Boy 1.45 York at 12-1 Bet365

Gifted Girl 2.15 York at 6-1 Paddy Power

Spa’s Dancer 3.15 York at 13-2 Totesport

York Wednesday Preview

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The Dante meeting starts at York on Wednesday with a very competitive card. The big race itself is looking likely to be something of a damp squib after Roger Varian’s curious decision to sidestep the race with Kingston Hill.

I’d have thought it was an ideal stepping-stone to Epsom after his eighth place in the 2000 Guineas. You could excuse him for finding it all happening too quickly at Newmarket and it is too early to rule him out of Derby calculations. Unfortunately it seems we will have no further opportunities to assess his chances.

Tomorrow’s classic clues are provided by the Musidora Stakes with the once-raced Cambridge being the one in the Oaks frame. She did look a class act when accounting for Regardez last season at Nottingham but I am just a bit concerned by the form of the Charlie Hills stable after Chester. I fancied several of his runners there but he drew a blank, something that his father rarely did at the Roodeye. I’m going to side with Regardez each-way as she looks a game filly who should at least stick on for a place.

Rye House seems to be all the rage in the opener but I’m equally concerned by the fact that most of the Stoute horses have needed a run. He won well here last season but never made it back to the track. Tres Coronas was a good winner at Chester but is running under a penalty and it could be worth a little on Hi There who was in front of him at Epsom.

Royal Rascal caught my eye running on well on his last run for Tim Easterby and could be a better bet than stable companion Fast Shot. Blaine could be interesting if he is back to his Gimcrack form of a couple of seasons ago but he has a poor draw to overcome.

I kept faith in Moviesta last season and was eventually rewarded at Goodwood after a couple of near-misses in big handicaps. He shaped well at Newmarket behind Sole Power and is my selection in the Duke Of York. Jack Dexter is the one to beat on form but the ground may be drying out.

In the fifth race I like the look of That Is The Spirit who won with plenty in hand at Doncaster from Provident Spirit. The runner-up won well at Newmarket but I cannot see the form being turned around on just 3lbs different terms.

Hi There 1.45 York at 12-1 Ladbrokes

Royal Rascal 2.15 York at 11-1 William Hill

Regardez 2.45 York at 9-1 BetVictor

Moviesta 3.15 York at 6-1 Bet365

That Is The Spirit 3.50 York at 4-1 BetVictor

Racing Preview Saturday 12th October

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Graphic (tipped at 5-1) more than made up for a disappointing run from Dungannon at York on Friday. There are more big fields at Newmarket and York and Newmarket on Saturday to tempt punters but there are a couple of two-year-olds that catch my eye.

The first is Richard Fahey’s Rufford who goes in the Rockingham Stakes at York. A winner here back in June, the son of Invincible Spirit disappointed at Pontefract on his next outing behind Cool Bahamian. He first caught my eye when running on strongly after a slow start in the valuable sales race here in August.

He was a well-backed 6-1 shot that day and flew home in fifth place behind Haikbidiac. Plenty of winners have come out of that race since, notably Nezar, Green Door, Ventura Mist and Morning Post. He was allowed to start at 20-1 for the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury but raced right up with the pace and plugged on when challenged on all sides. In the end, he only gave best by three-quarters of a length to stable companion Supplicant.

He holds Figure Of Speech on that form and is clearly the one to beat. The lightly-raced Outer Space could be the main danger but 4-1 looks a good price with BetVictor.

My second selection is Lightning Thunder in the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket. This filly has always been held in high regard by Olly Stevens and has around 12lbs in hand on her rivals tomorrow. She followed up her debut win by scrambling home at Doncaster but she showed how good she is in the Oh So Sharp Stakes.

She looked to have the race won when she was sent to the front over a furlong out by Harry Bentley but Miss France arrived late on the scene to beat her by a head. Lightning Thunder was left a bit high and dry in front on Newmarket’s wide open spaces and may have idled slightly but it was still a good effort. The winner is the new favourite for the 1000 Guineas and it will be disappointing if Lightning Thunder cannot win tomorrow.

Rufford 4-1 BetVictor

Lightning Thunder 5-6  Stan James, Totesport

York Friday Preview

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Graphic makes a quick reappearance for William Haggas in a competitive race at York tomorrow after his fine fourth in the Cambridgeshire. The four-year-old was boldly ridden from the front by Frankie Dettori but could not sustain the gallop in the closing stages. Even so, it was a decent effort in one of the toughest handicaps of the season and he looks to have a great chance off just a 3lb higher mark on Friday.

Ryan Moore has been booked to take the ride and I would expect him to be ridden with a little more restraint. The early stages could be crucial from his stall 16 draw but hopefully Moore can settle him in just behind the leaders. He certainly looked progressive in his previous race when winning a valuable race on the all-weather at Kempton and I would expect him to go off shorter than the early 5-1.

Dangers include Luca Cumani’s Rockalong who chased home Brownsea Brink at Newmarket and Levitate who was part of Oisin Murphy’s four-timer at Ayr last month. The young apprentice is being carefully managed by Andrew Balding in the hope that he will derive as much benefit as possible from his 5lb claim. He gave us a winner last week with a fine ride on Ballinderry Boy and could be back in the headlines on Friday with five booked rides.

Dungannon could certainly go close in the sprint at 2.30 following victories at Ascot and Haydock. Despite being up 5lbs for his latest win, there is every prospect of the six-year-old improving again. Unusually for a horse that had won his previous outing, Dungannon wore blinkers for the first time at Haydock and won more impressively than at Ascot. It could be that he still has another victory in him and he looks good value at 7-1 or thereabouts.

Murphy rides Van Percy for Balding in the 4.15 but this one looks tricky to win with. He scraped home at Haydock in the summer but generally does not find a great deal off the bridle. It would not surprise me to see him coasting up to the leaders early in the straight but I’d rather invest in Luca Cumani’s Elhaame. He ran well in a decent race at Ascot last time, his first attempt at this trip. He could still be improving and 5-1 looks a reasonable bet on a typically competitive end of season card.

Dungannon (2.30 York) 7-1 Ladbrokes

Graphic 5-1 (3.05 York) 5-1 Ladbrokes

Elhaame 5-1 (4.15 York) 5-1 William Hill, Bet365