Ground looks ok at York.  I am only having a few interest bets on today.  A bit of fun only.  I just saw the Lowther Stakes Group 2, won by a game effort, Fairyland who went off as just about favourite, made about all the running, she was probably just headed about 1f out, but rallied well to get up on the line to win by a nose.

Ryan Moore was at his best on her, it may well give the Ballydoyle horses a boost, as it was not great yesterday, a few of the yard horses have ran below expectation over the last month or so.  Broome was probably not good enough yesterday, he was only 6th in the Acomb Stakes, but was not that quick away from the stalls, plus he wants further than the 7f, I think.

I may have an interest each way on Seniority at York.  He won well last time, and looks progressive, he has Ryan Moore on top, and at around 13/2, he is appealing.

The winning display by Roaring Lion yesterday at York, was very impressive.  His trainer did not need to run Cracksman, the way Roaring Lion won, he is ahead of anything over 10f, he does like fast/good ground, he may not beat Cracksman on slow ground, if they meet.  I did think Saxon Warrior could be in the frame, he ran a good race to be 4th, but he has not developed into the horse he threatened to be when running away with the 2,000 Guineas in May.

A fair amount of rain forecast today across the U.K., so I will be waiting for a few hours to see how the ground is affected.

Well a good days racing ahead.  The York feature race is the Juddmonte International Stakes Group 1.  It looks like being a cracker, Poet’s Word, Roaring Lion, Saxon Warrior and Latrobe! Picking the one out of them, I do think Without Parole races a bit too keen to win over 10f, but respect trainer John Gosden for having a go, he obviously thinks he will stay the trip.  If I have a bet, it will be Saxon Warrior each way.  He has done little wrong, he probably did not stay in the Derby, then ran a good race over in Ireland, over 12f, then a cracking run in the Eclipse, only just beaten that day when second to Roaring Lion.  The last time I was at York was when Sakhee won the same race by 7 lengths, I had a real good bet on him that day, he was a really good horse for Godolphin.

I do like two horses today at York, problem is they are in the same race !

Todays meetings look quite tricky.  A few races look as though it is hard to oppose the favourite, Brighton has a few races that look as though favourites can win, although Brighton is quite a unique track.  A large number of horses simply do not act on the many undulations of the track, plus it can get very firm.  Talking of favourites, Stratum is not certain to get in on Saturday at York, he is current favourite for the big £300,000 Ebor Handicap.  I think three need to come out for him to be sure to get a run.  I would like to see Iain Jardine’s horse Nakeeta run well again.  He won it last year and ran well at Newbury on his latest run.  Iain was pleased with that run, as he said he usually takes a few runs to reach his best form, he has a big weight, draw will be important.

Pretty Pollyanna was a good winner yesterday in Deauville.  Hope followers may of backed her.  I did mention her yesterday and did think she had a favourites chance of winning.

Following the good form of the Michael Bell stable has paid off today.  I advised my subscribers to back Porcelain Girl this morning at 9/1, each way.  She WON under a hold up ride from Jamie Spencer in the 2:20 at Leicester.  Nice priced winners are always a bonus.

A few horses entered later in the week that I have been waiting for, hopefully ground conditions will be ok for them.  This week is a great week for keen racegoers, the York meeting is a fantastic week, some really good horses entered.  The race I like best is the Juddmonte International Group 1 over 10f,  a really strong field entered for this years feature race on Wednesday.  Poet’s Word, Cracksman, Benbatl and Thunder Snow all rated in the 120’s take on the top 3 year olds, who are well represented by Roaring Lion, Saxon Warrior and Irish Derby winner Latrobe is entered as well.  It could well be a cracking race, picking the winner will not be easy, as all of the horses mentioned have realistic claims of winning.

Pleased to find a couple of WINNERS yesterday.  Gunmetal who was 16/1 when I advised as my each way bet at Ripon, was a cosy winner.  He was backed in to 10/1.  Sir Prancealot won well in the big race at Newbury as well, he is ready to move up from Group 2 level into the Group 1 races.  His biggest for his connections is finding a Group 1 race over his best distance of 7f.

I did back Gunmetal at 16s, so a good day.  Another winner I backed was Sextant, who is owned by the Queen, I’m not sure who named him!

Today has some good racing in France.  Two meetings in the U.K. and Tramore in Ireland.  At Deauville 2:45, Pretty Pollyanna takes on the colts today.  She was a good winner at Newmarket last time, she will need to be at the top of her game today, to beat a strong field, although she has a favourites chance.

Looking at Ripon card today.  The big handicap at 3:15 has 20 runners.  My each way bet at 16/1 is Gunmetal, the race is wide open so a large slice of luck is needed.  But Gunmetal has a decent draw, good jockey on top and his shrewd trainer will have the horse in good shape , he ran ok last time in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood.  The big race at Newbury today is the Group 2 Ladysford Stud Hungerford Stakes.  Any rain will help Breton Rock, it is a competitive race, Sir Dancealot has a penalty for a recent success, he likes to come late and likes passing horses, he is ridden by vastly experienced French jockey Gerald Mosse, if I was having a bet in the race it would be him.

Just been reading an article by Tom Kerr in Friday’s racing post.  He thinks the British Horseracing Authority were lenient on Rebecca Bastamin, basically he thinks a £5000 fine was not enough, ok her father gave one of her winners a Haemo 15 injection( on race day), I commented on it yesterday on my blog.

Judging by what Rebecca told the BHA, at the inquiry, she has very little money, so a fine of £5000 is very steep.  A number of years ago Rebecca spent the winter in Dubai working for Godolphin for about 5-6 months, she was at our Al Quoz stables.  What I can remember of her, was a very hard working girl, who was keen on learning the way everything worked in Dubai, which is very similar to USA.  The horses train every day on the track, as is the norm in America.   She seemed a nice quiet girl, who wanted to learn as much as she could about all aspects of the job.

I don’t know Tom Kerr and I don’t think he knows Rebecca very well.  I hope she can put things behind her, and move forward.  Hopefully she can keep training winners. Training is pretty tough, you need decent horses, and staff to be successful. Getting paid your training fees every month,  is the biggest issue the majority of trainers have, the BHA need to do something to help with that problem.  No doubt Rebecca will miss her father being around the yard, I am sure he has been a huge help to her since handing over the license, granted he made a mistake giving the horse an injection on race day, but this man has been a grafter all his life, who obviously loves the racing game, to ban him for 3 years is very harsh, as I see it.

Plenty of racing today.  I will try and put a free each way tip on later, with a bit of luck I can find something that will be in the mix at good odds.

On Tuesday former trainer Robin Bastamin received a ban of 3 years from the racing authorities the BHA.  He had apparently given one of his daughters horses a Haemo 15 injection on race day, the horse went and won, but later failed the dope test, The reason was of the high level of cobalt in his system.  Giving horses a Haemo 15 injection is pretty normal in the horse racing industry, it basically is a multi vitamin injection, that boosts horses red cell’s, it gives them a boost.  Some trainers believe it can help some horses who are not great eaters, as was what Bastamin gave as his reason for administering the injection.  His daughter who trains the horse, said she did not have any knowledge of her father giving the horse the injection.  I think the Bastamin’s have been unlucky, as giving the drug is not banned, it was the amount of cobalt in the horses post race test, which was the problem.  There is no real evidence that a Haemo 15 injection falls into the ‘performing enhancing’ bracket, as quoted by qualified vet and trainer Mark Johnston in yesterday’s Racing Post.

Will look at today’s cards and try and find a winner. Did not have a bet yesterday.

More  later.

I saw a bit of the evening meeting at Kempton last night.  A few of the races had some unlucky losers.  Goodwood Showman in the 8:00 was second, to my eyes he was given a very average ride by Andrea Atzeni, who gave the horse an impossible task.  Listening to the RUK racing pundits assessment of the ride was comical, ex jockey George Baker said the horse was given a ride that will give him ” confidence” well I think George needs to forget he was a jockey, he should forget that he knows a lot of the riders, and make a better assessment.

A good few meetings on today, just looking at some of the races at Chepstow.  Five of the races have 8 or less runners in them.  Far too much racing. Yarmouth is another track that has 5 races with 9 or less in them. Hopefully I can find a winner or two !