With a number of good races already ran today.  Good to see Stradivarius lift the million pound bonus for the second year running ! I would expect the sponsors may make it a bit more difficult next year, although he may not be in training.  One of the races today at York is not far away, the 4.15 is a really good race for two year olds.  A few that are at the front end of the betting market, with a run or two already.  Dulas is around 20/1, he ran well on debut at Newmarket, and with improvement, he could be worth a small each way bet.

Tough to find winners at York today.  So if I was having a bet, it would be looking for a bet with some decent value. Sword Beach at 22/1 is a bit of value each way in the 2.25.  Consistent form, and a really good effort last time, the race is very open and I would rather back an outsider than one of the shorter priced ones.  Run Rux is a 28/1 shot in the 4.50, that is for 5 places with Bet365, so each way for small stakes is worth an interest.  Still on the upgrade, and a game winner last time at Mussleburgh, this will be much tougher, but the race is wide open.

At Fontwell  Gateway To Europe 5.50 has been running well, he looks honest enough, just lacks a top gear.  I thought today was a good opportunity to get his head in front under regular rider Bryony Frost.

Whip issues

A lot has been written in the press regarding the whip lately.  It was even on a bus in London recently, with a question of why are jockeys allowed to use them in a race.  One trainer Charlie Fellows, who had a winner at the Royal meeting in June, even suggested that his horse should of been disqualified, because its jockey Hayley Turner had gone over the allowed number of times she can hit the horse.  She picked up a ban, as the stewards deemed her use as excessive.  The whip is an essential part of a jockeys equipment as far as I see it,  I would say that no jockey has the urge to use the whip, unless he feels he or she has to, but the biggest problem a rider would face if the whip is banned, is horses would start to stop, refuse and run out,  or off the track during a race, with the worst case scenario happening, that is a rider gets seriously hurt or even worse.  I believe the majority of people who have the opinion that the whip should be banned, have never ridden in a race, so have very little idea of what goes on.  So hopefully common sense will prevail and the whip will always be allowed to be carried by a jockey when riding in a race.

 

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A couple of races already at the main meeting of York.  Looking at the next couple of races I would not ignore the favourite’s.  Logician 3.00 has done little wrong in three starts.  He has to put in a personal best today, as his opponents are classy.  But this improving three year old looks the one to beat.  Of rivals, Constantinople has lots of talent, but is far from straightforward, he has as much talent as the favourite, but definitely saves a bit for himself, he is however a threat, if he is in the right mood, he will be hard to beat.  A bit later in the card is the  Juddmonte International Group 1.  I thought it was a good opportunity for Crystal Ocean to win, he probably prefers a bit further, the same applies to  Japan, he does, stablemate Circus Maximus could well be a bit of value each way at around 9/1.  He has solid form, and has won from 8f to today’s distance, I would not think that there will be much between the two Ballydoyle three year olds, over the 10f.

One horse that I was surprised to see get beat earlier today was Delta Dawn in the first race at Killarney.  I did not see the race, but as there was some support in the betting for Camorra this morning, it looks as though the winner has been showing plenty at home for the Ger Lyons yard.  He really has some useful horses this year, with leading juvenile Siskin being amongst them.

Hopefully some of my followers backed Sea The Sea at Bangor yesterday.  She was a clear winner by 9 lengths, as I mentioned yesterday, the tight track suits horses ridden forward, good jockeys can steal a length or two from the front, and the Mcain trained mare really wants to win.

Looking at today’s cards, at Yarmouth the maiden for 2 year old fillies at 5.25 looks like a decent  standard.  The front two in the betting market,  Amber Island and Festive Star ran really good debuts, that was at Newmarket in the same race.  Having finished so close together that day, looking at how they figure in the betting today, I think I would rather play the odds against on Festive Star than her rival, although she has to reverse previous form.

The ground at the Norfolk track should be almost perfect again  today.  It seems to have missed a lot of the rain, which has hit many parts of the UK over the last few days.

Good racing over the rest of the week, with the York meeting starting tomorrow.  The Ebor Handicap on Saturday is very competitive, with fantastic prize money on offer, it will take a horse with Listed/group class form to win.  Raheen House from the William Haggas yard has been running well this year, he is a horse with a bit of class, and has run well at the track previously.  He could have a decent each way chance.  He will need a bit of luck in running, as he tends to like to come from off the pace.

Doing a bit of travelling this week, so a late post today.  Having missed the daytime meetings.  Windsor evening meeting looks competitive, it’s normally a good attended track, especially during the summer months.  Looking at the 6.30, Indian Raj has an easier task now that 3 have come out of the race, he won well on his latest run, I think he can win again.  At Bangor, it pays to follow previous winners at this tight left handed track. Sea The Sea 6.40 has course form, likes to make the running and the stable runners are in good shape, she could well be able to get her own way tonight, and win again.  Earthlight was a good winner in France yesterday, he looks as though he could be a colt to follow, as it looked a strong race.  Marmello was a good winner of the 2 mile Group 2, hopefully followers may have had a bet on him at short odds.

More later.

Pleased to get a good winner for my subscribers yesterday, Thuderous 1.50 Newbury was advised at 5/2 yesterday morning.  Heavily backed into 11/8 favourite, before his game win.

Todays French card at Deauville has two Group 1 races.  The Darley Prix Morny At 1.50 is a really good race for two year old colts and fillies.  Frankie Dettori looks as though he has opted for Raffle Prize over the colt A A’hli, having won on both horses before.  To pick the winner out of this race is very difficult, Earthlight has really good French form, Arizona has looked really good, having won the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, it is probably a race to watch, without getting involved in having a bet.  Marmello contests the Group 2 T Deauville at 4pm over 2 miles.  I thought he was given an average ride on his last run, beaten only a nose that day.  With a change of rider today, I would expect him to win.  Of the racing in the UK, Reaction Time 4.30 Pontefract,  put in a good debut run at Sandown last year,  he must be delicate to train, as this is only his second run at 4 years old.  I would expect him to be fit, and may be too good for Eva Maria, who did win well last time at Thirsk, she will not make it easy for the Godolphin horse, it will be a good race, I expect them both to fight out the finish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strong fields today at most of the race meetings. At Nottingham the ground is soft, the 4.45 is really good race.  Ojooba was a good winner at the track on her last run.  She is by Dubawi, so should be ok on the soft/heavy  ground today, it was good to soft when she won, she really enjoyed the step up to 10f that day.  You could make a case for the majority of fillies, Red Hot will cope on the ground and is improving, of the others Birdcage Walk is another with strong form, she should be ok on the ground as well.  It’s tough to decide on one of them, Ojooba would be my marginal preference.

Ghaly looks to have a fairly straightforward task at 3.05, he is improving with racing, and his task has been made easier with the withdrawal of Casanova.  At Thirsk, where rain showers are forecast, True Romance 8.05 was a very easy winner last time, with similar ground conditions and the same rider today in Graham Lee, I would expect this gelding to win again.  Some good racing tomorrow, and the York meeting next week is always a good one, the entries for the big group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes on Wednesday, has Crystal Ocean heading the betting market, Enable is entered, but rumours are she will likely miss the race.  It will still be a good race if she does not run, although Crystal Ocean is currently still rated higher than anything entered, and will be hard to beat. At Yarmouth yesterday, the Godolphin trainer Al Suhail was a cosy winner, not too sure if he beat much, but he really quickened up like a useful colt, his biggest obstacle could be himself, as he wears a hood and looks highly strung, it must run in the family, as his half brother Telecaster is very talented, but looks to be highly strung as well.

With the recent rain over the last few days, the ground at most of the race tracks is on the soft side.  Yarmouth on the east coast has avoided a lot of the rain.  The current ground conditions should be almost perfect.  Al Suhail 5.20 has three rivals in the 5.20 over the straight 7f.  He wears a hood today, having worn a hood in the paddock at Newmarket when second, he did not wear it in the race.  He is very talented, but like his half brother Telecaster, he is probably a bit quirky.  He should defy his short odds and win today, hopefully he can start paying some of his 1 million pound price tag off !

Later in the card at 8.00, Cent Flying has a strong chance of following up again from his recent win at Brighton.  He seemed to have benefited greatly from a wind surgery operation, his trainer William Muir mentioned post race that his palate had been “tweaked” to help him breath.  A large number of horses seem to be having wind surgery, usually when you ride a horse that has a problem, you can hear them making a “noise” when they come under pressure.

With soft ground at Salisbury, the main race over 1 Mile could well go to Flashcard, he loves some give underfoot, and is a course and distance winner.  He will have to take a step forward to win, as Mojito and King Ottokar will not make it easy, Accidental Agent has probably the best form previously, but that was quite a while ago, his recent runs have been below par, and a refusal to race amongst them, does not give you much confidence in backing him.

It was a very emotional interview for William Bethell on Sky Sports Racing on Tuesday, he spoke to Matt Chapman after Steel Helmet had won at Lingfield, he has took over with a temporary trainers license, as his daughter Harriet had a bad fall of a horse recently and is in intensive care.  She’s in an induced coma and it’s a life threatening situation, due to a bleed on her brain.  Fingers crossed that she makes a full recovery.

 

With a fair amount of rain forecast again today, waiting and seeing the going is important.  Carlisle is already on the soft side, it could be quite testing if they get a good bit of rain.

I will try and do an updated message later today.  Looking ahead to the rest of the week, a few horses that I follow are entered,  it all depends on the weather forecast!

More later.

With a good bit of rain having fallen across many parts of the UK, Catterick going is soft.  Medahim showed a return to form at York on his last run, second that day to Bedouin Story, he was clear of the third that day, and could well win the 3.45, he acts with give in the ground.  B Fifty Two 5.15 has a favourites chance of winning again over the minimum trip of 5f.  He likes the track, his issue is he is not a frequent winner.

At the all weather card this evening, where rain will not make that much difference, Fares Poet has a decent chance of getting off the mark at 6.50.  Of rivals, Street Poet has been really consistent , winning his last four races, and looks the one to beat, with a decent claimer taking a vital 5lb off his back.

More later.