Sunday's Meetings Newton Abbot N/H 7 Races 1:00-4:25p.m. Redcar Flat 8 Races 1:10-5:10p.m. Tipperary N/H 8 Races 1:20-5:15p.m. Curragh Flat 8 Races 1:35-5:30p.m. Stratford N/H 7 Races 1:57-5:25p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Place a bet in the Virtual Betting shop here Good Luck
Not a bad card at Chantilly. Atomic Force was mighty impressive last time and is odds-on for the Prix Robert Papin. Kevin Ryan thinks the colt is top class and the layers agree with the best price being 4/6. We won't get rich backing him and I thought it worth taking a chance on a filly who traps like a greyhound and is unbeaten in two starts. Diablotine was very green on debut and wandered about but she pulled five lengths clear of her field to score at 14/1. It looked a race to take with a pinch of salt and a belief that she probably beat trees but four winners came from the opposition that day. Diablotine is by Kodi Bear and she was sent into Listed company next time as evens favourite. Quickly out of the stalls again, she was taken in behind this time and was pretty green again before coming away to score by more than two lengths. That race has not worked out that great but some of them stepped up in class next time. She steps up to 6F this time but wasn't stopping last time out and she looks as if she has scope for becoming a more polished racehorse. Oddly, The Racing Post acknowledge that Diablotine is promising but say she needs to improve a chunk, yet they have her just 3lbs behind Atomic Force on their own ratings, which is hardly insurmountable. The filly is proven on very soft and that may be helpful, 2.50 Chantilly Diablotine 5/1 Victor Ludorum was only 5th last time but held every chance before weakening late. That was a Group 1 contest that has worked out well and he is dropped into Group 3 class today and dropped to a mile. I think they may as well retire him if he can't win today. Too short for a single, so I doubled him with Creative Flair. Charlie Appleby seems to do well with his French raiders and it seems to be that they try to go from the front and catch the French jockeys napping, The ground is different for Creative Flair today but she made all last time to win the Abingdon at York and being in front may be the right tactic again here. She has won over 10F so this 9F may suit on softer ground and she probably hasn't stopped progressing. Andre Fabre saddles Noticeable Grace and she is on a similar rating to Creative Flair having won a mile Listed race in battling style on heavy last time. I just get the feeling Creative Flair may be better placed to get first run. 1.33 Chantilly Victor Ludorum 6/4 2.50 Chantilly Creative Flair 13/8 Win double.
13:30 Newton Abbot - Courtland 13:57 Stratford - Karannelle 14:30 Stratford - Wbee (Nothing spectacular today. Probably all three will end-up favourites. Gone for Peter Bowen charges again, as usual ridden by one of his two sons, James at Newton Abbot and Sean at Stratford. Win Patent, I guess!)
15:05 Stratford - Jimmy The Digger (A bit tricky is this event, but selection has good chance in this extended 2-3/4 mile race over the fences. Will be ridden by Tom O'Brien for top NH trainer of jumpers, Henry Daly. 11/4 with Bet365 best price at the moment, but 9/4 is generally available at time of writing). NON-RUNNER
Apologies, had to hurry to get Courtland in before the 'off', but Sean rides for other trainers at Stratford, not for his dad! Anyway, Karannelle just bombed-out, so only one left!
15:25 Chantilly - Rougir (Dropped in class, has much better chance in this 9f race. with Gerald Mosse aboard) (Edit: 2nd at 9/2 - hd and a nse separated first three home!)
Us And Them had only left Ireland to race at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, I don't understand why they bring him to Stratford if it's not to win.
Victor Ludorum hosed up in what was no more than a piece of work at home. He was kept out of trouble this time and was in control throughout. Creative Flair went out in front but was never able to establish a lead and, for once, the French jockeys actually kept tabs and were never far away. Creative Flair tried to kick but the cavalry were always coming and she went down by a head and a nose in 3rd place. Fashionable Grace just made it from Rougir, so hard lines Swan Hills. Creative Flair was too short at 10/11 and if she had been that price last night I would have left her. This race was much tighter than Victor Ludorum's, yet he was returned at 6/4 as a Classic winner in a weak Group 3. Not really been my week, with 2nd places and half of doubles winning. My filly was a non runner in the Papin, leaving Atomic Force with a straightforward task and he converted easily. This was a shocking quality for a Group 2 race and where the hell are the decent home challengers? Hellomydarlin was 3rd for George Boughey and she is an 84 rated filly who was beaten at Ponty last time.They will probably find a way to give her a silly rating for finishing 3rd in a Group 2 but I have my concerns. UK trainers have now landed the last EIGHT Prix Robert Papins. Is there no sense of French pride in trying to reclaim THEIR race. It's a pity Atomic Force is a gelding because that rules some races out for him
A strange looking move Pilgrim, all I can think of is they tried it to see if the change of environment perked him up, or else maybe a sale is in mind over there. The horse has lost his way a little.
