Saturday's Meetings Newmarket Flat 8 Races 12:30-4:20p.m. Down Royal N/H 7 Races 12:35-3:50p.m. Ascot N/H 7 Races 12:40-3:55p.m. Wetherby N/H 7 Races 12:50-4:10p.m. Ayr N/H 7 Races 1:15-4:30p.m. Keeneland (USA) Dirt&Turf 12 Races 3:00-10:15p.m. Wolverhampton (E) A/W 8 Races 4:35-8:20p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Anyone going to Ascot? If you are then get to the paddock before the Sodexho and check out LE REVE. He has come on a bundle for having a summer off and is becoming a big handsome beast of a horse. He is my idea of the 2016 Grand National winner and is currently 40-1. Darryl Jacob rides tomorrow and I believe the plan is to have him on for the season as come National day Aspell will surely be claimed for Many Clouds. Not saying he will win tomorrow but he is worth a look in the paddock just to see what an impressive boy he now is. Get your ante post bets early!
He is a fascinating horse for the season, because off his current mark (149) he would be running from well under the 11st mark in the GN if the weights aren't drastically compressed (MC 167). If he wins a big handicap chase this season, then he will be pushed into the sphere of a guaranteed runner without having to carry a silly weight. If a few horses come out tomorrow that I am interested in, Le Reve may well be a bet. Get the word on his fitness old boy.
Very good racing tomorrow and the formal pageant takes place at Newmarket at noon where the ceremonial baton is passed from the Flat scene to the NH sphere. Sir Michael will hand the baton to Mr Henderson watched on by a minor Royal. Wonderful tradition and long may it continue. I’m not advocating cheating, no, no, no, no, no, more ‘creative accounting’, but with a view to the Grand National shouldn’t they be looking to get Le Reve’s perch down not increase it by winning tomorrow. The bottom 3 beasts in last year’s GN all were perched on 139.
As I said, above, decent action gee-gee wise of the morrow and I’ll nominate to the dear old regular readers - Ma Filleule (2.30 Wetherby) – one of the best mares of recent terms. Last season she was twice runner-up in Grade 1 chases. The old girl reverts to hurdles and 2 miles here but that shouldn’t inconvience her that much as she’s always displayed great speed and is a Grade 2 winner over timber too boot. This is a nice Mares Listed event but Ma Filleule really does look far too classy for her opponents of the morrow. Incidentally, has there ever been a better handler of fillies and mares than Mr Henderson??? They respond so well to his soothing words and ‘magic hands’. Cultivator (3.55 Ascot) – the sky really could be the limit for this one. His only run to date was in the ultra valuable £60,000 DBS Spring Bumper, at Newbury, and the old boy ran with great credit to be 3rd. It’s a testament to how highly Mr Henderson rates him that he ran Cultivator in such a race on debut. A profitable and successful season starts tomorrow for this outstanding prospect. Time Test (7.30 Keeneland) – one’s got to include him hasn’t one. Has served the ‘county set’ most admirably this term and who will ever forget that Newbury romp off just 93. In hindsight how well handicapped was Time Test that day??? Since then he’s been a Royal Ascot Group 3 winner and last month stepped up to win at Group 2 level. The negative tomorrow is the draw (12 of 12) but I’m hoping dear old Ryan can ‘bring the bounty, back to the county’. And I’ll tell you this. If he does they’ll hear the Wiltshire roar on the other side of the Atlantic! Good luck, pilgrims.
Fit and well Nass but notoriously one for being far too fresh first time out, Jacob will have his hands full.
I like Fox Appeal again, just a slight concern that this is coming too soon after Cheltenham, but he didn't seem to have the toughest race that day, and probably was one who looked in need of the run too. I will have to look properly at this race tonight as its full of horses who are getting on good marks.
Competition alerts for Saturday 2:40 DOWN ROYAL please log in to view this image DON COSSACK (GER) 2:00 WETHERBY please log in to view this image THE DRUIDS NEPHEW (IRE) 1:45 ASCOT please log in to view this image PADGE (IRE) 2:00 WETHERBY please log in to view this image SPLASH OF GINGE 3:05 WETHERBY please log in to view this image MANY CLOUDS (IRE)
Down Royal 2.10 Clarcam 6/4 Don't want too much rain for this lad. Assuming it's still similar to what today's was I expect him to be able to give a bit of weight and a beating to the English raider Ptit Zig. Hardly a betting proposition but Elliott has another highly regarded one in the bumper Death Duty but as the odds suggest, a few others may think this too
I think Ptit Zig will beat Clarcam but won't be betting. Neither really interest me for further down the line either. Seems to be a decent contest between second tier chasers
Heskin said on ATR earlier he strongly fancied the juvenile TILLVER. Quite short but if you double it with Don Cossack pays 2/1.
My OH asked me yesterday if I wanted to go, as it's only up the road, but I don't think dogs are allowed at any British tracks anymore . . . . .If you find out differently, let me know and perhaps we can meet up
You flat boys don't praise Ryan Moore nearly enough. He's operating on a complete other level to the rest of them. What a ride last night. I do love a good ride. I'd love it if Ballydoyle got hold of an all time great horse for him to ride. The best should be on the best.
Cheers Flobble. I suspected as much. Annoyingly. We're off for breakfast at the new Friends of Ham in Ilkley instead. They take dogs so they'll be taking my money today.
2.30 - Listed Mares Hurdle - 2 Miles!! Blue Buttons is the selection, although she has 9lbs to find on Ma Filleule on the formbook, and the reason that I like her here is that she can get the run of the race from the front and her extra stamina should be able to stretch this field on soft going. Ma Filleule might find this trip too sharp on reappearance, having been tested over 3 Miles over fences, and she is clearly the classiest horse in the field but this is hurdling and over 2 miles. It is a very different test, and I am not sure she should be as short as she is for that reason. Intense Tango is trying to give weight away to all, and that is a negative for a horse who is only 4 years of age, 8lbs penalty will possibly be too much for her here, given she has a handicap mark the same as Blue Buttons. She has also been on the go over the summer, and that may help her here, but I am not sure the cut in the ground will suit her here either. 2.50 - Handicap Hurdle - just under 2 miles Sign Of A Victory is trying to give a lot of weight away in this handicap, where he is rated 153 and his nearest challenger is rated 138. This makes the race really interesting as I think SOAV could still be a horse who is capable of challenging in Graded Races in the UK this season, and it will take a very good performance to give weight away to a field of interesting handicappers. SOAV really caught my eye in this race last season, when hacking up off a mark of 139, and the fact that he reappears in this race suggests that they have targetted this race once more. He travelled so strongly that day, leading on the bit at last, before winning with ease by a mere 1/2 length. Now he is carrying a stone more weight, but he showed in the Scottish Champion Hurdle that he can go very well from a higher handicap mark. As you can tell, I am very keen on his chances today, and whilst I think Jolly's Cracked It and Nabucco are interesting handicappers, I think class can tell in this race and at 4/1 I have backed SOAV 3.25 - Handicap Chase - Just under 3 miles Fox Appeal went into the notebook last week, and I think he can strip fitter for that run, and I think he can take this handicap today. He is a course winner who has already shown that he can be competitive from this handicap mark (1lb higher today), and I think the course and conditions today may well suit him more than last week. This is a better field than last week, and with Houblon Des Obeaux, What A Warrior, Le Reve and Leo Luna in the race I think they will go a better pace than we saw last week at Cheltenham. That will play into Fox Appeal who stays very well and stamina should be more important today than last week. He is 8/1 and I think that is a fair EW price.
Morning chaps great day of sport today. The NAP is MON SUCCESSEUR 3.40 Wetherby short enough at 6/5 but surely this is well in ?
