Friday's Meetings Huntingdon N/H 7 Races 1:00-4:40p.m. Catterick Flat 8 Races 1:44-5:48p.m. Market Rasen N/H 7 Races 1:50-5:30p.m. Epsom Downs Flat 7 Races 2:00-5:45p.m. The Oaks Off @ 4:30p.m. Down Royal(E) N/H 7 Races 4:50-8:20p.m. Tramore(E) N/H 7 Races 5:00-8:30p.m. Doncaster(E) Flat 8 Races 5:04-9:00p.m. Bath(E) Flat 7 Races 5:18-8:40p.m. Goodwood(E) Flat 6 Races 5:21-8:12p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
It's a pity Emily Upjohn is such a short price because she looks a really good bet for today's Oaks. Some judges seem to want to pull her apart a bit, saying she pulls (which she does) but so did the best Oaks winner I've ever seen. The Coronation Cup doesn't deserve to be a Group 1 anymore. It was weak last year and looks weak this year. I can see the race being between two horses, Pyledriver and Hukum. I'm a great fan of the latter but worry that he really stays 12f (and I do know he's won over further). He look a 10f to 11.5f horse to me who sees out 12f on a flat track. So it's Pyledriver for me. Bet of the day Solo Sizzler.
wouldn’t call ascot a flat track , would you ? hukum, has no issues with soft ground either , i’m not convinced pyledriver stable are in the groove yet ,no winners ......
Just the six face the starter in the Coronation Stakes and there look to be more negatives than positives. High Definition has simply not lived up to the billing and he has failed to win in three starts over ten furlongs, the best of which was last time when held by Alenquer in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Hukum is yet to win at this level and when last seen in a Meydan Group 1 was behind Alenquer and Pyledriver. Living Legend has won his last three against small fields, last time collecting the Jockey Club Stakes but Mark Johnston’s six year old needs to find a few more pounds unless he is allowed a soft lead and steals the race, which seems unlikely. Manobo has won five of his six starts but his last three races have been over further than this and he was second in the Dubai Gold Cup over two miles last time. I hope Palavecino’s owners enjoy their day out but their horse has no realistic chance on the basis of winning a four runner Lingfield handicap but will pick up £6,007 for sixth. That leaves last year’s winner Pyledriver, with Frankie aboard this year, to complete the double. He does not have to lead but will want to be at the front end and this is no tougher than last year’s renewal. The form of his fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic gives him the beating of High Definition and Hukum. As Rudey pointed out, the yard has only had 4 winners this year from 45 runners (13/2, 18/1, 16/1, 15/2), so do I want to take the short price? No. Whilst the field for the Cazoo Handicap (3:45) is numerically good, predictably the bookies are taking no chances on William Knight’s Moktasaab, unbeaten for his new yard and raised just 5lb for an easy win at Goodwood last time. Harry Redknapp is likely to be enjoying his day on the Epsom Downs with good prospects of a visit to the winner’s circle. Every year before the Epsom Classics, somebody traipses out the old “this is not a very good race” nonsense and frequently ends up eating their words afterwards. On known form and ratings going into this year’s Oaks this does not look like a Group 1 with the favourite top rated on just 110. Emily Upjohn won the Musidora very easily (as you might expect for a 4/7 shot) and there is no reason to believe that fourth The Algarve can reverse that over two furlongs further. Her short odds today seem to reflect where she lives as much as form as several of the others have shown similar potential. Kawida has taken a curious route here, having run a close third in the Prix Cleopatre to a subsequent Group 1 runner up. Moon De Vega’s fourth in the Cheshire Oaks gives her too much to do with the winner Thoughts Of June very likely the pace angle today under Wayne Lordan. Rogue Millennium won the Lingfield Oaks Trial and connections have paid to let Tom Clover’s filly take her chance but her lack of experience (two races) may be her undoing. Joseph O’Brien’s Tranquil Lady won the Blue Wind very easily last time, has Tom Marquand booked today and should relish the step up in trip and will defy her odds for each way punters. Is there another Classic winner for Frankel in the field? Thrice raced Nashwa should give Hollie Doyle a good run but will she progress more than her favoured stablemate? Frankel’s other chance, With The Moonlight, comes from the hot Appleby yard and won the Pretty Polly at HQ with plenty to spare and would be more my idea of a Frankel winner. The other two Aidan O’Brien runners both contested the Irish 1000 Guineas last time. Minding’s sister Tuesday was a well beaten second, half a length ahead of Concert Hall. Ryan Moore is on Tuesday, who has done nothing much wrong in her four starts but only has a Naas maiden to her name so she needs to find plenty to emulate her sister. Last year’s winner Snowfall had run eight times before lining up at Epsom and here we have CONCERT HALL, a veteran of eight races and daughter of an Oaks winner, stepping up to twelve furlongs for the first time. She beat subsequent Blue Wind winner Tranquil Lady when winning the Salsabil at Navan over ten furlongs and I expect Seamie Heffernan to make plenty of use of her – he won on the dam in 2012.
The Oaks seems to me to be an open affair this year, with several fillies holding an excellent chance on form. I'll stick with Tuesday, who I think is a genuine top-class middle-distance filly.
Feel the field played into the hands of Hukum. The pace was pathetic for a Gp1. But fair play Hukum won easily. I've backed Hukum so many times and he's done me plenty of favours..
I think the fav will take all the beating in the Oaks - she has looked very, very good so far and I hope she can continue her Progression today
Get in there Tuesday, I just felt certain she'd stay. On the nod at the line, with the second Emily Upjohn very unlucky, I must say, as she stumbled badly at the start. What a thriller! June 3rd was her birthday; a very late foal!
Thanks, Oddy. Again, I was damn lucky, but that's racing. I reckon more often than not it goes the other way, so it's good when the 'cards' are kind to you. Now, for the Derby. You know, life is strange, I was shocked to see the great Steve Cauthen on ITV in middle-age (or more). Don't know what the heck I expected, guess I want the stars of racing to look the same for ever! What a superb jockey he was.
Oh indeed he was awesome. Remember him winning the St James Palace Stakes on the de Walden horse Shavian and thinking „that’s how to ride from the front“ Here‘s the replay - I can’t remember a renewal of the race where they went so fast
Emily Upjohn was unlucky but Dettori was ahead just under a furlong out. Given that, how did he then get beaten (coming back on the line)?
.....because Tuesday just would not quit and ran-on bravely. Are you sure Emily was ahead a furlong out? Will take another look, but they were wide apart at that juncture and it's difficult to tell. The aerial shots would help.
Ed Chamberlain referred to the aerial shot and said you notice that Emily Upjohn was ahead. She definitely looked ahead to me on that shot.
The bottom line is why wasn't Dettori making sure he got her home. I think he thought he had it so relaxed. He should have given her a few whacks. In many ways Moore outrode him, but my guess is Dettori is kicking himself tonight, and not just because he had an unfortunate start. I think a certain Mr LP would have got her home.
OK, I missed the aerial shot so fair enough. I am also surprised as the way Emily finished I agree how could she have been behind with a few yards to go. Winner must have found something 'extra' in the last 1/2 furlong? Had to laugh at that Tabor owner guy when he said he had no idea which one of the Aiden O'Brien runners had the best chance. He knew damn well which one! Also, ITV clearly showed that O'Brien personally attended the saddling of Tuesday, and even gave its hind quarters a good brushing too. No doubt that the trainer fancied the eventual winner a lot! Edit: ,,,,,,,,,,and, yes, that certain Mr. L.P. would most definitely have got her home!
In some ways Moore had the easier job - he‘s on a daughter of Galileo, knows he can get stuck into her 3F out and she will keep giving. Emily Upjohn is clearly a more exuberant filly and Dettori possibly didn’t want her to do too much from 3 out to 2 out as she was travelling kindly. Fine margins.
A lot was made about Emily Upjohn’s poor start, but she started only three lengths behind Tuesday- who started badly also. Given that the pace was quite poor- and Tuesday lost momentum through becoming unbalanced inside the last two furlongs- I don’t see the winner as being particularly ‘lucky.’ Emily Upjohn played her charge late, headed the winner, but Tuesday fought back and arguably outstayed her. Furthermore, I find it surprising and ludicrous that Emily has been made favourite for the Arc at this early stage. Personally, I’d be more interested in the future improvement likely to come from Tuesday, especially since she was a June foal. Add to that a strong pace and a more testing track, my money would definitely be on Tuesday to confirm today’s outcome.
