Francesca just said the same thing as well as saying La Barrosa is maybe overpriced... Great minds think alike and all that... Wonder if me and Francesca should meet up for a few drinks to discuss things
Congratulations to Poetic Flare followers and well done to Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning. He has certainly proved to be tough running in four Group 1s since the first of May; but it does also confirm that this year’s Classic generation milers are nothing special. There was a pacemaker and he routed Lucky Vega (the only other runner really backed) by further. I expect that Battleground might be stepping up to ten furlongs next time.
Delighted for Bolger! That is some horse in fairness... 5:00; I wouldn't be surprised if some of these raced again in the Queen Alexandra Stakes on Saturday... Willie has a great record in this race... 3 wins and two places with Ryan Moore I think out of 6 entries. But I doubt any of them will ever have raced on ground this quick... And I'd prefer to back Emmet Mullins' horse instead. With so many places on offer I was interested by a few... A bit annoyed I didn't back Dalton Highway last night at 40's, just snuck in at the bottom weight and was backed last night and this morning into 16's but drifting again now... Coeur de Lion has a good record in this race too and Lostwithiel is another I should've backed last night (28's into 16's) ... Could still be improving and maybe even more with extra distance. I do really like Lucky Deal in this race if he's anywhere in the front few horses after a furlong... Might go in again if he is... Mancini at mammoth odds may get a run for your money and Island Brave is another with both easily available at 100+/1 (6/7places) Don't like any of the non-Mullins horses nearer the top of the market... Don't really know why, none of them do it for me though... The Godolphin horse stepping up by a mile is pretty interesting and sounds a bit mad really but a huge unknown...
I can see why Patrick Sarsfield is favourite for the Wolferton as he won a Group 3 last year at Leopardstown and was second in the Group 2 Prix Dollar, but the presence of the words Yielding and Soft in the going description of every race he has won makes him one to oppose. Supporters of Felix have to look back to 2019 for his last turf win but his third in the Group 1 Dubai Turf last time out is clearly the piece of form that makes him one of the favourites. Whilst Forest Of Dean won the Winter Derby on the polytrack, his turf form is mostly handicaps, so that brings me to SOLID STONE, who won a Listed race last time at Windsor and has won on quick ground on turf.
Picked the wrong one of two again. That was a big boy's performance from Poetic Flare and the time was Fast by 2.5 seconds. He's been a busy lad and surely deserves a break now. I wouldn't be afraid to have a crack at Palace Pier on this type of ground and he was 2.78 seconds faster than the older horse off level weights today. I'm not a slave to the stopwatch by any means but races held less than two hours apart must have a chance of holding up. Lucky Vega ran OK but none of them were a match for Poetic Flare today. Battleground ran much better today and Maximal put in another respectable effort for a horse mired under 110 on ratings. Hopefully Poetic Flare can carry the torch for a division looking a bit saggy otherwise.
Double the odds for one winner hopefully 5:35; Shock, I don't like much at the top of the market... If Blue Cup settles again he could run a very good race. Don't really see where the pace comes from in this race, maybe Palavecino or Volcanic Sky. Volcanic Sky is quite large and I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to hold on for a place at big odds. 2 main selections are Father of Jazz and Euchen Glen. Father of Jazz finished behind Forest of Dean and Felix on AW Finals Day, by only 1 & 1/2L and raced wide in only a 5 runner race. 5lbs better off with Forest of Dean today. If he can settle better I think he has a chance. His last run was only over a mile and seemed like much too short a trip so hopefully back up 2f can help. Euchen Glen has won most of his races on soft ground but I don't think he hates firm ground either. In fact, he's won on firm ground 3 times in his career including at York 3 years ago and hasn't raced on anything firmer than good since then. I thought 1m2f was too short a trip for him LTO but he absolutely hosed up. Could be a different story on firmer ground over this distance but at the prices I'll take a chance.
Treble odds of he has a decent bookie. Don't know if any of the online ones do that or if it's just an in shop thing
Since I was clearly not going to win the Wolferton as Patrick Sarsfield had Solid Stone well beaten, I am not so sure I should take any pleasure in Andrea Atzeni winning with Juan Elcano because I have him in the last on THRONE HALL. Now I need him to ride a double at Royal Ascot...
Brilliantly-judged ride on Juan Elcano by Andrea Atzeni. He is certainly a jockey with a silky-smooth style. Nice Royal Ascot winner for Kevin Ryan too.
Certainly glad I avoided Royal Ascot betting-wise, don't think I had a 'sniff' of a winner! Managed a couple at Thirsk, almost three, last race selection finished second to a 16/1 shot in a pretty tight finish over 5f.
