Sunday's Meetings Nottingham Flat 7 Races 1:00-4:10p.m. Curragh Flat 8 Races 1:40-5:20p.m. Fakenham N/H 7 Races 1:50-4:55p.m. York Flat 7 Races 3:30-6:40p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
It is very easy to gloss over the Sky Bet Sunday Series card at York with three 20-plus runner fields for races under a mile, an apprentice handicap with 20 runners and a big field for the stayers’ handicap to boot. Which rocket scientist at race planning decided to put this fixture on kicking off half an hour before the final day of the Premier League? Fortunately there is quality action across the Irish Sea at The Curragh. In the Irish 1000 Guineas, logic decrees that the form pick comes from the equivalent HQ Classic, so Newmarket third Tuesday, a sister to dual Classic winner Minding fits the bill. There is just a little bit of a problem with that theory. The inexperienced Tuesday was only staying on at the end, looking like she was crying out for a step up in trip. The winner was beaten in a blanket finish in the Pouliches last week looking for a classic double in what did not look a top quality renewal. There are just two British raiders. Purplepay from the William Haggas barn, bought over the winter from her original French connections. She raced around the provincial tracks mainly on soft ground before winning a valuable conditions race at Longchamp and finishing third in the Criterium de Saint Cloud, the winner of which was third in the Greenham. James Ferguson’s Mise En Scene won the Prestige Stakes as a juvenile, never troubled the judge on either subsequent start but was only just behind Newmarket winner Cachet in the Fillies’ Mile. Many of the others contested trial races in Ireland but at least that gives some form lines to work on, if it can be taken at face value and some of them were not just there for a warm up or to see if they were good enough. The second of the Ballydoyle quartet, History, won a Leopardstown Group 3 on her seasonal bow beating Agartha with Panama Red (fifth), Lady Of Inishfree (sixth) and stablemate Lullaby (eighth) behind. The other Aidan O’Brien contender Concert Hall has had quite a bit of racing, winning a Group 3 last term but finishing behind Mise En Scene in the Fillies’ Mile. She won a Navan Listed race over ten furlongs first time up but this is surely her Oaks trial given her pedigree (dam is 2012 Oaks winner Was); however, she would not be the first classic winner from this yard with miles on the clock. The key trial for today appears to have been the Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial, where Agartha tried to make all. Jessica Harrington’s Villanova Queen was third that day and Panama Red was sixth but the winner, Dermot Weld’s HOMELESS SONGS was held up, showed a good turn of foot to pick up Agartha and won well, so I am going with her to give Frankel another classic. Aidan O’Brien has pretty much farmed the Tattersalls Gold Cup (2:40) with 9 wins in the last 20 runnings but it is easy to pick holes in the form of his two contenders today. Broome was beaten in this last year by Helvic Dream and Ryan is on High Definition, who did not fulfil the promise of his juvenile brace, failing to win since including two races this year. It is difficult to find a reason to support last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney as he was well beaten on every subsequent start when stepped up in trip. That leaves the three market principals, which all raced overseas last time. Six year old Lord North has won the last two Dubai Turf runnings but the third Vin De Garde was only a nose behind this year having been beaten three lengths in 2021 and that suggests that the Gosden gelding is just running the same race. Having beaten Lord North in the Winter Derby, Alenquer was sixth in the Dubai Sheema Classic but beaten under two lengths with Yibir, Pyledriver and three Japanese horse ahead. The Haggas runner has to be respected but Joseph O’Brien’s STATE OF REST started his campaign winning the Prix Ganay three weeks ago to add to victories in Australia (Cox Plate) and the USA (Saratoga Invitational) to end last season. So I am going with an O’Brien win but the son of the father.
Morning, team. Hope everyone well. In the Irish 1,000 (3.45) Tuesday really does look a standout. Ran a race full of promise, last time out, in the Newmarket Classic and that, in my view, sets her apart. Plus, you would naturally expect her to progress quite a bit from that effort (Newmarket was just the old girls 3rd career start). She would be a confident selection. If she does oblige Tuesday would be a third Group 1 winner for her dam (and Lillie Lantry's 4th British or Irish Classic winner). Good luck all.
York 15,30 Freak Out 16/1 e/w seven places with sky, others six 16,35 Beluga Gold 10/1 e/w six places bet365 and sky
Jason Watson seems to be winning a race a day at the moment. It's just difficult to pick out which one. Yesterday's winner was 9-1 and Friday's 50-1. He rides 4 at York this evening.
Quite frankly, I think that on that performance Homeless Songs will be the filly to beat over a mile amongst the Classic generation. With regard to that last statement, 9/4 Homeless Songs in the Coronation Stakes may be stealing money if , like me, you do not think that the 1000 Guineas winner Cachet represents good form (or for that matter the Pouliches winner). Homeless Songs showed a burst of acceleration to put the race to bed and nothing could go with her. That shouts class to me. If I were looking for a Royal Ascot banker bet right now, she would be it. I think she is the best three year old filly miler in training on what we have seen.
They can surely afford some cotton wool wrapping for a month after winning a classic. The risk I can see is if the ground comes up fast at Ascot, will they stay at home rather than risk her?
