Wednesday's Meetings York Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Carlisle Flat 6 Races 2:05-4:50p. Bath Flat 6 Races 2:50-5:35p.m. Sligo(E) N/H 7 Races 5:10-8:10p.m. Leicester(E) Flat 6 Races 5:30-8:02p.m. Kempton(E) A/W 7 Races 5:52-8:52p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
4 runners for the Juddmonte is a piss-poor turn out for such a big prize and prestigious race. Where have all the good horses gone? The Pattern (established in 1971) was supposed to give us great races not reward mediocrity and non-competitiveness.
The form paddington is in you can see why but the odds are fair , i much prefer the evens wh are offering on R.Moore to get one winner out of his 6 runs
Blue Prince ew at 15/2 in the 17.20 York but the 20/1 about Ganesha looks tempting for a small dabble
Hmm. A lot depends on how much Vandeek improved between beating Ballymount Boy and the Prix Morny because BB was only beaten 1l by Vandeek although it seems Vandeek had plenty in hand that day. Could be BB was flattered by that. Also this is the fastest ground BB has encountered. I think I should revise that and just plump for Gregory
Robert johnson looks to have a great chance at 11/2 , i would say owner Mr Coglan will be over the moon Kirby has put Beasley in the plate . We could witness 5 wins from 5 and i im sure they will all be keen for this to happen.
Bustino, you may not agree but Flat Racing has descended into sheer mediocrity. Group races are an uncompetitive joke and only one step away from a “match.” The great handicaps of the past eg. Victoria Cup, Cesarewitch, Cambridgeshire, Ascot Stakes, etc, used to attract class horses but now only second class rubbish. Minority oligarchs now dictate terms and prices, and their breeding operations have created an unhealthy elitism which essentially isolates the sport. Forty years ago, I could have easily afforded say a quarter share in a decent horse. Not now!!
A very disappointing start to the Ebor meeting with great prize money for the pattern races but hardly any runners. The winner of the Juddmonte will collect £607,500 but just four are chasing it. Anybody would think that Paddington is the greatest horse ever seen, when in fact he has an official rating of 125, three pounds behind Mostahdaf. In the Great Voltigeur, the unbeaten St Leger favourite Gregory has everyone running for cover and might take home £145,150 if Frankie gets to the line first. When I looked at the five day entries for the Acomb it looked like quite a hot contest but it has reduced to just six juveniles and Ballymount Boy had the Goodwood form franked by the Prix Morny winner on Sunday. Clearly what has put off trainers from supporting the pattern races has not affected their decisions to run in the handicaps, where there are 20, 14, 14 and 16 runners at the time of writing. I am not sure why Aztec Empire is favourite for the Stayers’ Handicap (4:10) other than being top-rated by Timeform. Both of his wins have been on the kitty litter and his third in the Northumberland Plate was also not on turf. Last time he was third in a Newbury handicap just ahead of Solent Gateway and he is now 3lb worse off because he was ridden by a claimer that day. Solent Gateway made all at Haydock two starts back (Themaxwecan third) and is reunited with Hollie Doyle. In between he was ninth in the Ascot Stakes and it is interesting to note that all his four career wins have been in single figure fields. The other possible pace angle here is Forza Orta, stepping up to two miles after trying to make all when second at Hamilton last time over 14 furlongs on heavy ground. That was his best effort since trying to make all on heavy ground at Doncaster last year, making him difficult to fancy here. Ryan Moore is booked for Tony Martin’s raider Zanndabad and the odds are more a reflection of the trainer than the horse form as it last won in France over ten furlongs in October last year and failed to trouble the judge in three starts over hurdles. Ian Williams’ Haliphon has not seen the winners’ enclosure for over a year and was a good second last time at Yarmouth but has been well beaten in all his attempts at two miles. Robert Johnson went into the Goodwood Handicap on a four-timer after a win over this course and distance and had to settle for second over that extra half mile with Tronador staying on past beaten horses for third, five lengths behind (and Mostly Sunny well beaten). Gordon Elliott’s gelding appears to be best with ease in the ground and there has to be the worry that the handicapper may have caught up with Philip Kirby’s gelding now on a 5lb higher mark. So I am drawn to the bottom weight GRAPPA NONINO, another raider from Dermot Weld’s Curragh base, with Saffie Osborne aboard and a 5lb penalty for winning at The Curragh last time. He was ridden up with the pace that day so I am expecting a repeat today.
This rubbish is on the ITV page starting-off today's programme: "Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani present coverage of the opening day of the 2023 York Ebor festival, which is headlined by a superb renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes." "superb renewal" my ass! Sometimes I think Ed Chamberlin and Co. are in bed with the wrong sort of people? But I guess they have to protect their jobs. ITV does talk a load of crap sometimes.
Agree but I can't knock them. Certainly not knocking Paddington who hopefully proves himself an outstanding racehorse, but perhaps not today as he should have 5lb in hand of the best of these.
Not convinced by Gregory. Perhaps I will be today. I think the AOB and the Godolphin colts may be tougher than what he's met before.
In the (16:20) Carlisle, a Class-4 Handicap over a distance just short of 7f on the expected good-to-firm ground, the Poet's Voice mare, Poet's Magic, certainly has a decent chance to run well in this event. Trainer has two runners, but I prefer selection. Harry Russell rides for the J. J. Quinn yard. 5/1 is the best price in most places at time of writing. (The handicaps at York are desperately difficult, so I'll just watch and enjoy!)
6.02 Leicester-L'Equilibriste Each Way @ 16-1 [Bet 365] Newcomer who catch's my eye in a race where form horses look beatable
Shows you how the complexion of racing has changed over the last 50 years when you consider Dick Hern would often start a well-regarded unraced 2yo in the Acomb. He ran Height of Fashion in it (Champion 2yo staying filly), Bustino (St Leger winner) and Gorytus (who looked unbeatable until he was got at), in the Acomb. Two won and Bustino was 3rd. No chance today.
