Sunday's Meetings Stratford N/H 8 Races 1:30-5:00p.m. Perth N/H 6 Races 2:15-4:45p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The (16:30) at Stratford, a Class-5 Novices' Limited Handicap Hurdle over 2m6f on good ground. should result in a decently-priced winner? Without further ado, the choice to run a sound race and, hopefully, gain a podium finish is the Protectionist gelding, No More Bolero, who appears to have as good a chance as any in this affair? Brendan Powell takes the ride for the David Bridgwater yard. 5/1 (Wm.Hill/Unibet/BetVictor) top price early-doors, on the ATR site. E/W preferred option.
At Chantilly this afternoon, I have to wonder why the British bookies have Skellet odds on for the Prix Chloe (2:55) when she was beaten out of sight in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes yet have local hope Luiza Bere at 6/1 after finishing second in a Listed race and L’Equilibriste (the winner of the Listed race and beaten out of sight in the Prix de Diane) at similar odds. Blush lines up on a hat-trick after winning two conditions races at Compeigne. Who would take the odds in first time blinkers? The Prix Messidor (4:40) looks a bit of a penalty kick for last year’s Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi although he now has to give more weight to Andromede and Fast Raaj that he beat last time out. The British interest in the Chantilly card is concentrated on the Prix Robert Papin (3:30) with none of the seven runner field trying to keep the prize at home. The Italian filly Korisa last ran at San Siro, winning a Group 3 race beating maiden Selfish by 5 lengths; so is very much an unknown quantity. Convo was second in a Listed race on her penultimate start but was last seen way down the field in the Albany as a 100/1 shot so probably won’t be featuring in the business end of this race. Richard Fahey runs two here: Shadow Army won on debut over five but was only mid division in the Windsor Castle when favourite and now steps up a furlong; and Moving Force also steps up a furlong after finishing mid division in the Norfolk but not beaten a long way. Fahey gives both an optimistic assessment in his Sporting Life column but will either of them bounce straight back from their disappointing efforts last time? It is impossible to know what to think of Richard Hannon’s An Outlaw’s Grace, winner of his only start on quick ground at Salibury. The runner-up that day was also runner-up on its next start. Arabie won his penultimate start at York and followed up over course and distance in a Group 3 race, which makes him the form pick today. Ed Walker’s filly CELANDINE also comes here on a hat-trick having followed up victory in a Windsor novice with another all-the-way success to take the Listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket with plenty to spare. With Tom Marquand still in the plate, I am expecting her to try and repeat that tactic so I just hope that first time on easy ground is not a problem and she can make use of the sex allowance.
What chance of someone shooting Macron today? Starmer has had a word with the French referee. If the decisions go our way then he will take 100,000 illegal immigrants off their hands – they can all live at Gary Lineker’s house.
The Group-3 Prix Chloe Stakes (14:55) at Chantilly, for 3YO Fillies only, over a distance of just under 1m1f on good-to-soft ground, is a pretty tough nut to crack. Will take a chance with the very consistent, Some Skye. She is still a maiden, but has run some very good races, and is worth a modest wager at at good odds. 10/1 is the best price on offer in many places, on the ATR site. If the field of 8-runners holds, then E/W is the preferred option.
A bad day at the office. Oh well, that's horse racing. (You know, Maxime Guyon is riding out of his skin at the moment. He could win on a beach donkey!)
