Saturday's Meetings Newmarket Flat 9 Races 1:10-5:50p.m. 2000 Guineas Off @ 3:35p.m. Goodwood Flat 7 Races 1:30-5:05p.m. Thirsk Flat 7 Races 1:35-5:30p.m. Punchestown Festival N/H 8 Races 2:30-6:35p.m. Uttoxeter(E) N/H 8 Races 4:10-8:00p.m. Hexham(E) N/H 8 Races 4:28-8:00p.m. Doncaster(E) Flat 7 Races 5:10-8:24p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The Newmarket card looks like a proper bookies’ benefit with six handicaps, four of them the races after the first Classic. The post-racing entertainment would have to be a real superstar to persuade punters to stay until after the last. The opening Fillies & Mares Listed race has attracted eight but there is very little good 2025 form to go on; and only one of the five three year olds entered in the race, Biniorella Bay (sixth in the Nell Gwyn), remains and needs to have improved markedly to beat her elders at this stage of the season. Old girl Vadream has not won since 2023 and ran in the same Bath race as Frost At Dawn (second), Pure Angel (sixth, no wins at six furlongs) and Adaay In Devon (seventh) when coming home fifth. Nighteyes won a Listed race at Naas last year but was subsequently last in a Group 3 at the same course, beaten by a number of the same rivals; and she has not previously won first time out. The mare Tiger Bay won her only race first time out over seven furlongs on the Lingfield kitty litter as a three year old and has campaigned in handicaps and Listed races since without success. Last year’s winner from the Haggas barn, Unequal Love, won the Wokingham and then was highly tried, third in the Haydock Sprint Cup (Vadream behind) and well beaten on soft ground in the Champions Sprint. So today’s conditions look ideal, if taking her fitness on trust, so I think she will collect again on her way to better contests; however, her odds reflect that so no bet. The Group 3 Palace House Stakes (2.55) contains a couple of females that were entered in the opener but have opted for five furlongs here. No Half Measures’ best turf efforts have been with easy ground, her peak being a Group 3 at Newbury over five. Pepsi Cat was fourth in the Bath race that featured four of the females that contested the first race but her overall form is not good enough to win here. Three of the field come from the Cowell barn and they are all evenly matched. Old boy Clarendon House won on the Southwell kitty litter in February and usually campaigns between handicaps and pattern company so he may find one too good today. Seven Questions started 2024 in Meydan before springing a 33/1 surprise in this race and he will not be race fit today. Democracy Dilemma also started last season in warmer climes before winning at Chester so last year’s Beverley Bullet winner also lines up without race fitness. Washington Heights contested a number of the top sprints last term but his only win was the six furlong Abernant Stakes first time up. Rumstar has a Group 3 win to his name and won a Listed race to end 2024 but he has been last and second last on his seasonal bows the last two years. She’s Quality has won a Listed race at Tipperary but is another that does not trouble the judge on seasonal debut and looks up against it here. Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond has won a couple of Listed races and was second to Rumstar at Ascot when last seen (Democracy Dilemma last of six) and has form beating several of these; however, she was third in this race last year in a three way photo with Vadream and Seven Questions when favourite. Also in this race last year was fourth home Twilight Calls, second in the 2022 King’s Stand when trained by Henry Candy, but now having moved to the Spencer barn and with the interesting booking of Jamie Spencer on a horse that always misses the start and comes flying at the death. On unfavourable weight for age terms, the Andrew Balding three year old Tropical Storm is interesting. He was second in the Norfolk Stakes as a juvenile, won a Listed race at the Ebor meeting and was fourth in the Flying Childers, which marks him out as being the class act in this field and from an in-form yard. If I were desperate for a bet in this race, I think I would chance the three year old as he may turn out to be the best horse in the field. The first Classic at 3.35 has become a race that the bookies have enjoyed in recent years as the Ballydoyle ante post market has disappeared into their profit column with two “best horse he has ever trained” favourites running abysmally en route to Epsom. Despite the number that were left at the five day stage, there is only one Aidan O’Brien runner today, the twice raced Expanded, who was second to Shadow Of Light in the Dewhurst (Seagulls Eleven fourth) and looks a good prospect if he takes to quick ground. Seagulls Eleven was highly tried as a juvenile (tenth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf behind Henri Matisse; third in the National Stakes behind Scorthy Champ) and will probably find one or two too good again. Scorthy Champ won the National Stakes but Joseph O’Brien’s charge has not been seen since, which is a concern. The big concern with the Godolphin runners from the Appleby barn is their dreadful form so far this term (one win from fourteen runners in pattern races in April). They drew a blank from several fancied runners at the trial meetings, so would I want to be on Ruling Court, third in the Acomb at York and winner this year of the Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas at Meydan two months ago? Shadow Of Light has not been seen on track in 2025 but at least the other Godolphin possible, Tornado Alert, comes from a different barn, that of Saeed bin Suroor. If the Appleby runners disappoint then what for the 1000 Guineas favourite tomorrow? The final Irish raider is Jessica Harrington’s Green Impact that beat three rivals in the Group 2 Juvenile Stakes at the Irish Champions meeting. Juddmonte won both the key British trials as Jonquil won the Greenham with Yah Mo Be There well behind in fifth but the winner has been taken out and the Spencer runner does not look good enough. More impressive than Jonquil was Field Of Gold running away with the Craven Stakes a few days later from Wimbledon Hawkeye (second) and Benevento (fourth) so I expect John Gosden to end his wait for a 2000 Guineas winner with the grey son of Kingman making amends for his father. I won’t be betting on this one as my ante post was Jonquil so I have already lost my money. If I manage to separate myself from any of my money, it will probably be on WOODHAY WONDER in the handicap at 1.45 as it did me a couple of favours at HQ last term; however, the winner of its warm up race More Thunder is only 5lb worse off and looked to win with a bit to spare. I expect French Master to win the 4.05 at a short price as he might be better than a handicapper.
My hope is that Scorthy Champ wins today as I was very impressed by his National win As regards Fields of Gold, he looks a really good horse and the probable winner. I'm just concerned he may have to have everything happen for him and over the years, in Classics, have seen plenty of horses beaten, who didn't get the run they needed. Nothing to do with the jockey, as I felt the criticisms of him in the past have been ridiculous.
The best animal on display at Newmarket today may be running in a handicap. Hand of God. The 2000 guineas normally has people excited looking for a superstar and I dont see one. A couple from me.. Native Honey 5.10 Doncaster ..wink wink... Great Chieftain 5.50 Newmarket Good luck if you're punting...
Punchestown 14,30 Chemical Energy 15/2 e/w Lads and Coral four places, three others 15,05 Answer To Kayf 14/1 e/w Lads, Coral and PP five places 16,15 Canal End 4/1
You could be right there. Clocked a fast time over a mile at Newmarket as a 2yo (Over 3 secs faster than Arabian Night as a 3yo). 2 from 2 last year. Could be a group horse in a handicap. Will be interesting to see how the times compare today. Might need Nass to analyse that as HOG goes an extra furlong
15:42 Punchestown - Jade De Grugy. Grade-1, Class-1, EBF Mares Champion Hurdle over an extended 2m4f on yielding ground. Guess she'll try to lead all the way? Maybe she can!? Paul Townend on board for the one-and-only Willie Mullins. 11/8 best price in nearly all places on the ATR site, at time of writing.
I'll try a little treble for fun at Punchestown (although it's not really fun because I have trouble getting one winner, let alone 3 ) Lulamba 7/4 Hey Sunshine 5/1 Jungle Cove 11/8
The big juvenile hurdle race at Punchestown should be very interesting. Despite the SP there was no fluke about Poniros winning the Triumph and he has been well backed throughout the day, with Lulamba on the drift.
Kentucky Derby tonight [11.57] Having an each way bet on the Bob Baffert colt Citizen Bull 22-1 [Bet 365]..four places
