Friday's Meetings Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Ascot Flat 6 Races 2:00-4:55p.m. York Flat 7 Races 2:10-5:40p.m. Kilbeggan(E) N/H 8 Races 4:25-8:00p.m. Cork(E) N/H 7 Races 5:12-8:15p.m. Chepstow(E) Flat 7 Races 5:35-8:40p.m. Chester(E) Flat 7 Races 5:55-8:55p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
You'd think Closutton will be really trying with Spanish Harlem in the big National Handicap Chase at Kilbeggan (19:30) this evening. After a fine 4th in the Whitbread at Sandown he had a nice break before taking a novice chase at Punchestown last month and that should have put him spot on for this. If you take out the top weight and the reserves this is actually a very tight handicap and Spanish Harlem is consistent and open to improvement. He's drifted to a very backable 4/1 in places this morning and looks a good e/w bet to nothing (although most of the skinny bookies only paying 1/5 the odds for a place these days).
After the huge fields of five, six and four in the first day pattern races, I was not expecting much better on an underwhelming second day. So just six in the juvenile race, headed by the odds on Venetian Sun, which I would rather oppose than back. The form of the eight runner Group 1 centres pretty much around two Royal Ascot races. Of the three year olds it is hard to make a case for German 1000 Guineas winner Lady Ilze as that soft ground win looks well below what several others have achieved. Both Atsila and January made no impression in the Irish 1000 Guineas; but the Ballydoyle filly was a fair third in the Coronation subsequently. Elwateen was a non stayer in The Oaks but a fair fourth in the 1000 Guineas before that, although that form now looks suspect. Last year’s 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka has hardly excelled this term and I cannot see why she will reverse form with Cinderella’s Dream from the Dahlia Stakes. Running Lion was fourth in the Duke Of Cambridge, won by her stablemate Crimson Advocate, who was in receipt of 3lb that day from Cinderella’s Dream. That leaves those two closely matched and I expect one of them to win. The only race I can find of betting interest is the stayers’ handicap at 3:00. There are four outsiders that look easy to eliminate. Roaring Legend has done nothing in his last three starts to inspire confidence and Imperial Sovereign has not seen the winner’s enclosure in two years. Liari looks like the pace angle here but after winning a small Haydock race he was nowhere in the Ascot Stakes, so I expect the same again against strong opposition. Artisan Dancer won his first turf race at the start of the campaign but has failed to improve and this looks too tough. Andrew Balding won this last year but Lieber Power was beaten in a lesser race than this last time when odds on and might struggle today. Three contested the Copper Horse and it is hard to fancy any of them here as they are near the top of the weights giving weight to horses in better form. So I do not see Endless Victory, Align The Stars or Champagne Prince winning today. Six year old Real Dream only ran a week ago in a Listed race and the drop in trip and quick return put me off him, running because he is due to go up 6lb. Is it Insanity to go against a horse trained by an NH trainer in a stayers’ handicap? I think not. Oneforthegutter, last year’s Ebor third, was just behind Insanity at Ayr last time and is perhaps over-priced today with a 3lb pull for a length. Dancing In Paris was second in the Northumberland Plate on the kitty litter and has good turf form making him a live candidate here; however, it will require another career best to win. That leaves me with STORY HORSE, not out of the first three this term and having had a break since following up a win at the Guineas meeting (Align The Stars and Oneforthegutter behind) with a solid second at Goodwood to French Master (Dancing In Paris third). I hope Saffie Osborne can improve her record on the horse to three wins from four rides.
Non-runner due to the going (officially good) - all the other yard`s runners on the card were scratched after Sugar Cookie finished 2nd in the 17:00. We might see Spanish Harlem at Galway if there is some juice in the ground.
