Sunday's Meetings Naas Flat 7 Races 1:40-5:10p.m. Goodwood Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Beverley Flat 6 Races 2:05-4:55p.m. Yarmouth Flat 6 Races 2:10-5:05p.m Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Goodwood’s Sunday card features two pattern races but I think I will give the Prestige Fillies’ Stakes (2.25) a miss and hope that Sir Mark Prescott’s Moon Target is good enough to deny Aidan O’Brien’s Precise (rated 106P by Timeform); and Jonquil is theoretically the best horse in the Celebration Mile (3.35) but has become expensive to follow, including last time at this track. The Deauville Festival continues with a cracking card featuring four pattern races, two of them Group 1s. Only five line up for the opening Prix Kergorlay (12.58 BST) but this provides the usual conundrum of French racing: how will the race be run? Neither of the two main protagonists have won a race this term. So is it Andre Fabre’s Sevenna’s Knight or Christophe Ferland’s Double Major today? Double Major won it last year but his form has not been as good this term so I would be inclined to side with the Fabre colt, who had him behind when runner up in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier. Of course, it will end up being neither of them depending on how the sprint in the straight unfolds... The Prix du Calvados (13.33) features seven, three of whom are British raiders. This should be a fascinating race as Princess Margaret winner Fitzella (stepping up a furlong) takes on the Andre Fabre Godolphin filly My Highness, who beat Ceramic over course and distance last time. The problem here is that the British bookies have the two principals very short so I would not be having a bet either way, although my feeling is that the Fabre filly will win on her way to the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Sunday. The first of the Group 1 events, the Prix Morny (14:50), is almost certainly going to be exported as five of the six runners are not French and the home defence consists of outsider Imperial Me Cen, last seen finishing fourth of five in a sub standard Prix Robert Papin. Something has to give as there are three unbeaten runners: Wesley Ward’s Outfielder (one run, one win); Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad (two from two) and Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun (three from three). Wesley Ward’s runners on this side of The Pond usually come via Royal Ascot but Outfielder is a complete unknown having won at Churchill Downs. Gstaad had Coppull more than three lengths behind in the Coventry and his yard has won two of the last three runnings of this. Coppull subsequently won the Richmond Stakes but it is hard to see him reversing the Ascot form. Wise Approach was beaten over five in the Norfolk but subsequently won easily over six at Newbury and might be able to cause an upset. The filly Venetian Sun won the Albany and followed up in the Duchess Of Cambridge where last week’s Lowther winner Royal Fixation was second. Will Fitzella boost the Albany form again in the Prix du Calvados? Is the proximity of this Group 1 six furlong race the reason that the Gimcrack Stakes at York had such a mediocre field? Any of Coppull, Gstaad or Wise Approach would have been a short-priced favourite on the Knavesmire, although the first two would have had a penalty. And Venetian Sun would have been favourite for the Lowther, albeit with a penalty. The second Group 1 is the Prix Jean Romanet (16.00) and there is a good chance one of the three foreign raiders could upset the locals. It is difficult to make a case for James Tate’s Royal Dress as she has up to 10lb to find on official ratings. Gerald Mosse’s Grand Stars was last seen chasing home Goliath in a Group 3 and has not won in four 2025 races. Francis-Henri Graffard’s Quisisana has only raced five times in two seasons and the five year old will need to be much better than her recent Listed race win at Chantilly. Christopher Head’s Start Of Day put in two mediocre efforts to start 2025 but was third in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild three weeks ago behind Fallen Angel and January, form that would give her a chance today returning to ten furlongs. Survie has placed in both her races this term, most recently in June when third to Whirl in the Pretty Polly at The Curragh so she justifies her place. So that leaves the three “big guns”. Bedtime Story has been tried at a variety of distances without success since winning the Debutante Stakes last year, so I cannot see her coming good after finishing second last in the farcical Nassau Stakes. She was second in the Prix de Diane just ahead of Cankoura; however, Francis-Henri Graffard’s filly won the Prix de Psyche over course and distance next time, so the grey filly in the Aga Khan colours looks best of the home defence. After a poor Ebor meeting, what Charlie Appleby will want to see is Cinderella’s Dream adding this to her two domestic pattern wins, most recently the Falmouth Stakes at HQ. She won the Belmont Oaks and the Saratoga Oaks at this trip last year so she will be hard to beat here, which is reflected in her cramped odds. Maybe I should have a look at the Beverley card to see if I can find something at a backable price...
I did two with potential today. Moon Target has won both starts in facile fashion and needed to step up in class. We will find out how good she is today. I thought it worth chancing her. Outfielder was a Royal Ascot pick for me but the trainer decided to stay at home as he has no others worth coming over the Royal meeting. I'll chance him against the warm Fav Gstaad who seems O'brien's best colt. Wise Approach was originally aimed at the Gimcrack and on collateral form with the runner up at York on Friday would have won that contest. I think Gstaad has his measure though and perhaps the Knavesmire should have been his target after all. I think Venetian Sun has a bit to find. 2.25 Good Moon Target 5/2 2.50. Deau Outfielder 6/1 Two singles and a double
Moon Target was slowly away and took forever to get organised. She ran on but the bird had flown and she had to settle for second. She learned absolutely nothing about racing in a meaningless penalty kick at Yarmouth. Outfielder started well and was in front but like so many of Ward's runners ran out of gas. Venetian Sun made the required improvement in a tight finish. She was cut to 10/1 jf with Composing for the 1000 Guineas while Gstaad was pushed out to 16/1 for the 2000 Guineas. Both Guineas are wide open and it could be that something will emerge in the next six weeks and become contender(s)
Outfielder ran an excellent race. Things to consider... had had one race around a turn and beat trees... 3 months off the track with very little experience.... flew over from America, maybe a big ask for a two year old.... something happened in the stalls, was taken out, inspected and re stalled... when headed kept on very willingly I thought...
