The first positive about today’s racing is that Hamdan Al Maktoum has fancied runners at two meetings and Crowley, who hardly ever wins for me, is at York. So Dane O’Neill gets the leg up on Moraawed in the 2:45 at HQ. I expect him to win giving just 11lb away to the bottom weight, but clearly so do the bookies: 5/4 too short for me with most to fear from Cristal Breeze. William Buick should have a good afternoon at HQ but the mostly small fields make most of the card a no bet. I would do Bint Soghaan in the 4:30 but Cardano looks like the only pace option amongst the quartet so it may turn into a sprint.
At York, I am tempted to plough some of my winnings from King’s Advice into him in the Ebor as he is well-in with his penalty; however, he does not have the greatest starting stall for what is usually quite a rough race and he is hardly a steal at the prices. I have been told Barsanti each-way in the race but a seven year old in first time blinkers that has never run in a race of more than twelve...
My principal concern about LAURENS in the City Of York Stakes is her zero per cent record when taking on the boys. She has a Group 1 penalty but she is the only Group 1 performer in the race. I think she has most to fear from Sir Dancealot, only having to concede her one pound and clearly unsuited by the soft ground in the Hungerford last time. Le Brivido continues to disappoint but his best career performance, winning the 2017 Jersey, was at this trip; however, the yard has just 4 wins from their last 50 runners.
The rest of the York card looks like a bookies’ benefit but that is to be expected on a Saturday.
I jokingly mentioned SIR RON PRIESTLEY the other week and he went and won. In the March Stakes, I fully expect him to set out to make the running. Ordinarily one might be wary of a horse stepping from handicaps to a Group 3 race but he has won four from five this term and the only real pattern-race performer in the field is Manuela De Vega, yet to win this year and probably flattered by her fourth in the Oaks, which now looks a poor renewal.
The Celebration Mile amounts to a contest between two horses that were fourth in Group 1 events last time (Happy Power and Skardu) and the improving three year olds who have run up a sequence (Beat Le Bon and Duke Of Hazzard). Craven winner Skardu was less than two lengths behind the St James’s Palace winner but the going is very different here and Happy Power was further behind Circus Maximus on this track in the Sussex. Beat Le Bon has completed a hat-trick by winning the Golden Mile at the Glorious meeting whilst DUKE OF HAZZARD looks to complete a hat-trick today after winning the Group 3 race on the same card. At the Royal meeting, he finished in front of Happy Power in the Jersey. Hopefully today he is not in trouble with the law...