Sunday's Meetings Uttoxeter N/H 8 Races 1:50-5:25p.m. Pontefract Flat 7 Races 2:12-5:12p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
I think I would turn down a free ticket to Pontefract today as the card does not look worth the petrol money to drive there. I am glad that I do not trek over to Deauville anymore as the Prix Rothschild card this afternoon is disappointing with small fields in most of the pattern races. The big race itself is a no bet because I expect the odds on favourite Mqse De Sevigne to extend her unbeaten 2024 sequence (beat Horizon Dore in the Prix d’Ispahan last time), probably at the expense of Kelina (made her reappearance in the Prix de la Porte Maillot in June). Whether the disappointing Blue Rose Cen (well beaten in the d’Ispahan and the Prince Of Wales) shows any improvement remains to be seen. The owner moving his horses have proved disastrous. In the five runner Prix de Cabourg (3:25), arguably the form pick is Richard Fahey’s raider Columnist. Andre Fabre’s Apollo Fountain won a Listed race at the track last time following up a debut second to Carlos Laffon-Parias’ Polyvega at Chantilly; however, I see no reason why the latter should not confirm the form over the extra half furlong. The Fabre horse pulled too hard in that debut race and settled better when beating Khaadi over five furlongs but can Columnist prove that his Coventry third was no fluke? Of the raiding party, I think that the best chance comes in the Prix Six Perfections (4:35) with Jason Hart aboard Royalty Bay, stepping up to seven furlongs after winning a valuable York novice following up on a respectable sixth in the Albany. The Albany runner-up Simmering won an Ascot Group 3 yesterday suggesting that the Quinn filly is up to Group 3 standard. The main threat looks to be Christophe Head’s unbeaten Angeal, winner of a five runner conditions race at this trip last time. Tom Clover’s Biniorella Bay must be well regarded as she steps up from winning a six runner Newmarket novice at this trip but the ground is an unknown for her. The other ‘Bay’ in the race, Bravo Bay touched off a Fabre/Godolphin favourite at Saint Cloud last time and I notice is attracting support with the British bookies this morning. This could turn out to be a trappy little race – six runners, betting like Crayford. I note that Timeform have backed Ascot’s clerk of the course rather than O’Blarney in the discussion of the actually going on Saturday. The race time tells us it was quick ground. When we see the sectionals my guess is that they went too fast upfront setting the race up or the hold-up horses. The same thing happened in several races at the Royal meeting, which is why the form has not really stood up to close examination. Here’s hoping that the ground continues to dry out at Goodwood, as it is now reported as just Good to Soft for Tuesday, so it is not a write off just yet...
Very sparse fare today, even the Deauville meeting in France is disappointing with the small fields in the Group events. However, the Group-1 Prix Rothschild (14:50), run over a distance just short of 1m on soft ground, is a competitive affair, and should still be a decent race, even with just 7-runners. Selection is the Frankel filly, Kelina, who should strip a lot fitter after her first run this season in a Group-3 event 38-days ago. Will be ridden by owner Wertheimer & Frere's contracted jockey, Maxime Guyon. Trainer is C. Laffon-Parias. 7/1 (Bet365) best price early-doors, on the ATR site.
Out with the washing!. At 10/1 SP, was certainly not fancied at all. Odds-on, and unbeaten in 2024, favourite won comfortably.
