Sunday's Meetings York Flat 7 Races 1:40-5:10p.m. Fontwell N/H 6 Races 1:55-4:50p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
After the Haydock Sprint Cup illustrated that this year’s sprinters do not include any sort of Group 1 champion, there is the prospect of seeing actual Group 1 horses slugging out the Prix Du Moulin (2:50 UK time) this afternoon and somebody staking a claim to the title of champion miler. Earlier in the week, I saw the ante post betting and the bookies had the ‘big two’ priced up at 6/4 but now one is odds on and the other has drifted out. Of the seven declared, it seems quite easy to eliminate four of them. Ramadan has two Group 3 wins this year, was fifth in a blanket finish to the Poulains and last time in the Prix Daphnis gave 4lb to the horse that finished sixth in the Poulains. That is not good enough form today. Carmelito has run up a hat-trick, winning the Group 3 Prix Messidor last time beating last year’s disappointing Poulains winner – but that one was last in the Prix Jacques le Marois subsequently. The filly Kelina won the Prix de la Forêt last year but has not troubled the judge in two starts in 2024, finishing second last in the Prix Rothschild when last seen. Andre Fabre’s Tribalist has proven not to be a Group 1 performer and has won two five runner pattern races this year. So that leaves the three raiders as the real contenders. Henry Longfellow comes over from Ballydoyle having yet to open his 2024 account. He was only eighth when favourite for the Poulains and was second in the St James’s Palace where Notable Speech ran poorly; however, that form was subsequently reversed when the 2000 Guineas winner prevailed in the Sussex Stakes. My suspicion is that Ryan Moore is going to try and set the fractions again here and try to steal the race, so the ‘big two’ need to have their wits about them to prevent this turning into a sprint in the straight. That especially applies to the horse that I expect to win, Charyn, who has been a revelation this season with his only defeat being in the Lockinge. Roger Varian’s grey won the Jacques le Marois last time and is capable of giving the weight to the Classic generation duo on his way to Champions’ Day, where he may run into the best three year old miler, Richard Hannon’s Rosallion. It was not many years ago that the Moulin used to be run on the Arc Trials day card but this card has been built with a couple of other pattern races thrown in. The Prix Gladiateur (3:25) used to be on Arc Trials day as a warm up for the Prix du Cadran so I guess that the runners get an extra week between the two now. The market for the Group 3 prize is dominated by two raiders, Ralph Beckett’s River Of Stars (third in the Lillie Langtry last time) and Dermot Weld’s Harbour Wind (second in the Prix Chaudenay last year, winner of a Limerick listed race last time). The best of the home defence looks to be Sevenna’s Knight; however, he was behind the Weld gelding last September and may well be again today but at 13/8 Harbour Wind is too short for me. The three Group 3 races that open proceedings all feature British/Irish raiders but I would steer clear of the opening Prix La Rochette (12:23) where there is little solid juvenile form available except for the favourite Houquetot finishing second in the Prix Francois Boutin to Cowardofthecounty. In the third race, the Prix La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte (1:33), the betting looks like a greyhound race with an extra trap! Certain Lad travels over from the Channon barn and has good claims on his second in the Winter Hill over a similar trip at Windsor and Ryan Moore gets the leg up on Al Mubhir for William Haggas, who won a Listed race on his penultimate start but was behind Certain Lad at Haydock. The obvious form pick is the Aga Khan’s Dolayli but he has not been seen since running poorly on fast ground in the Queen Anne after a close fourth in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan. So that leaves the Prix Prince d’Orange (12:58), where unbeaten Ombudsman is odds-on with the British bookies to extend that run. I think he is a lousy odds-on shot in a race that features Andre Fabre’s Prix Du Jockey Club runner up First Look and the Crisford’s Queen’s Vase fourth Meydaan. That said, if there were eight runners here, I would want to back the other unbeaten runner, Francis Henri Graffard’s Map Of Stars, winner of a small Listed race at Compeigne last time, each way at 14/1. I made a note of the son of Prix Vermeille winner Bateel as he got a glowing write up by the Timeform man that day, who reckoned that he was probably worth a rating of 114. Today’s odds-on raider only has a rating of 111.
The feature on Sunday’s Family Day card at York is the Garrowby Stakes (4:00), a Listed sprint that has attracted 12 at the time of writing. There looks to be an opportunity to steal money here but that usually never turns out to be the case in sprints (look at yesterday!). I can start by drawing a line through a number of the outsiders. Frost At Dawn has never won at this trip, winning the Nad Al Sheba Sprint at Meydan over five but third last in the Nunthorpe last time. Night Raider runs over six furlongs today for only the second time and only has two seven furlong wins on the kitty litter to his name. I would not back Karl Burke’s other runner Korker to even start the race and if he does he will blow his chance at the gate. Fivethousandtoone ought to be on offer at those odds having won twice on kitty litter in 2024 but not troubled the judge on turf. Last year’s Ayr Gold Cup winner Significantly has not been seen since May and probably wants easier ground to get involved today. You will need a long memory to remember the last time Twilight Calls won, he is dropping in class but most of his best form is at five furlongs. The mare Pink Crystal has not made the frame in three starts this year and two of those were at five furlongs so she would need to show a sudden form revival today. Purosangue has bits and pieces of form that are good enough to win at this level but Andrew Balding’s colt may want it a little easier underfoot and he was a complete no-show in the Stewards’ Cup last time. Rage Of Barmby is a handicapper stepping up in class. She was fourth in a Listed race last time, prior to which she beat Korker over course and distance. The winner of the Listed race where Rage Of Barmby was fourth was Marine Wave and Richard Fahey’s filly has to be a live contender in this event, although penalised for that win. Michael Dods has a very good record in this event, winning it last year and the mare Azure Blue won the Duke Of York over course and distance last term; however, she was only seventh in the same race this term and dead-heated over five on her penultimate start. I still would not be surprised if she went in today even with her penalty. The clear form pick though is the topweight QUINAULT, winner of Listed events on both his last two starts, with Night Raider behind last time. His three prior races were in pattern company, a level where he was clearly not good enough. He is in the form of his life and I expect Marco Ghiani to be in the van straight from the gate.
The Group-3 Gladiateur Stakes (15:25) at Parislongchamp, over an extended 1m7f on soft ground, is the event of choice today. UK trainer, Ralph Beckett sends over the good filly, River Of Stars, to contest this race. Maxime Guyon on board for the Beckett stable.
I really don't understand why Henry Longfellow hasn't been tried beyond 8f. By Dubawi out of the Oaks winning mare by Galileo, I would have though he would be at least worth a try at 12f. Maybe 10f first i see he is entered in the Irish and English Champion Stakes. Could be interesting
Bad to chase losses after selection bombed-out earlier, and finished last. However, iin the finalé at Parislongchamp (17:10) the consistent Love Affair certainly has a squeak . M. Velon (3) on board for the Mlle S Penot stable.
Won at 13/2 SP by 1/2 L. in this 18-runner Handicap. That's better, after the other selection was out with the washing. The mare deserved her victory as she has been so consistent with a series of good performances.
