More than ever this weekend we’ve been arguing about the
quality of racing. Thoughought the week
we drone on about it being too sparse and poor quality, and then we get a
brilliant day’s racing but only with too much quality (6 races of over £30,000
in just one day in excessive no matter what). To add to it, on the day
afterwards the only flat card was at Fairyhouse tomorrow while only 3 jumps
card were held here. It was a day that was just begging to be filled by Ascot’s
card (Sunday could be a day for purists and partygoers) but that’s life and
onwards we move to today’s action.
So it was refreshing to see Racing UK take a good approach to
racing that some would describe as “poor” (depending on your taste) by putting
in features on the best of the July Meeting before then switching to some
topical debates on targets for horses or the ability of them (thank you James
Willoughby for not butchering my surname first time out) before switching to a
preview of every single race in ample time for video form and the like. There
was barely a gap in the programme and others could learn.
If you were asked, you wouldn’t put Yarmouth down as a
typically strong 2yo track but more than a few good juveniles run there for
powerful connections and the opener (6.00) is a good example. Mark Johnston’s
Comical is going to be favourite based on the strength of his Redcar maiden
form which saw the winner land the Superlative Stakes and also the second
winning as well, form which will make him extremely tough to beat.
While he was going to be passed over in favour of Paladin
that horse is a non runner and this is now a watching race with any number of
good pointers, the most notable may be that last year’s winning trainer Sir Michael
Stoute (who has had few runners this season but already released Russelliana) runs
Croquembouche for Ballymacoll Stud. He’s not been backed as if a massive run is
expected et but a morning price of 11/2 is positive. Indeed there are all kinds
of persuasive paper claim, with Grand Rapids also having plenty to recommending
him on breeding (from the very successful Bernandini line that has given success
this season to Goldophin) and also Perfect Gratitude who went for 100,000gns at
the sales earlier this year and is from a high-class family in the States for
the same connections that unearthed Native Khan at this time last year.
Again at Yarmouth, England Rules (8.30) won at Windsor in May
and had excuses when well beaten on his handicap bow at Sandown subsequently,
as he got badly hampered in a rough race when winding up for a run. His other
two runs have plenty of promise and he’s worth a decent chance, as the ground
too may have been a problem last time out (many soft patches). He can beat Top
Diktat (was trapped wide throughout and hampered when trying to close on the
leaders at Kempton last time) Destiny Blue (who is 2-2 here) and Ferrucio
(should be better for this trip).
The other bet of the day comes at Killarney, where the
betting for the 6.20 seems to rely on Northern Rock, whose winning run came to
an end at Tipperary in April when in search of the hat-trick but fresh from a
two-month break, is once again the popular choice. He may struggle to give
11lbs to Giant Step, who was an easy winner at Cork in April, but couldn't make
the transition to Group 2 company at Leopardstown. That has since been shown to
be a very good renewal of the Derrinstown Stud Derby trial and he can go well
here.
Advice
1 pt win England Rules, 8.30 Yarmouth (6/1 Paddy Power)
1 pt win Giant Step, 6.20 Killarney (7/2 Bet365)
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