Hi all,
Royal Ascot is done and dusted for another 12 months. As ever we witnessed some great moments and performances.
On Saturday It’s Derby day both sides of the Irish Sea. At the Curragh it’s Irish Derby with Anthony Van Dyke bidding to do the Derby double.
Up in the North East of England it’s the Northumberland Plate or as it still affectionately known in that part of the world as the “Pitman’s Derby”. It’s a long time since there were any coal mines up the area but it’s nice to see the history of the race and the people who made it such a special race still being celebrated.
This week’s notebook is a Royal Ascot Eyecatcher Special and there are plenty of them for the trackers.
Royal Ascot Eyecatchers
Tuesday June 18th – Day 1
Fairyland, trained by Aidan O’Brien, hadn’t been disgraced when 5th of 15 in the 1,000 Guineas. She failed to see out the mile that day and at the Curragh in the Irish version. Last years Group 1 Cheveley Park winner was dropped back to 5f in the King Stand Stakes and she shaped with promise as a sprinter in finishing 5th, beaten about three lengths by Blue Point.
The drop back to the minimum trip was always going to be a big ask for the 3-year-old and she was a little outpaced, as could have been expected, but she made some notable headway in the final furlong or so. She just didn’t have the pace of the likes of Blue Point & Battaash but it’s worth noting she was only ¼ length behind the third. The step up to 6f will suit the filly and next month’s July Cup could be an ideal race for her and the 25/1 available with Paddy Power would look value if connections decide to send her to Newmarket.
Latrobe, trained by Joseph O’Brien, has been more hit than miss since causing a bit of surprise when to win last years Irish Derby at 14/1. The 4-year-old hadn’t bee seen at his best on both his starts prior to Royal Ascot.
The rain that fell had turned the ground soft by the time of the Listed Wolferton Stakes which doesn’t really suit Latrobe. Still his 4th of 16 was a step back in the right direction. He didn’t get the best of passages twice in the final furlong but was staying on nicely to finish less than a length behind runner-up Magic Wand albeit no match for winner Addeybb on this sort of ground. A return to a sound surface and step back up to 1m 4f looks likely on the evidence of this performance.
Wednesday June 19th – Day 2
Almost Midnight, trained by David Simcock, a winner on his racecourse debut back in January before finishing runner-up, trying to give the winner 7lb at Newcastle. The 3-year-old returned from a short break to win a minor 1m 4f race at Thirsk last month. He was thrown into the deep end in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase but wasn’t disgraced in finishing 7th.
Sent off an unfancied 50/1, his hold up tactics weren’t suited by the way the race panned up and this effort can be marked up.
The colt’s run hasn’t been ignored by the handicapper who put him up 5lb for this effort. If he returns to handicaps, he should remain very competitive off his new mark. Her should have a nice pot in him before the year is out.
A race like the Hunt Cup always throws up an eyecatcher or two. Recent Newmarket eyecatcher Stylehunter ran a cracker to finish 4th. Not the quickest away from the stalls he did well to finish 4th of 28, beaten 2 ¼ lengths at the line and would have gone close to winning if get a clearer run a furlong from home. The luckless Kynren did best of those who raced on the far side in finishing 5th.
Chief Ironside, trained by William Jarvis, is my eyecatcher of the race. He only finished 14th but he wasn’t suited by the soft ground he faced here. The 4-year-old had run a cracker in finishing 3rd in the Diomed Stakes on his previous start on quick ground.
A sound surface and a strongly run 1m or 1m 2f look his optimum conditions. The handicapper has nudged him up a further 4lb but if he gets a chance to dominate in his race it’s hard not to think there is nice prize in the colt.
Thursday June 20th – Day 3
Roseman, trained by Roger Varian, ran well in finishing 5th in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes. I think the form of the race will stand up as the season progresses.
The 3-year-old was only having his 4th career start here. A winner at Nottingham on his second start back in April. He had run well to finish runner-up to subsequent St James’s Palace Stakes second King Of Comedy at Sandown on his last start.
Slightly impeded at the start and the seemed to struggle in the rear in the early stages of the race out a bit wider than you would like. The son of Kingman still seemed a shade green and was doing all his best work at the finish of the race. This was a better effort than his final position suggests and there was enough in his performance to suggest he could be a decent horse by the end of the season.
Like the Hunt Cup, the Britannia Handicap often throws up plenty of eyecatchers and this year’s renewal is no exception and I have two:
Awe, trained by William Haggas, a winner of a 7f Newmarket handicap 11-days previously did best of the low drawn runners in finishing 4th. The son of Bated Breath would probably have preferred a sounder surface and can continue to progress and win races.
Numerian, Joseph O’Brien. All the colts previous six runs had come on the all-weather at Dundalk and he was making his turf debut here. He was finishing race off well to finish 5th of 28 and didn’t get the best of runs when making his effort between the final two furlongs. He proved that he handles the grass and looks capable of winning a decent pot on the turf.
Although he hasn’t reached my main eyecatcher list the well fancied King Ademar, who was well beaten at the finish, deserves another chance on quicker ground. Given the support he received in the market he remains a horse on a winnable mark.
Friday June 21st – Day 4
Eagles By Day, trained by Michael Bell, an impressive winner of a maiden on quick ground at Salisbury back in April. He was then thrown into tougher waters in the Lingfield Derby Trial. He travelled well that day and coming to three furlongs out he looked like he would play a hand in the finish. He didn’t find as much as expected though and eventually finished a well beaten 6th. No match for the impressive winner Japan in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes but this was a much better effort form the colt in finishing third. The ground wasn’t as soft as he faced at Lingfield which suited him. A step up in distance should suit the son of Sea The Stars who could well develop into a St Leger contender.
Spanish Aria, trained by John Gosden, caught the eye when finishing 10th of 27 in the Sandringham Handicap. The 3-year-old made some nice headway at the end of the race and there is a handicap in the filly when shes’ dropped back into calmer waters.
A winner at Chelmsford back in November this was just her second start of the season and the handicapper has dropped 2lb. On turf the daughter of Lope De Vega’s best form on turf has come with bit of juice in the ground.
Fujaira Prince, trained by Roger Varian, had put in an excellent performance when finishing 2nd in a valuable York handicap on his previous start and arguably put in just as good an effort in finishing third here. He didn’t get the best of passages through the race and had to be switched twice in the straight when trying to make his effort.
Lightly raced for his age the 5-year-old the gelding is now 3 wins from 6 starts and he might not have reached the ceiling of his progress just yet. I will be disappointed if there are not more wins in him this season.
Saturday June 22nd – Saturday
Momkin, trained by Roger Charlton, racing in the first-time blinkers in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes. The 3-year-old had finished down the field in the 2,000 Guineas but prior to that had finished a neck second to Skardu in the Craven. The drying ground on Saturday was in his favour and he was fancied to put in a much better show.
Slow away from the stalls he got hampered two furlongs from home and was never had any chance after that. Jockey Andrea Atzeni didn’t touch him after that. I’m not saying he would have won without that interference, but he must be a couple of lengths better than he showed here.
Like many of the big handicaps at the meeting the Wokingham Handicap provided two eyecatchers.
Perfection, trained by David O’Meara, won a Newmarket Listed race on her final start for John Gosden back in October. Owners Cheveley Park kept the filly in training as 4-year-old but moved her to David O’Meara.
A promising second in a Group 3 at Lingfield on her stable debut, before running poorly 14-days later at Haydock, that race probably came to quick after a hard race on soft ground. This was much better from her in finishing in 7th of 26. She finished less than two lengths off the runner-up and with a clearer passage would surely have gone close to finishing second.
There’s a good sprint handicap in her when all the cards fall right which they didn’t here.
Vanbrugh, trained by Charlie Hills, only finished 10th in the Wokingham but he had led the much smaller far side group and that wasn’t the place to be. A winner of 7f conditions race at Thirsk on his seasonal reappearance and first start since moving from Andre Fabre.
Plenty of use was made of him and he still managed to finish within 2 ¼ lengths of the fourth home. Despite his lofty handicap rating there is a race in the 4-year-old with a less aggressive ride than he received here.
Cheers
John