Hi all,
It’s a good day of racing on Sunday we have Group 1 action at Deauville. A good card at the Curragh where the feature race is the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial Stakes (4:35). There’s also final leg of the Sky Bet Sunday Series which heads south to Sandown and there’s a Listed race at Pontefract.
I’m beginning today’s preview with a look at the big race at Deauville. Sunday’s betting advice can be found at the end of the main piece.
Deauville: Prix Morny
The race of the weekend at Deauville on Sunday. The Group 1 Prix Morny (3:25) is the race, and it looks a cracker. There’s been plenty of rain at Deauville in recent days and the going was being described as heavy on Saturday morning. It was supposed to be dry on Saturday and Sunday so the ground shouldn’t be heavy.
We have the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin winner Ramatuelle who looks the clear best of the French trained horses. However, the daughter of Justify has yet to race on ground worse than good to soft.
Aidan O’Brien trained River Tiber hasn’t been seen since winning the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Easy ground shouldn’t be a problem for the son of Wootton Bassett but he is returning from a slight setback which means he has missed some work. Despite that he remains my idea of the winner though.
Vandeek overcame greenness to make it 2-2 when winning the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood 17 days ago. It was soft ground at Goodwood, but I don’t think the colt really liked the ground but at least we know he handles.
Valiant Force is another who hasn’t been seen since winning at Royal Ascot. The Norfolk Stakes winner caused a 150/1 surprise that day but he’s a good colt and it looks like he will have a pacemaker here.
It’s River Tiber for me. But It will be interesting to see if Vandeek can make the step up into Group 1 company which I think he can.
Curragh
There are two Group races at the Curragh this afternoon. The best of them is the St Leger Trial. This year’s renewal has only got five runners with Elder Eldarov declared a non-runner on Saturday. Despite his absence, it’s an interesting race, nonetheless.
Library ran a cracker when a 2 ¼ length 3rd of 8 in the Irish Oaks but was only runner-up in a Group 3 at Cork just 2 days ago. As she shown in the past, she can be a tough horse to pass if she gets and uncontested lead, but will she run.
Joseph O’Brien saddles three in Okita Soushi, Dawn Rising & Point King.
Okita Soushi won the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap (1m 4f) at Royal Ascot last time. Today’s extra 2f will suit the 5-year-old and he deserves to take his chance in pattern company.
Dawn Rising won the Queen Alexandra Stakes (2m 5 ½ f) at Royal Ascot last time. He takes a big drop in trip here and I’m not sure a tactically run race will suit the 6-year-old.
Point King is a useful colt who got within a short head of winning a Group 3 at Leopardstown over the distance in May. Not well positioned or seen to best effect when only 8th of 13 to Vauban in the Copper House Handicap at Royal Ascot last time.
Shamida is the most consistent horse in the line-up albeit she had a bit to find on official ratings. The filly got off the mark in a Leopardstown maiden (1m 4f) two starts back and then improved to win a Group 3 over the distance at the same venue last month. Unexposed over the trip she’s going the right way and maybe capable of the improvement to win this.
Verdict: It might not have the biggest of line-up but its a fascinating race and Shamida is the one i just prefer.
A couple of interest on the Curragh card.
3:00 – Big Gossey is a three time winner at the Curragh including two over C&D. He hasn’t quite been at his best on his last two starts but he was an excellent neck 4th of 16 here (5f) last month. The top-weight holds no secrets from the handicapper, but Robert Whearty takes off a useful 7lb which gives him a chance to defy a tough mark of 101.
5:05 – The Organiser is on a losing run of 12. But he produced his best effort since joining his present yard when a 1 ¼ length 5th of 19 over C&D 8 days ago. Wayne Hassett takes a handy 7lb off the top weights back which gives him a good chance if building on last time out effort.
Pontefract
The Listed Flying Fillies’ Stakes (3:25) is the highlight of a six race card at the West Yorkshire track.
Previous C&D winner Gale Force Maya finished runner-up in last year’s race and looks sure to be a popular pick. The mare doesn’t want ease in the ground but it’s forecast to be mainly dry so it shouldn’t be worse than good.
Kitai won a Class 2 handicap over C&D two starts back but was slowly away and has no chance after when last of 13 at Goodwood when seeking the hat trick 19 days ago. The 3-year-old easily bounce back from a handy draw in stall 1. Funny Story ran well in that Goodwood race to finish third. She hails from the inform Ralph Beckett yard and is one to consider from stall 5.
Rage Of Bamby was a useful juvenile but we haven’t seen the 3-year-old since she finished a well beaten 11th of 13 in Chelmsford in April. Believing won that race before going on to win a Group 3 at Chantilly the following month. She disappointed back at 5f last time but has been given a 77 day break and if that has freshened her up should go well.
Demi Pointe is thrown in the deep end for her belated seasonal reappearance. The daughter of Pivotal won a Chelmsford novice in December and looked open to further progress. The hood goes on today and she’s not one to discount.
It’s not often you see a French based jockey ride at Pontefract. But today we have Ioritz Mendizabal coming over to ride Spanish challenger Samedi Rien. The 4-year-old will like this ground better than at Goodwood last time and the drop back to a strongly run 6f might suit. She only has 3lb to find with Gale Force May on OR’s and is a player, albeit stall 14 isn’t great.
Verdict: A tricky renewal. Gale Force Maya is the one to beat. I quite liked the claims of the Spanish challenger Samedi Rien but stall 14 has put me off. It will be interesting to see what the lightly raced Demi Pointe is capable of better on her seasonal reappearance.
Sandown
The racing is as competitive as ever for the final leg of the Sky Bet Sunday Series. You can as ever watch all the racing on ITV4 this afternoon. I have had a look at six of the seven races on the card.
3:45 – Two Tribes improved to finish a neck 2nd of 8 in a C&D maiden 10 days ago. The first time blinkers replace the cheekpieces he wore last time on handicap debut, and he’s got a great chance. Top weight Equity Law won at Salisbury (good to firm) two start back. He wasn’t suited by soft ground at Chester last time and is probably capable of better. Indication Spirit has improved with each of her four starts and completed the hat trick when winning a Leicester nursery 18 days ago. She proved her effectiveness for soft ground last time and although more is required to win this given her present form, she might find it.
4:15 – Get It, a winner twice last season for his previous yard, bounced back to form on his second start after a layoff when a ½ length 2nd of 8 at Chepstow 10 days ago. Drying ground will suit the 5-year-old and if stall 14 isn’t problematic should go close. Be Proud won this race in 2021 and was a 3 length eighth 12 months ago. A winner twice in July. He wasn’t disgraced behind the improving Dark Trooper at Haydock 14 days ago and shouldn’t be far away. Ancient Times bounced back to form when a ½ length 3rd of 8 at Chester in June. He didn’t back up that effort 24 hours later at Doncaster, but he’s been given a 63 day break since and has good record after a shortish layoff. Handicapped to go close.
5:15 – Junkanoo enjoyed the return to soft ground andwas back to his best when winning at Windsor 97 days ago. First run since but his Windsor success came off a 150 day layoff so he can go well fresh. Should run well again especially if there’s any rain about. Silver Gunn won this corresponding race in 2021 and was back to winning ways at Windsor last month. He’s up 4lb for his latest success but if he gets a sound surface shouldn’t be far away. Graignes was back to winning ways at Kempton 53 days ago. He’s got an 8lb rise in the weights to contend with but can’t be ruled out given he was much higher rated earlier in his career.
5:45 – Ouzo isn’t the easiest to win with 4 from 33 but he’s a consistent handicapper who normally gives his running in these types of handicaps which means he doesn’t get much respite from the handicapper. The 7-year-old looked as good as ever when 1 ¼ length 2nd of 15 to Perotto over C&D last month (yet to finish out of the first three at Sandown). Same mark as last time and wouldn’t be winning out of turn. Orbaan finished 4 lengths behind Ouzo here last month. He couldn’t get into the race from behind when a 5 length 9th of 20 to Johan in the Golden Mile Handicap at Goodwood 16 days ago. The 8-year-old dropping down to a winnable mark and another success may not be far away. Metal Merchant twice a winner last season. He hasn’t won so far this year, although hasn’t been running to badly and ran better than his 5 length 5th of 17 to Novus at Goodwood suggests 18 days ago. Didn’t get a clear run inside the final furlong last time and capable of going close off his present mark.
6:15 – Zarga got off the mark at the sixth attempt when winning a filly’s handicap (1m 2f) at Windsor 27 days ago. Strong at the finish last time she looks to be going the right way and might be able to defy a 6lb rise in the weights. Sly Madam won at Windsor in April and has run well on her last three starts. The mare wasn’t disgraced behind an improving 3-year-old when a keeping on 2 ¾ length 2nd of 6 at Epsom 17 days ago. Marinara has improved for the step into handicap company and posted a career best on RPR’s when beating 11 rivals at Yarmouth (7f) last month. A 5lb rise in the weights doesn’t look too harsh and the step up to 1m 1f could suit the 3-year-old.
6:45 – The front running Alpine Stroll was back to his best when a length 2nd of 8 over C&D two starts back. Not suited by soft ground at Ayr next time but if the ground dries out, he should run race. Apparate ran a cracker on his first run for 20 months when a neck 2nd of 8 at Doncaster (1m 4f) two starts back. Didn’t back up the promise when only 10th of 13 at Newbury (2m ½ f) next time. Drop back to 1m 6f is a positive and we could see a much better run from the 7-year-old. Rhythmic Intent isn’t the horse that won the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster in September 2021. However, the 7-year-old is now 6lb lower and there was a lot more to like about his 2 ¼ length 3rd of 11 at Yarmouth last month. Not out of this if building on his Yarmouth performance.
Betting Advice:
Sandown
3:45 – Two Tribes – 1pt win – 5/1 @ Coral
4:15 – Ancient Times – 1pt win – 10/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
5:15 – Silver Gunn – 1pt win – 8/1 @ Coral
6:45 – Apparate – 1pt win – 16/1 @ Coral and Rhythmic Intent – 1pt win – 8/1 @ Coral
Curragh
3:00 – Big Gossey – 10/1 @ Coral
5:05 – The Organiser – 8/1 @ Coral
I will be back on Wednesday for the start of York’s Ebor Festival.
Cheers
John