Hi all,
A busy few days with three days racing at Newcastle culminating in Northumberland Plate Day on Saturday. Meanwhile across the Irish Sea Thursday sees day one of the three-day Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh.
I’m away for a week’s holiday in Rhodes from Friday, after the intensity of Royal Ascot it’s a good opportunity to recharge the batteries, but I will be back to cover Coral Eclipse Meeting at Sandown.
Besides today’s selections, I have also included a few for Friday & Saturday.
Thursday – June 27th
Newmarket
4:25 – Makazeem has put in some of his best performances here and on the Rowley Course. The 6-year-old won this race in 2017 and was a close-up 5th in last years Bunbury Cup over C&D. Returned from a 299-day absence to be an encouraging 5th of 9 at Goodwood 35-days ago. He’s dropped a further 2lb and is down to a winnable mark. Seems ground versatile but his two best RPR’s have come on good to soft going. Ryan Moore who’s ridden the selection to 2 of his 3 wins is back in the saddle.
Makazeem – 6/1 @ Ladbrokes & William Hill
Curragh
6:45 – Ming – The 4-year-old remains open to improvement over today’s 1m 4f distance.Twice a winner at Gowran Park and Navan last year he was highly tried after. He returned from a 113-day break to finish 6th of 18 here over 1m 2f. He was doing his best work at the finish last time and looks worth a go today’s distance. His best form has come on good to firm ground so the sounder the surface the better his chance.
Ming – 7/1 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes
7:45 – Hathiq – An impressive winner over C&D two starts back. The 5-year-old was then sent off the 7/2 favourite for the Epsom ‘Dash’ 26-days ago. He was never really travelling that day and eventually finished a well beaten 17th of 19. He’s better than his Epsom run and although he’s 8lb higher than for his impressive win here he looks capable of a bold show if stall 1 isn’t too much of an inconvenience. Duke Of Firenze was unlucky in the run in the ‘Dash’ before finishing 7th. He’s since gone to finish runner-up at Doncaster on ground that would have been plenty soft enough for the veteran. The stronger pace and big field will suit him better than at Doncaster and he remains a well handicapped horse on his back form. Connection will be hoping the ground continues to dry out.
Hathiq – 7/1 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes
Duke of Firenze – 9/1 @ William Hill
Friday June 28th
Curragh
6:25 – Magnetic North – The 4-year-old relished the good to yielding going when winning at navan 20-days ago. He’s been raised 4lb for that win but he’s going the right way and can defy this new mark if there is some juice in the ground.
Magnetic North
Newcastle
6:35 – Foolaad, has been in good form on the turf this season winning over 6f at Doncaster back in March and last time out, ran Copper Knight a length when 2nd of 21 in valuable 5f handicap at York 43-days ago. The 8-year-old has gone well here in the past and his last five form figures at the course are 34112. Should give his running again and has each way claims in an open looking race.
Foolaad – each way
Newmarket
9:00 – Setting Sail – The 4-year-old wasn’t disgraced when 4th of 11 in a valuable handicap at the Epsom Derby festival 28-days ago. The ground would have been plenty quick enough that day for him and if the ground doesn’t dry out too much, he can be competitive here.
Setting Sail
Saturday – June 29th
I won’t be tipping up in the Irish Derby, but I think Anthony Van Dyke can confirm Derby form with Madhmoon & Broome and land the Derby double.
Newcastle
3:00 – The Northumberland Vase, is the Plate consolation race. My fancy here is the progressive staying handicapper Carnwennan. The 4-year-old form figures this year are 211. A winner at York over 2m ½ f two starts back he followed that with a win at Chelmsford 33-days ago. The handicapper has raised him 4lb for that win and if he handles the new surface looks capable of landing the hat trick.
Carnwennan
3:35 – The Northumberland Plate – Gibbs Hill, trained by Roger Varian has been the big ant-post gamble of the race and bids to defy a 724-day absence. It will be some training achievement if he does. Withhold was the easy winner of this race last year and even off 8lb higher must be high on the shortlist. Red Galileo ended a long losing run when winning over 1m 6f at Newmarket. He benefitted from the first-time hood last time and if the headgear works for a second time the 8-year-old won’t be far away. Speedo Boy was runner-up in that Newmarket race. He gets a 5lb pull for 2 ¼ lengths and there shouldn’t be much between the pair again. Bartholomeu Diaz is a much better horse on the tapeta than turf – 3 wins from 4 runs 4 placed with form figures 1121 (0 wins from 8 runs on the grass). The last of those wins came here over 1m 4 ½ f. 71 days ago. The 4-year-old stays 1m 6f and if he gets the 2m looks a big player.
Verdict: Gibbs Hill & Withold are major players but at the prices I prefer Red Galileo & Bartholomeu Diaz
Red Galileo – 14/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – each way (both paying 5 places 1/5 odds)
Bartholomeu Diaz – 14/1 @ William Hill – each way (paying 4 places ¼ odds)
Curragh
4:05 – Port Lions – The 4-year-old put in a career best on RPR’s when winning at Naas 41-days ago. He only 3lb higher if he runs here on Saturday and looks capable of going close if the ground continues to dry out.
Port Lions
6:00 – David’s Charm – The 8-year-old races off the same mark as when runner-up in the Irish Cesarewitch last October. He was doing his best work at the finish when 6th of 10 at Cork 15-days ago over 1m 4f. The step back up to 2m will suit and if the ground hasn’t dried out to much come post time he looks capable of adding to his sole win on the level.
David’s Charm
York
2:45 – Improving handicap sprinter Flavius Titus could defy the 4lb penaltyhe received for winning at Newmarket 21-days ago. Sean Davis takes off 3lb negates most of that weight rise which mean the 4-year-old remains on a winnable mark. Soldiers Minute was an impressive winner of a C&D handicap two starts back but ran poorly in the Wokingham Handicap last Saturday. The return to C&D could see the 4-year-old in a much better light. He had 3 lengths to spare over runner-up Wentworth Falls in the York race but that one gets an 8lb pull here. Justanotherbottle was disappointing on his return to action here over 5f 44-days ago. The step back to 6f will be more in the 5-year-old favour today and he has placed big field C&D form to his name. He’s now dropped down to an attractive handicap mark, being 2lb lower than when short headed in last season Goodwood Stewards Cup. Another tilt at that valuable price could well be on the agenda but he’s got each-way claims here.
Verdict: Flavius Titus looks capable of landing the hat trick, if York’s 6f isn’t a shade sharp for the improving 4-year-old. Justanotherbottle looks capable of landing a decent pot of his present mark. I have a feeling the Goodwood Stewards Cup could well be his main target, but I think he can get into the places here. It looks worth taking advised ante post prices particularly on Flavius Titus.
Flavius Titus – 7/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Justanotherbottle – 20/1 @ Ladbrokes & Coral – each way (both paying 4 places ¼ odds)
All bets win only unless stated each-way
I will see you all next weekend
Good luck with your punting.
Cheers
John