A well backed “still running” and an each-way second at 14/1 last week, not enough for me to retire to the South of France (or even Southend for that matter) but a small profit is better than a loss any day of the week, and I will be very happy if I can repeat that this weekend I assure you.
Before we get to that we have a couple of other things worthy of discussion, with the retirement of jockey Barry Geraghty and the end of trainer Ed Vaughan’s UK training career top of any list. Perhaps all punters of a certain age begin to reminisce for the good old days (or is it only me?), but in my view the retirement of the legendary A P McCoy closely followed by his replacement as the J P McManus number one Barry Geraghty leaves a gaping void that may yet prove very difficult to fill. Naturally, the ever-generous bookmakers have already leapt on the next owners jockey market for JP (if he decides he wants one) with Aidan Coleman the liveliest contender in my eyes, though with the potential of travel restrictions and quarantines being reinstated (who knows), he may well want a jockey on either side of the Irish sea once the jumps season gets going in earnest.
Meanwhile, the reduced prize money thanks to this bloody virus appears to have been the final straw for Newmarket trainer Ed Vaughan, who announced on Thursday that he was upping stumps later this year. In a game where numbers are rapidly becoming more important than just raw talent, finding a “money maker” with a string of 25 horses was never going to be easy, and despite successes at Group level as recently as last week (Dame Malliott at Newmarket), the figures just aren’t adding up though I suspect from reading between the lines that we may see him pop up elsewhere (USA is my guess) where less successes are required to hit the break even point.
On to the actual racing and we have been spoiled in recent weeks and the standard on offer here seem a little frugal in comparison with the odd exception – let’s have a look and see what we can find from the better races.
John Smiths Silver Cup Stakes 1.55pm York Saturday
When you see five runners for a Group Three on good going on a Saturday afternoon the sympathy gauge drops significantly when owners are moaning about a lack of prize money and opportunities, but it is what it is despite the lack of an each way option. The only horse in this field to win last time out is David Simcock’s Universal Order (good to see Jamie Spencer back in the saddle here), but despite running on strongly over the mile and a half that day, his stamina is still in question upped to this mile and three-quarters. Communique will go well for Mark Johnston and is the likeliest winner according to the official ratings, but I far prefer the chances of Moonlight Spirit for William Buick and trainer Charlie Appleby. A winner in this class at Longchamp over a furlong further last September before a second over the same course and distance, his stamina is not an issue and as he seems sure to strip fitter after coming last to Stradivarius at Royal Ascot after a gelding operation, a huge run is very much on the cards.
Hackwood Stakes 4.00pm Newbury Saturday
From a mile and three quarters back to three-quarters (six furlongs) here and a competitive field of twelve are all set to go to post with The Tin Man an old favourite of mine and the best horse here according to the handicappers. He doesn’t have the best of draws in the one stall (in my view), which is just about enough to put me off I am sad to say, with Repartee my tentative each way alternative. Kevin Ryan is very adept with his sprinters and although the son of Invincible Spirit has to step up on his Listed win at Windsor at the end of June, that was his first start in nine months, and he seems sure to come on for the outing. Add a three-year-old allowance of five pounds and Andrea Atzeni in the saddle and his chances can only increase, with 9/1 or so a sorely tempting price albeit to the smallest of stakes.
Railway Stakes 6.45pm The Curragh Saturday
Not a race Aidan O’Brien farms which came as a bit of a surprise, with just the two winners in the last ten years and neither of those a superstar with Painted Cliffs in 2015 (hasn’t won a race since) and Van Beethoven in 2018 (now with Chad Brown in America without another success to his name). That said, last year’s winner was Siskin who looks class and won the Irish 2000 Guineas hence the reason this race makes the weekend list. Whether anything of that calibre is involved in 2020 seems highly unlikely and having watched numerous race replays nothing would have made it into my little black book, with the possible exception of Lucky Vega, who won on his debut for Jessica Harrington at Naas, and looked as if he would improve considerably for the experience. A son of Lope De Vega who cost 175,000 Euros as a yearling, he needs to offer more in this company to get involved, but he won’t mind a fight if needed in a year when this Group Two looks like it will take even less winning than normal.
Irish Oaks 7.15pm The Curragh Saturday
Eight runners and four of them trained by Aidan O’Brien, one by his son Joseph – when will the family monopoly end, I wonder? As discussed numerous times, from a punter’s perspective we now have to worry about unknown race tactics (who will front run and at what pace, and will they get out the way when a better fancied stablemate comes with a run etc), as if life isn’t difficult enough? Cayenne Pepper heads the early market stepping up in trip after a solid four and a half-length second to Magical in the Pretty Polly over a mile and a quarter, but she was receiving twelve pounds from the winner that day and there is a distinct lack of stamina on her dam’s side. For me the big and perhaps only question I have here is just how good is 1000 Guineas winner, Epsom Oaks winner, and Arc favourite Love? I and most others think she could be the best filly we have seen for some time, perhaps Enable’s equivalent or even her better, in which case Ennistymon’s nine length second to the wonder filly at Epsom may well be the best form on offer. Admittedly she was left looking like a statue as the winner swept past, but she still finished ahead of second favourite Frankly Darling, and if her compatriots ensure a decent pace to take the kick out of the speedier sorts, that may be all she needs to come home in front.
Summer Fillies’ Stakes 3.05pm York Sunday
Punters beware here with just the one joint favourite successful over the last ten renewals and others at odds up to 20/1. Royal Intervention won this last year at odds of 6/1 for Ed Walker and is back for another crack, but she doesn’t get her three-year-old’s allowance now and hasn’t been at her best this year with a tenth in Saudi in February and a ninth at Haydock last month. She could well bounce back here at a track she clearly handles but that is a risk I am unwilling to take, and I will be on the intriguing Living In The Past (NOT named after me) instead. Two wins from just the six starts Karl Burke’s daughter of Bungle Inthejungle won the Group Two Lowther Stakes here as a juvenile last season and gets her five pounds age allowance today. Her last two runs last year included a fifth in the Cheveley Park Stakes when I felt she looked as if she was tired and needed a winter off, yet they still took up a Breeders Cup engagement at Santa Anita when last after fading over the mile. If we ignore those runs (a big if I accept) then her form looks solid enough to take this contest back at six furlongs, and with form tying up closely with the likes of Bataash via Liberty Beach, connections will be bitterly disappointed if she fails to at least make the places on Sunday afternoon.
Can’t be bothered to read my waffling – don’t blame you – you can listen to my views and those of Ron Robinson here free of charge https://postracing.co.uk/2020/07/17/the-irish-oaks-crowds-returning-to-racing-and-barry-geraghty-are-this-weeks-main-podcast-topics/
Sean’s Suggestions:
Moonlight Spirit 1.55pm York Saturday
Ennistymon 7.15pm The Curragh Saturday
Living In The Past each-way 3.05pm York Sunday
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