Back to something akin to normality this week after the excitement of Cheltenham and Aintree but we all know this sport never stops, and we move on now to the Flat season with the first Classics a matter of weeks away.
Before then we need a brief look back at the Grand National – though I think my selections are still running. Congratulations to all the connections of Noble Yeats whose 50/1 success bought a tear to many an eye – except the bookmakers of course, who would have made millions thanks to his defeat of favourite Any Second Now. I suspect there are already scripts being written after he became the first seven-year-old to win since the 1940’s, the first novice I can remember, and ridden by the first successful amateur in Sam Waley-Cohen since Mr Frisk with Marcus Armytage on board back in 1990. I will admit here and now that I wouldn’t back him in the replay as the statistics gave him no chance – but this is racing, and who am I to begrudge a fairytale ending after Sam won the World’s most famous race on his last ever ride.
Elsewhere I saw on social media a drinks and food list from the golf last weekend at Augusta National. Entry tickets are $113 apparently (or about £87), so not a million miles away form a Members Entry fee for the 2000 Guineas (£65) or the Derby (£65) – but what they don’t do is rob their customers for a second time with the refreshments. You can get a coffee for a dollar, a sandwich for $1.50, and a beer for $2.75 – compare that if you dare to the over-the-top prices charged at all of our racecourses (not just the bigger meetings) and it becomes quite frankly, embarrassing.
Lastly may I take this chance to wish you all a very Happy Easter – thanks to the weekend frivolities the racing is divided between Friday and Saturday this week, hence I am here a day earlier than normal!
Friday
Newcastle 1.30pm
A decent looking Listed contest over a mile to start proceedings this afternoon and one where I am hoping for a big showing from the Andrew Balding trained Imperial Fighter, the class act in this field but having his first start on an all-weather surface. Beaten two lengths by 2000 Guineas hopeful Coroebus at Newmarket in the Autumn Stakes, he rounded off last season with a two and a half-length fifth to Luxembourg in the Group One Futurity Stakes at Doncaster, and the winner is the 5/2 favourite for the Epsom Derby. The son of The Gurkha certainly has the chance to frank the form of some inspirational sorts this afternoon, and as long as he is fit enough to do himself justice, it is hard to look elsewhere for the winner.
Newcastle 2.00pm
Why we have two races over a mile in a row is beyond, me but this is the grandly titled All-Weather Mile Championships and it looks like it could be a race for favourite backers. My Oberon was last seen coming home sixth to dead heaters Lord North and Panthalassa in the Group One Dubai Turf, picking up £74,000 for doing so. He had returned to action for 2022 with a win at Southwell over a mile and isn’t up against anything of Lord North’s standard here making him the one I want to be on. French raider Fort Payne looks interesting for those looking for an each-way alternative.
Newcastle 2.35pm
Six furlongs next for the All-Weather Sprint Championships and a high draw is seen as being advantageous here. Once again, the French seem overpriced to me and l would not put anyone off a little each way bet on Bouttemont who won a shade cleverly last time out and ought to strip even fitter here, but even at the forecast 11/2 I am all over Ejtilaab. Not beaten far in a couple of Group Three contests at Meydan, he returned to these shores with a very easy win at Kempton when he made all the running, and if he remains at that level, he should take all the beating here.
Newcastle 3.10pm
Six furlongs again only this time we are restricted to three-year-olds, and although I agree that El Caballo is the one to beat, I can’t just keep going for the favourites. If I am reading the race correctly, there is an awful lot of early pace in this field, with the jolly a confirmed front-runner for starters, and I am hoping that if they go off too fast as seems likely, something will come from off the pace to pick them off late on. The likeliest to do just that seems to me to be Tiber Flow, the William Haggas trained son of Caravaggio who arrives here unbeaten. Last time out he started slowly before running on to get up over a furlong further at Southwell and if they do start to fold at the head of affairs, he may well make the most of the opportunity and make it four wins in a row.
Newcastle 3.45pm
The Fillies And Mares Championship comes next over seven furlongs and make no mistake, this is a specialist distance, testing some of the sprinter’s stamina, yet too fast for some of the true milers. I will start by saying this is not a race I like the look of at all, and to be brutally honest, I doubt I have a bet, but it is a decent race and I need to at least draw some kind of conclusion. Arousing has her own ideas and is inclined to throw races away now and then, but she has the ability to take this if she stays on the straight and narrow, while International Angel has won seven times over this trip, the latest over C&D in late February, but didn’t run her race when seventh last time out with no obvious explanation forthcoming. She could bounce back to form and put this to bed - or not – and that is the reason why my wallet will be remaining firmly closed.
Newcastle 4.15pm
Unsurprisingly the All-Weather Marathon Championships is raced over two miles plus, and once again the head of the market seems likely to provide the better horses with the bigger chances. Earlofthecotswolds was sorely tempting I will admit, while Sleeping Lion has a pound in hand on official ratings, but I am thinking outside the box and will be backing Moliwood each way at a big price. She does have a bit to find with some of these on recent form, but I get the feeling she is the out and out stayer in this field and if I am correct, she can run them down late on to grab a place at least.
Newcastle 4.45pm
We round off the card with the Easter Classic All-Weather Middle Distance Championships, and with over £100,000 to the winner and don’t you just hate it when you end with an odds-on favourite? Tyrrhenian Sealost his unbeaten record last time out when only fourth at Kempton, but he has to do down as one of the unluckiest losers of the year. Trapped on the trial with no way out he looked as if he may have won with a clear run (you can never be sure), and if he gets a clear passage as he should win a frankly disappointing six horse field, then he may well get back to winning ways.
Saturday
Newbury 1.50pm
The John Porter Stakes has seen some high-class winners in the past and is an event that has been farmed by the bigger yards in recent years, with Sir Michael Stoute successful in 2015 and 2016, and William Haggas responsible for Al Aasy last season. This year the stable relies on Ilaraab, a five-year-old son of Wootton Bassett who was last seen taking the St Simon Stakes over C&D by a length last October. He should go well, but I prefer the chances of Thunderous here, with the Johnston horses starting to show signs that they are hitting top gear. Although he failed to win last season from four starts, he was third in the Jockey Club Stakes second in the Aston Park Stakes and fourth to Wonderful Tonight in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, behind Broome and Hukum who would both start at odds on in this contest. Gelded over the winter and off the track for 10 months, his fitness has to be of some concern, but he has gone well fresh before and is the classiest horse in this field if he is fully wound up and ready to go.
Newbury 2.25pm
The Fred Darling used to be seen as a major 1000 Guineas trial but with so many of the bigger yards’ better horses going to Newmarket unraced at three, its importance has diminished a little in my eyes. Charlie Appleby has his horses in great form since their returns from Dubai and Wild Beauty is certainly a worthy favourite with William Buick in the saddle. She may prove unbeatable here, but with no evidence yet that she has trained on I will take an each way chance on Miss Carol Ann at a bigger price. A debut winner at Newmarket over this trip by an easy two lengths, she was then sent here for the Radley Stakes where she was sent off the 9/4 joint favourite – and trailed home 20 lengths off winner Jubbly, who is also in the field. The softer ground was her downfall that day according to her trainer, and on a faster surface today (the faster the better), she may well reverse that form, and pick up first prize.
Newbury 3.00pm
The colts equivalent of the Fred Darling, the Greenham Stakes is also run over seven furlongs and is usually won by a decent sort – if not a 2000 Guineas winner. I would be surprised if the 2022 winner was lining up here either, but we do have some decent colts, headed by the Richard Fahey trained Perfect Power. The winner of four of his five starts to date, including the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville, and the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, both Group One contests, I note that Christophe Soumillon travels to Newbury to ride, and I am hoping that is a huge clue to just how good he is and how strongly he is fancied here. If you are looking for an alternative at a bigger price, Stan Moore thinks the world of The Wizard Of Eye, and he should do better after his seasonal return in a very valuable race on the dirt in Saudi Arabia in their Derby despite only coming home in seventh – he should be a lot happier back on the turf and could surprise a few of these.
Sean’s Selections:
Ejtilaab 2.35pm Newcastle Friday
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