No time this week so no chit-chat (don’t worry, I will make up for that another week lol), but with so much top-quality racing on offer I will settle for giving you a few suggestions and hope you will forgive me?
Straight in there – no messing…
Saturday
With some of the best racing of the year in Europe this weekend we are a little spoilt for choice, but that won’t stop us having a go, starting in the Middle Park Stakes from Newmarket at 3.00pm. As I write, Aidan O’Brien’s River Tiber heads the market and that comes as no great shock to anyone, but I prefer the each way chances of Task Force at a much bigger price. Trained by Ralph Beckett, the son of Frankel has done nothing wrong so far with wins at Salisbury and Ripon, and word from his jockey Rossa Ryan is that we may not have seen the best of him yet. Still green despite an easy victory last time out, he is said to be maturing all the time at home, and if he does have more to offer a double figure price is just too much to resist.
Task Force 3.00pm Newmarket Each Way
Relief Rally is clearly an above average filly for the Haggas stable and she is not passed over easily ahead of the Cheveley Park Stakes at 2.25pm, but I still feel the better value lies with French raider Jasna’s Secret. She has impressed me when winning both her starts with ease at Deauville, the latest in Listed class by three lengths, and for reasons unknown the French have a good record when they send their fillies over. Christophe Soumillon rides, and he is as good as it gets in the saddle, and if she handles the quicker going I just cannot see her finishing out of the first three with a clear run.
Jasna’s Secret 2.25pm Newmarket Each Way
One more from Newmarket to round off our day and another each way option, this time trained by Roger Varian. Shin Jidai won her first start over this trip at Newcastle on the all-weather and was expected to follow up when sent off favourite at Thirsk before weakening late on over the mile. She drops back a furlong for her handicap debut here which seems a pretty sensible move, and off a mark of 76 she doesn’t seem unfairly handicapped and may go well at odds around the 12/1 mark.
Shin Jidai 4.50pm Newmarket Each Way
Sunday
Off to Paris for the Arc (no I am not there this year, someone booked me to cover a pool tournament in Coventry, go figure), and a couple of bets to round things off. I won’t waste too much keyboard time with the long winded race names but we can start with the opener at 1.15pm when we have four unbeaten runners including the potentially top-class Beauvatier. The son of Lope De Vega is looking well-bought at 160,000 Euros having won his first four races and although this is his biggest ask yet, I am hoping he can come through it with flying colours.
Beauvatier 1.15pm Longchamp to win
All eyes will be on the Arc at 3.05pm and with over two and a half million quid to the winner there is no surprise to see a top-class field. Unbeaten French Derby winner Ace Impact heads the betting on his first try at a mile and a half and possibly rightly so, but we haven’t seen a winning three-year-old since Enable in 2017, and only three have been successful in the last 10 years despite getting weight from their elders. It is only a matter of time before the Japanese land this contest, and I cannot for the life of me work out why Through Seven Seasis as big as 16/1. The winner of her first two starts of the season at Nakayama but stepped up in class last time out before meeting trouble in running and finishing a neck second to the comfortable winner, who goes by the name of Equinox, the best horse in the World officially and potentially one of the best of all time. I don’t think any of these would have got that near to the superstar WITH a clear run, and if she gets the rub of the green she could hit a top three spot at the very least.
Through Seven Seas 3.05pm Longchamp Each Way
One last suggestion to keep everyone happy and I am willing to give Blue Rose Cen another chance here despite her recent disappointments. The Churchill filly looked out of the top drawer on her first three starts including victories in the French 1000 Guineas over a mile and their Oaks over a mile and a quarter but it’s been downhill ever since. Trapped on the rail and an unlucky loser in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, she tried a mile and a half in the Prix Vermeille last time out when a one-paced fifth, but was that down to a lack of stamina, or has she had enough for the season? Back down in trip at a track where she has won four times she has no excuses this afternoon, and I am hoping she can put her doubters to the sword with an impressive victory.
Blue Rose Cen 3.50pm Longchamp to win
Sean Suggestions:
Jasna’s Secret each way 2.25pm Newmarket Saturday
Through Seven Seas each way 3.05pm Longchamp Sunday
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