No Friday winners that I can see, so just an update on one I missed from Leo - apologies.
If I've left anyone out, I apologise; please leave a message on this thread and I'll update.
Good luck to Mr Stoute today. I recall writing to the Sporting Life Letters after Shergar had been missing a while suggesting that I had heard that DS Murphy (non-racing; in charge of the case, and had become something of a figure of fun) was confining all searches to a one and a half mile radius of where the horse had been stolen as he'd received assurances that had it been taken any farther it wouldn't stay.
The Life were formally sniffy and did not publish the letter, probably because they were offering a big reward for the horse's return. But I managed a smile when I heard Peter O'Sullevan use the gag shortly afterwards at a charity dinner.
My claim to no fame.
All the best.
Joe
Strong small of burnt fingers hanging over Hexham races today when the heavily backed Jack Yeats got chinned by a head in division one of the 2m handicap hurdle. Stuart Coltherd rarely leaves his money behind and this was a well prepared touch that fell just short. The spoilsport was Barry Murtagh's veteran Bara Boy whose last win was in November over C&D. He was back down to the same winning mark and was not unfancied. Never underestimate a horse with course form at Hexham.
Ironically Coltherd's winner in the second division, Annies Regatta, was a big drifter!
Final comment on today's racing: I was delighted for Trotter Nicholls on winning the Epsom Dash with Tees Spirit. Dandy would be chuffed to bits. He knew exactly what it takes to win this 5f blitz: you need an improver running at the top of his form, and Tees Spirit fitted the bill perfectly Trotter knew he had him spot on after riding him work on Tuesday and told everyone about it, so plenty of people were on at 10/1.
Just a postscript on my comment yesterday on Rae Guest and his remarkable specialisation in the training of fillies. In the last 12 months Rae has had 24 winners with 13 individual horses. Of those 13, 11 were fillies and mares, who won 21 times. His most recent win came just today at Chepstow with a filly called Days Like This, who beat one owned by the Lady of the Moment, HM The Queen.
Sir Michael Stoute is operating at a 37% strike rate in the last fortnight and today has a cross-card treble to his name. I hope he knows that the vast majority of people in racing are delighted for him being back in his rightful place, and a good many of those were willing on Desert Crown today. Typically he was modest in the aftermath, lifting his topper to acknowledge the acclaim of the crowd. Sheer class.
Epsom 5.15 - Soapy Stevens
I added Nations Pride to my tracker after his first run. I am selecting him as my nap in the 16:30 at Epson.
Salvator Mundi proved to be the real thing and won at 8/1.
A wild NAP today..Master Matt 3.45 Epsom 25/1 or so............................
Commanche Falls in the last at Epsom.
Well, no-one can say the Oaks wasn't a good watch. APOB again -should just bet him bet him blind in big races.
Lord Caprio is the nap at hexham - 2.40
its hard to not be impressed by Desert Crowns runs this far so not going to oppose but look for a bit of place value - Comments already made in mind
And.. re TH . A few negative comments re Frankie, the best advert for the sport we have even now and still a great jockey. One asks can you imagine Lester losing that finish - well yes and he lost similar many times. A head bobber. LP was great but Frankie has arguably been better for the sport which will miss him when he goes. You cant fake or make Charisma.
Some of the comments over on TH now drive me round the bend. Theres a beauty this morning from one bloke who says Tuesday should not have won the Oaks as shes not good enough and another saying Frankie rode a bad race .
Gosden made it plain that his filly didnt warrant being as short as she was , I know the yard was not as confident as they can be when they know exactly what they've got . Theres lads there who know the time of day ,same as at Haggis and Varians . Old guard types who I trust. Stoutes lot now ? the assistant going to do the Dance job was a big loss ,look how well the lads doing .
Tuesday was on the clock streets ahead of her and everything else, what Tom Clover was doing in wasting all that money to supplement his was beyond belief for instance . Why anyone tipped or backed it even worse . Class tells.
The quickest Emily had run was a moderate 92 in a Group 3 ,yet Tuesday had ran to 102 in a G1 ,the class difference is approx 8 lengths per grade so Gosden whose career in the States taught him about times knew the mountain she had to climb. That she ran as she did was a superb performance to improve that much , the stumble ? Frankie is killing himself about it but I would be saying you were just beat by a better horse on the day ,just by a fag paper ,look how shes improved . Shes got some ability in that frame .
There were 2 dissapointing runs , Concert Hall who Ryan said has hung left with him in the past ,suggesting something physical and most of all The Algarve who I was told was spot on after running very unfit at York who failed to put one foot in front of the other . That leads me onto this.
That's the condition Stoutes horse ran at York , 75% I've been told , I cant believe that really but maybe that's why he hung . If that was the case hes had no time to recover ,running unfit knocks horses back . Personally I'd love to see the horse win and hope he does but I've got this niggle going on in my head about it,especially as the ground is going to draw the guts out of them and expose any chinks.
Charlie Hills lot are as smart as friar tuck , why are they running that lad and Tom riding it ?
I want to see a horse win this ,be campaigned properly ,take in the Arc ,run at 4 and then retire sound to stud to produce stock that are tough ,physically sound with stamina. Not one hit wonders ,wired right up for the day ,wide eyed only to fade away. Serpentine like.
Majestic Glory 14:35 Epsom EW Nap
Motown lake 4.55H.
Most of the Derby field could show a massive amount of improvement on what we’ve seen so far and once again blow many theories out of the water. In other words it’s likely to be similar to many races involving lightly raced three year old colts. Consequently I’m not keen on Desert Crown as it’s way too short and inclined to go each way (to 4 places) on Westover. Currently 28/1.
However, the nap is Winter Reprise in the 17.15 at Epsom. I’m hoping it will make B365 regret giving me another free bet!
Salvator Mundi - 15.06 Doncaster
Approachability 2.00
Plenty I fancy today. Heart says Fine Wine after he bolted in for me at York and Commanche Falls seems to like Epsom but away from the big meet I'm going for
Muss 1521 Makanah
who couldn't quite reach Dakota Gold at York last time, conditions today look pretty similar and I know DG was poor next time, but that was when the stable were having a bit of a blip
Nahanni EW Derby.
Westover 4.30 Epsom is the nap.
Modern news (15:10) would normally be my nap, but at better odds (for the competition) I'll go dusky lord (win) nap (15:45) with skybet paying seven places.
You are able to delete the double post on this forum, elgransenor, if you wish. No need to apologise as we do in the Guardian. Of course there may be some occult significance in a double post which I am missing. To delete, just click the three vertical dots at the top right and "delete comment" is one of the options. "Edit comment" also allows corrections, etc. Good luck with Royal Patronage. (P.S. Have the results of the Derby have been predetermined by the Establishment to support the monarchy? The Oaks's winner "Royal Champion" yesterday being the first instalment).