2016 Flat Issue 17 - Barsanti Scores at York

Report

We start at York last Friday where in the 1m 4f handicap Barsanti ( Lee), took his chance, held up towards rear , smooth headway 3 out, close up 2 out, ridden to lead narrowly 1 out, driven inside last, kept on well close home winning by a neck. He gets 30 points.

In the 5f group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes, Mecca’s Angel ( Neil, Tony), Limato (  Cliff, Steve) went to post. Mecca;’s Angel, warm at start, close up, shaken up 2 out, soon led, ridden 1 out, kept on strongly, winning impressively by 2l. She gets 55.4 points.

Limato tracked leaders headway and switched left over 1 out, ridden to chase winner inside last, soon driven and no improvement, 2^nd beaten 2l. He gets 12 points.

At Chester on Saturday in the 1m 5f handicap Muntahaa( Neil) took his chance, went right start, soon led, pushed along over 3 out, kept on inside last, all out, just held on winning by a short head. He gets 24.8 points.

At the Curragh, Order of St George ( Bob, Cliff, Cod, Neil), went to post in the 1m 6f group 3,

Settled in 4^th, travelled well to close on leading pair over 1 out, led just inside last, soon in command, ridden out hands and heels, winning comfortably by 1 1/2l.l He gets 16.1 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                             August       Total

Tony                  183.9            667.8

Neil                   148.8             575

Bob                    42.4           559.1

Cliff                   106.9           553.9

Cod                    68.6              470.5

Peej                   50.7             439.3

Lee                     56.3               389.8

Martin                26.3              319.9

Steve                  38.3               287.2

News

Last year's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs is nearing a return to the racecourse The John Gosden-trained four-year-old has not been seen since pulling up in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket at the end of April.

Gosden will look for opportunities next month for the Godolphin-owned colt, who ended last season with third in the Qipco Champion Stakes won by Fascinating Rock at Ascot.

Gosden said: "I am very pleased with Jack Hobbs at this minute in time. He's in good order and moving well.

. "He is likely to run in the second or third week in September."

Joseph Tuite's injury-plagued stayer Litigant is on course to return to action at Ascot on Champions Day

Owen Burrows has not ruled out the possibility of 2000 Guineas runner-up Massaat returning to the track before the end of the season. Although tests carried out on the three-year-old following his tame effort in the Sovereign Stakes earlier this month in which he was virtually pulled up have so far proven to be inconclusive, the Lambourn handler is refusing to call it a day on his campaign just yet. "It is a bit of a head-scratcher as when they virtually stop and run as disappointingly as that you automatically think that you should find something wrong.

"Because we have not finished all the tests yet it is hard to say if it is the end of his season. Once we have done all the tests I will be in a position to make a decision, but I could not give a straight answer at this time."

 

2016 Flat Issue 16 - doesn't take much to shake things up

Headlines

New Bay wins at Deauville

Postponed lands Juddmonte

Idaho

Report

On Monday at Deauville New Bay ( Tony), went to post in the 1m 2f group 3, tracked leaders, smooth headway to lead over 1 out, soon clear winning comfortably by 1 ½ l. He gets 32.6 Points.

At York on Wednesday in the 1m4 f group 2 Idaho (Tony), took his chance, Held up, in last pair, ridden and headway 2f out, stayed on to challenge inside final furlong, led inside final 100 yards, driven out, winning by 1 ¾ l. He gets 43.4 points.

In the 1m 2f group 1 Juddmonte International stakes Postponed ( Cliff, Cod, Neil, Tony) went to post, Tracked front pair, led 3f out, ridden and edged right towards stands side rail from over 1f out, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, held on well winning by 1 ¼ l. He gets 52.5 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                             August       Total

Tony                  128.5            612.4

Bob                    26.3           543

Cliff                   78.8           525.8

Neil                   52.5              478.7

Cod                    52.5               454.4

Peej                   50.7             439.3

Lee                     26.3               359.8

Martin                26.3              319.9

Steve                  26.3               275.2

News

Henry Candy is far from confident about the chances of Limato in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday He seems to be in good form. Mr (Paul) Jacobs (owner) has parted with a huge amount of money to supplement him, so we hope for the best," said Candy.

"I'm in favour of giving it a try, (but) I'm not at all confident. I think a very fast, very flat five (furlongs) might just find him out, but it's worth a try. He'll run well

Michael Dods fires a formidable twin assault with last year's winner Mecca's Angel Dods told  The Punter: "She (Mecca's Angel) is in great form. Paul (Mulrennan) sat on her last week and he's delighted with her

Muthmir was sixth at Goodwood, but has won and run well at York in the past.

Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: "He's a good, solid horse who just needs to find a length or so. I'm sure he'll be thereabouts. We were a little bit disappointed with him at Goodwood, but that's the way it goes with these sprinters sometimes. He's capable on his day and we hope one of his days might be at York."

Danzeno has run well at Group One level on a few occasions without managing to get his head in front

2016 Flat Issue 15 - Hopefully things will pick up

Headlines

Artillery Blasts Rivals at Haydock

Report

At Haydock on Saturday in the 1m 2f group 3, Royal Artillery ( Bob, Cliff, Lee, Martin, Peej, Steve), went to post,  chased leader, pushed along over 3 out, ridden to challenge 2 out, led 1 out, leant on rival inside last, kept on winning by 1 ¼ l. He gets 26.3 points

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                             August       Total

Bob                    26.3           543

Tony                  00               483.9

Cliff                   26.3            473.3

Peej                   50.7             439.3

Neil                   00               426.2

Cod                    00                401.9

Lee                     26.3               359.8

Martin                26.3              319.9

Steve                  26.3               275.2

News

July Cup hero Limato will be supplemented for next week's Coolmore Nunthorpe at York - provided he pleases connections in a workout on Friday morning.

Fair Eva will spearhead Roger Charlton's team for the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival after he was forced to rule Time Test out of the Juddmonte International. However the trainer told The Punter: "Time Test will not be running in the Juddmonte International at York next week.

"We weren't totally happy with his work this morning. He is likely to be given a short break before any future plans are made."

Postponed heads 14 six-day acceptors for the Juddmonte International, the feature race on day one of York's Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival, Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Highland Reel, has also left in Investec Derby runner-up US Army Ranger and Sir Isaac Newton.

Coral-Eclipse winner Hawkbill is Godolphin's sole representative, Sir Michael Stoute has both Arab Spring and Exosphere engaged. Dariyan is in line to represent France. Kevin Ryan's stable star The Grey Gatsby is also entered.

Investec Derby third Idaho is among six Aidan O'Brien-trained entries for Wednesday's Betway  Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.  Across The Stars, only tenth in the Investec Derby but subsequently winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, is an intended runner for Sir Michael Stoute and faces a rematch with John Gosden's Muntahaa, third in the Berkshire contest.

 

 

2016 Flat Issue 14 - the scoreboard crawls round

Headlines

Minding Takes Care of Nassau Stakes

Project Bluebook finds winning formula

Report

We start at Goodwood last Saturday where in the 1m 2f Group 1 Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares, Minding ( Bob, Cliff, Cod, Neil, Peej, Tony) went to post, tracked leading pair till shuffled back to rear but still well in touch 4 out, effort and ridden to lead well over 1 out, forged ahead 1 out, drifted right inside last, stayed on winning by 1 ¼ l. She gets 51.1 points.

At Catterick on Tuesday in the 1m 5f handicap, Project Bluebook ( Peej), went to post, Mid-division, headway over 2f out, went 2nd over 1f out, led entering final furlong, kept on well when pressed inside final furlong, winning by 3/4l.  He gets 24.6 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                      July        August       Total

Bob                    87.5              516.7

Tony                  73.2               483.9

Cliff                   134.4             447

Neil                   88.2               426.2

Peej                   69.6      24.6   413

Cod                    66.1                401.9

Lee                     84.7                333.5

Martin                00                  293.6

Steve                  105.3               248.9

News

"Foundation could on Saturday have his first start since he underwent a gelding operation after connections earmarked a likely assault at the Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock

Connections of Shalaa remain hopeful the dual Group One winner will make it back to the track in time for the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October.

Coral-Eclipse hero Hawkbill and French Derby winner Almanzor have been added to the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10 following the second entry stage.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, Royal Ascot winner Hawkbill extended his winning run to six when beating The Gurkha at Sandown, while Jean-Claude Rouget's Almanzor was a length and a half too good for Zarak at Chantilly.

The join an initial entry which is headed by Dermot Weld's dual Derby victor Harzand and Coronation Cup winner Postponed (Roger Varian). There are 38 horses remaining in the race compared to 26 at this stage 12 months ago and of those 20 are Group or Grade One winners.

Meanwhile, Rouget's Qemah, who added to her Coronation Stakes win in the Prix Rothschild last weekend, and Aidan O'Brien's star filly Minding headline the 26 still in the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes on the same card.

O'Brien's Order Of St George and Bondi Beach feature in the entries for the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger at the Curragh 24 hours later, while Alexios Komnenos, trained by Tommy Stack, and Weld's Currency Converter have been added to the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes.

Last year's winner Sole Power is among 33 entries for the Group Two Derrinstown Stud Flying Five. Eddie Lynam's veteran speedster could be taken on by the three horses who finished directly behind him in 2015 - Maarek, Take Cover and Toscanini.

David Griffiths' Take Cover, winner of the King George Stakes at Goodwood last week, is among 20 entries from Britain. They include Mecca's Angel clear-cut scorer of the Sapphire Stakes over the course and distance last month.

Lumiere will drop back down to six furlongs following her dismal display in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville on Sunday.

Trainer Michael Dods could be tempted to allow Mecca's Angel to bid for top honours over six furlongs before she retires to the paddocks