2021 Flat Issue 6 - Two winners as Royal Ascot looms

Headlines

Empress cuts rivals adrift at Chelmsford

Basilica gets top Marks at Chantilly

Report

We start at Chelmsford last Thursday where in the 1m 2f fillies novice stakes, Sea Empress ( Cliff Martin), took her chance, Made all, shaken up over 2f out, kept on well, always doing enough , winning by 1 ½ l. She gets 11.6 points.

On Sunday at Chantilly in the 1m 2f group 1 Prix Du Jockey Club St Marks Basilica (Tony), went to post, In touch, tracked leaders going well 2 1/2f out, ridden inside final 2f, led 1 1/2f out, driven clear inside final furlong, kept on well, winning by 1 ¾ l. He gets 57.6 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy 

                        June        Total

Tony                 57.6          246.9   

Cod                   00              128.2

Cliff                     11.6        112.2

Peej                     00           103.8

Bob                       00       95.4

Martin                11.6          88.3

Neil                     00             82.7

Steve                  75.3          75.3

Congratulations to Tony who was May Trainer of the month

News 

Michael Bell will choose between the Commonwealth Cup and Jersey Stakes as The Lir Jet bids to win at Royal Ascot for the second successive year.

With our 3 year olds having been desperately disappointing so far we have to hope the older brigade will liven up the competition next week at Ascot. Battash, Stradivarius, Love , Palace Pier, Lope Y Fernandes, Lord Glitters, Liberty Beach, Addeyyeb, Lord North, Mogul, Broome, Japan, Amhran Na Bhifan, Santiago, Logician, Wonderful Tonight, Summerghand, Speak In Colours, Bielsa, Pierre Lapin, Grandmaster Flash, Faisal, Sleeping Lion, all have entries. 

The younger brigade still trying to make a name for themselves are Battleground, Chindit, Wembley, Thunder Moon, Tactical , Van Gogh, Rhythm Master, Haqeeqy, Danyah, Noon Star, Teona, Sea Karats, Technique, Queens Speech, Alenquer, High Definition, Lone Eagle, Baton RougeLough Derg, Gloucestershire , Diligent Harry, Supremacy, Miss Amulet ,Dandalla, The Lir Jet, Alchol Free, Pretty Gorgeous, Snow Lantern, 

2 year olds, Angel Bleu, Berkshire Shadow, Vintage Clarets, 

 

Other Entries

Today Speak in Colours 5.50 Leopardstown, 

Friday Danielsflyer York 4.35

Saturday Chester 2.10 Fizzy Feet, Limerick 4.45 Koybig,  York 2.35 Queens Sargeant, 4.15 Love De Vega

Sunday 1.45 Doncaster Malvern, Gowran Park 5.00 Baton Rouge

Mehnah will be given plenty of time to recover from the setback which prevented her from running in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. The Kevin Prendergast-trained filly tweaked a muscle – ruling her out of the Curragh Classic – and she has since also been taken out of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The half-sister to 2016 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Awtaad is back in work, but is not yet ready to return to action.Prendergast said: “She’s coming on well. She tweaked a muscle before the Irish Guineas, and we just had to ease her off, but she’s back in work again. “We’ll play it by ear. We’ll get her straight first, then we’ll make a plan.”

Master Of The Seas is back in work after suffering a setback which ruled him out of Royal Ascot. The Prix du Moulin is seen as a likely target for the 2000 Guineas runner-up, before a possible tilt at the Breeders’ Cup.

Ascot Grand Slam, next leg of the slams , closing date for your pick is Sunday 13 June

Grand Slam Leg 1

Neil  

Leg 2 Tony

Leg 3 Tony

Leg 4  Cliff

Leg 5 Neil

Leg 6 Peej

Leg 7 Tony

2021 Flat Issue 5 - Three more winners

Headlines

Angel Gives Rivals the Bleu’s at Pontefract

Skalletti Scoots home at Longchamp

Faisal scores at Windsor

Report

We start at Pontefract on Friday where in the 6f conditions stakes Angel Bleu (Martin), went to post, held up in behind leaders, pushed along 2 out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on, winning by 1 ¾ l . He gets 25.4 points.

At Longchamp on Sunday in the 1m group Pix D Ispahan, Skalletti ( Cod), took his chance, Held up in rear, headway on outside 2 1/2f out, soon ridden, ran on strongly inside final furlong, led narrowly close home, winning by a head. He gets 53.4 points.

At Windsor on Monday in the1m 2f handicap Faisal ( Peej), took his chance, Reared start and slowly away, took keen hold, in rear, headway and tracked leader after 1f, pushed along to challenge 2f out, carried left but ridden to lead over 1f out, pushed out and kept on inside final furlong, always doing enough, winning by ½ l. He gets 24.6 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy 

                        May         Total

Tony                 189.3       189.3   

Cod                   128.2        128.2

Peej                     103.8        103.8

Cliff                   100.6          100.6   

Bob                       95.4        95.4

Neil                     82.7      82.7

Martin                76.7        76.7

Steve                  75.3          75.3

News 

Cazoo Derby favourite Bolshoi Ballet shortened at the head of the market on Sunday as his trainer Aidan O'Brien hinted that stable jockey Ryan Moore may find it hard to jump off the Derrinstown Derby Trial winner. O'Brien was speaking on Luck on Sunday and said that it would be "very hard" for Moore to ride one of his other stars in the race, with jockey bookings to be decided early this week.

Bolshoi Ballet has been the strong favourite for the Derby since his demolition job at Leopardstown earlier this month and he heads the betting at 6-4 (from 15-8) with Coral to give his trainer a record-extending ninth win in the race. Coral's David Stevens said: "Bolshoi Ballet is certain to start favourite for the Cazoo Derby following his two wins this season."

High Definition is set to sidestep the Cazoo Derby at Epsom on Saturday and instead run in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on June 26.

Roger Varian-trained Teona has been cut to 6-1 (from 7) for Classic glory on Friday. Out of Group 1-winning mare Ambivalent, Teona was a striking winner at Newcastle last November and lost little in defeat when third in the Musidora Stakes, in which she raced too freely. She will be one of three representatives for Varian in the Oaks, with the Shadwell-owned Zeyaadah also bound for Epsom having finished second in the Cheshire Oaks on her latest start as well Lingfield .

The Cazoo Oaks betting was shaken up on Tuesday after the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Noon Star, who had been as short as 10-1 for the fillies' Classic, was scratched from the Group 1 contest. Juddmonte racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: "The filly has had a temporary setback so will not run in the Cazoo Oaks on Friday. All being well she could head to the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Supremacy, Britain's best juvenile last year and the highest-rated two-year-old Clive Cox has ever had, remains on course for Royal Ascot and the Commonwealth Cup despite his disappointing performance at the Berkshire track in April. Cox said: "Supremacy was just coming to himself before Ascot and then there was some rain on the day, but for whatever reason he was below par. He came home with a raised white cell figure, so there was something amiss without a doubt.

Hugo Palmer’s Ocean Road is poised to take her chance in the Group One Cazoo Oaks at Epsom on Friday. The three-year-old daughter of Australia was last seen finishing third behind Sherbet Lemon in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial in early May. The Qatar Racing-owned bay was hindered by a slow start on that occasion and has subsequently undertaken some stalls practice with big-race rider Oisin Murphy.

“We’re all systems go for Epsom on Friday,” Palmer said. “Oisin sat on her this morning and did a little bit of stalls work with her. “She was too slowly away at Lingfield and ended up sitting last, it was all a bit of a mess on ground that was too soft for her.”

Entries

Thursday Leopardstown    Discoveries, 

Friday Epsom,  Broome, Japan, Mogul, Alpinista, Love, Santa Barbara, Teona, Zeyaadah, Ocean Road, Technique, Statement

Goodwood  Love De Vega

Saturday Epsom, Bolshoi Ballet, , Huurricane Lane, Van Gogh, One Ruler, Lone Eagle

Mussleburgh Statement

Ascot Grand Slam, next leg of the slams , closing date for your pick is Sunday 13 June

2021 Flat Issue 4 - Winners still hard to find

Headlines

Empress Josephine Rules at Curragh

Lone Eagle Swoops  To Goodwood Victor

Beach at Liberty at Haydock

Report

We start at Goodwood on Friday in the 1m 3f listed stakes where Lone Eagle (Neil), went to post, Made all, pushed along 3f out, ridden and went clear from over 1f out, winning readily by 4l. He gets 31.4 points.

At Haydock on Saturday in the 5f group 2 Liberty Beach (Bob), went to post, Raced freely, made all, ridden over 1f out, stayed on, winning gamely by gamely by a neck. She gets 44.6 points.

On Sunday at The Curragh, in the 1m group 1 Irish 1000 guineas Empress Josephine ( Peej), took her chance, Towards rear of midfield early, midfield when bumped under 3f out, soon pushed along, ridden and headway towards near side under 2f out, went third inside final furlong, ran on well and joined leader towards finish, led post, winning by a short head. She gets 79.2

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy 

                        May         Total

Tony                 189.3       189.3   

Cliff                   100.6          100.6   

Bob                       95.4        95.4

Neil                     82.7      82.7

Peej                     79.2        79.2

Steve                  75.3          75.3

Cod                   74.8          74.8

Martin                51.3        51.3

News 

Tributes have poured in for popular Grade 1 winner Top Notch following his death at the age of ten on Sunday. Successful in 14 of his 31 races in Britain, including once at the highest level in the 2017 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown, Top Notch might have been small in stature but he more than made up for it in heart.A regular at the major meetings, he competed at the Cheltenham Festival on five occasions, faring best with seconds in the 2015 Triumph Hurdle and 2017 JLT Novices' Chase.

Simon Munir, who owned the Nicky Henderson-trained star in partnership with Isaac Souede, relayed the bad news on Twitter on Sunday night. He wrote: "It is with great sadness that we lost our double green stalwart and hero Top Notch today. He ruptured his stomach and surgery failed. He was the sweetest, kindest horse with the biggest heart – since 2014 he won 14 races and participated in five Cheltenham Festivals. So many memories. RIP Notchy."

2021 Flat Issue 3 - Things start to move

Headlines

Feet Fizzes home at Windsor

Hurricane Blows rivals away at York

Sunrises on Editors Campaign

Palace Pier lands Lockinge

St Marks Basilica lands French Guineas

Report

We start at Windsor last Monday where in the 6f fillies handicap, Fizzy Feet (Cod), took her chance, Soon led, shaken up and headed over 2f out, ridden and hung left over 1f out, rallied and led again inside final 110yds, stayed on, winning by ½ l. She gets 32.2 points.

At Newmarket on Thursday in the 7f fillies maiden, Sunrise Valley ( Cliff), went to post, Made all, going easily 2f out, shaken up over 1f out, pushed out inside final furlong, winning comfortably by 2 ½ l. She gets 23 points.

At York in the 1m 2f group 2 Dante Stakes Hurricane Lane ( Bob), took his chance, Chased leader, pushed along when outpaced and lost two places over 3f out, ridden and rallied 2f out, led and hard pressed inside final furlong, kept on strongly final 110yds, winning by ¾ l. He gets 50.8 points.

At Newbury on Saturday in the 1m group 1 Lockinge stakes Palace Pier ( Cliff, Martin, Neil, Steve, Tony), took his chance, Towards rear of midfield, smooth headway from 3f out, led 2f out, pushed along and ran on well from over 1f out, pushed out towards finish, winning  comfortably by 1 ½ l. Cliff gets 77.6 points, Martin, Neil, Steve, Tony 51.3 

At Longchamp on Sunday in the 1m group 1 Prix dessai des Poulains, St Marks Basilica (Tony)went to post, Midfield, switched out and shaken up 2f out, good headway to lead 150yds out, ran on strongly, winning comfortably by 1 ¾ l. He gets 60.2 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy 

                        May         Total

Tony                 189.3       189.3   

Cliff                   100.6          100.6   

Steve                  75.3          75.3

Cod                   74.8          74.8

Martin                51.3        51.3

Neil                     51.3       51.3

Bob                       50.8     50.8

News 

Love is the potential star attraction at the Curragh on Sunday with the dual Classic heroine set to make her seasonal reappearance in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Classic honours are up for grabs in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas. Miss Amulet missed Sunday’s French Guineas due to unsuitable ground, while Pretty Gorgeous was a late withdrawal from the Guineas at Newmarket following an unsatisfactory scope. Empress Josephine is also entered. 

Battaash is on course to defend his King’s Stand Stakes crown at Royal Ascot after showing his well-being following an injury setback sustained over the winter. The seven-year-old returned to Charlie Hills’ stables in Lambourn last month from his owners Shadwell Stud, having recovered from a small fracture. Hills has been pleased with Battaash and is looking forward to seeing what Shadwell’s number two jockey Dane O’Neill says after he rides the horse in work on Wednesday. “Battaash has been back with us a few weeks now. He’s been in training and did a nice swinging canter last week. We’re very happy with him,” said Hills on Tuesday.

Dandalla is likely to have her sights lowered ahead of a return to Royal Ascot with connections favouring an outing in the EBF British Stallion Studs Cecil Frail at Haydock on Friday.

Other Entries, 

Devizes 5.55 Lingfield Saturday, 

Diligent Harry 3.35 Haydock Saturday, 

Lafan 4.55 York Saturday, 

Law Of One 2.35 Newmarket Saturday, 

Liberty Beach 4.10 Haydock Saturday, 

Lone Eagle 3,25 Goodwood Friday, 

Love De Vega , 1.10 Goodwood Friday, 1.25 Newmarket Saturday, 

Mithras 6.55 Sandown 

2021 Flat Issue 2 - Slow start continues

Headlines

Japan Lands Ormonde Stakes

Ballet dances home at Leopardstown

Report

At Chester last Thursday in the 1m 5f group 3 Japan (Tony)  went to post, Tracked leader, shaken up 3f out, switched right and pushed along under 2f out, led 1f out, ridden towards finish, kept on, winning by ¾ l. He gets 34.2 points.

At Leopardstown on Sunday in the 1m 2f group 3 Bolshoi Ballet (Tony), took his chance, Travelled strongly, chased clear leader early, 1 length second under 5f out, led 3f out, pushed along and quickened clear from over 2f out, ridden and 5 lengths ahead over 1f out, stayed on, winning easily by 6l. He gets 33.6 points

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy 

                        May         Total

Tony                 77.8         77.8   

Cod                   42,6        42.6

Steve                  24           24

News 

The Lir Jet misses the French Guineas and will go straight to Royal Ascot

With most of us still trying to get off the mark, he are where our hopes lie in the next few days

Newmarket today Sunrise Valley, Serena’s Queen

York, High Definition, Hurricane Lane, Uncle Bryn

Tomorrow York Snow Lantern, Santiago, Danielsflyer,

Leopardstown, Amhran Na Bhifiiaan

Thisk Saturday  Queens Sargeant

Newbury      Tactical, Logician, Palace Pier, Lope Y Frenandez, Lord Glitters, Sea Empress, 

Navan, Geodesic,

2021 Flat - The Points Scorers

With Ghaiyyath retired we'll have a new name on the 'trophy'. Unless Japan wins.

274.3 - St Mark's Basilica (60.2 + 57.6 + 78.7 + 77.8)

268.2 - Hurricane Lane (50.8 + 84 + 55.4 + 78)

231.2 - Palace Pier (77.6 + 77.4 + 52.2 + 24)

160.0 - Alpinista (46.2 + 59.6 + 54.2)

137.8 - Angel Bleu (25.4 + 49.4 + 63)

125.4 - Teona (36.6 + 87.8)

110.75 - Alcohol Free (55.85 + 54.9)

106.0 - Skalletti (53.4 + 52.6)

103.2- Space Blues (44 + 59.2)

102.4 - Broome (42.6 + 59.8)

94.2 - Discoveries (25.4 + 68.8)

93.9 - Wonderful Tonight (50.7 + 43.2)

87.5 - Campanelle

79.2 - Empress Josephine

73.4 - Alenquer (44.2 + 29.2)

71.2 - Lafan (30.8 + 40.4)

69.4 - Japan (34.2 + 35.2)

61.8 - Summerghand

59.4 - Lone Eagle (31.4 + 28)

55.7 - Kerami

51.7 - Love

48.6 - Amhran Na Bhifiann 

48.6 - Queen's Sargent

47.65 - Snow Lantern (16.75 + 30.9)

46.4 - Dandalla

45.8 - Pretty Tiger

45.04 - Sunrise Valley (23 + 22.04)

44.8 - Order of Australia

44.6 - Liberty Beach

42.6 - Stradivarius (21.5 + 21.1)

41.7 - Tarnawa (16.4 + 12 + 13.8)

38.6 - Bielsa

36.4 - Cadillac

33.8 - Marshall Dan

33.7 - Mohaafeth

33.6 - Bolshoi Ballet

33.3 - Zeyaadah (17.6 + 15.7)

32.35 - Berkshire Shadow

32.2 - Fizzy Feet

31.3 - Danyah

29.6 - Mehnah

25.8 - Uncle Bryn

24.6 - Faisal

24.0 - Dragon Symbol

24.0 - Lope Y Fernandes

24.0 - Master of the Seas

23.2 - Love De Vega

12.2 - Mutasaabeq

12.0 - Addeyyb

11.6 - Sea Empress

2021 Flat Issue 1 - Season could be a slow burner

Headlines

Broome Sweeps Rivals aside at Curragh

Report

We start at Newmarket on Saturday where in the group 1, 1m 2000 Guineas Master of The Seas, (Steve), took his chance, Held up in rear, good headway from 4f out, close up when pushed along 2f out, briefly led over 1f out, ridden and kept on final furlong, just failed, finishing 2nd beaten a short head. He gets 24 points.

On Monday in the 1m 2f group 2 at the Curragh, Broome (Cod), went to post, Chased clear leader, 3 lengths second after 4f, close up halfway, pushed along to challenge over 3f out, led on outer over 2f out, soon ridden and faced challenge, kept on well inside final furlong, winning by 2l. He gets 42.6 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy 

                        May         Total

Cod                   42,6        42.6

Steve                  24           24

News 

High Definition heads five entries from the Aidan O’Brien stable in a total of 16 for the Novibet Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday. Lone Eagle, also has an entry. Martyn Meade told the Punter he had a cough after his disappointing return at Sandown, and the Derby and then St Leger are still the long term plan

Technique has an entry in the Fillies Trial Stakes.

Today at Chester Wirko goes in the Chester Vase, and Zeyaadah in the Cheshire Oaks

On Thursday Japan is in the group 3 Ormonde Stakes, and also on Friday in the group 2 Huxley stakes.

On Friday Grandmaster Flash is in the Chester Cup