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UPI
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Big upsets in Europe, Saratoga opening mark weekend horse racing
1 of 3 | Excellent Truth (inside) edges She Feels Pretty in Saturday's Grade I Diana at Saratoga. Photo by Janet Garaguso/Coglianese Photography, courtesy of NYRA July 14 (UPI) -- Shockers in the big races in France and England highlighted weekend horse racing while the Saratoga summer season got off to a smooth start on that side of the Atlantic. The weekend was a tour de force for Godolphin, largely at the expense of primary rival Coolmore. Across the globe, the Hong Kong season is winding up with honors already bestowed upon the champions. No need to wait ... here's the scoop. Around the world, around the clock England Godolphin, trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick were relatively quiet at Royal Ascot but came with a full-throated roar at Newmarket's July meeting. There were 21 races over three days and Sheik Mohammed's crew won seven of them. Several of the victories came in close calls over the Coolmore, Aidan O'Brien, Ryan Moore team. Buick also rode two more winners for other concerns. It was a different story, though, in Saturday's signature Group 1 July Cup, sponsored by Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai. The 6-furlong sprint turned into a plunger's dream, as 66-1 long shot No Half Measures, always close, surged to the front nearing the 100-meter marker and held off 12-1 chance Big Mojo by a neck. Run to Freedom ran to third at 40-1. Godolphin had the two favorites in Notable Speech and Symbol of Honor. They reported fifth and eighth. Moore's choice from an O'Brien duo was Whistlejacket, who missed the break and beat just two of his 13 rivals. "Half a furlong out I couldn't believe where I was," said winning rider Neil Callan, formerly based in Hong Kong. "When I picked her up going into the dip, I thought we could be top three. But when I twirled my whip and gave her a flick, I thought we could win." It was a rare disappointment and Godolphin salvaged the day as Saba Desert overcame an awkward start to claim the Group 2 bet365 Superlative Stakes for 2-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths over the favorite, Italy, representing Coolmore, O'Brien and Moore. Saba Desert, a homebred Dubawi colt, improved to 2-for-2. Sheik Mo's "boys in blue" fared better in Friday's feature as Cinderella's Dream prevailed by 1/2 length in the Group 1 Tattersall's Falmouth Stakes over January -- another beaten Coolmore favorite. Cinderella's Dream, a 4-year-old Shamardal filly, was across the pond a year ago, winning the Grade I Belmont Oaks Invitational, and then went on to win the Grade II Saratoga Oaks and finish second in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. January, a 3-year-old Kingman filly, was third in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. "We'll work back from the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare but how we get there I don't know," Appleby told Racing Post. "I was annoyed when she was beaten in that race last year, as I think it was one that got away from us. I'd like to get my revenge." Venetian Sun was undefeated entering Friday's Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and exited the same way -- but not without some dramatics in the last of the 6 furlongs. The Starman filly looked headed for an easy victory until Royal Fixation fell short with a late rush, settling for second, a neck back. Venetian Sun's two previous wins included the Group 3 Albany at Royal Ascot. Distant Storm, another potential Godolphin star, put another frustrating, short-head beat on a Coolmore youngster, Constitution River, in a Friday maiden heat at Newmarket. Distant Storm, by Night of Thunder, was a €1.9 million breeze-up purchase for Godolphin and Appleby indicated he will be handled conservatively with an eye toward his 3-year-old opportunities. France Leffard was up in the final jumps to win Sunday's Group 1 Cygames Grand Prix de Paris for 3-year-olds at Longchamp, providing an emotional boost for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, who has been battling cancer, and adding another lash to the weekend's torture for the Coolmore team as their odds-on favorite, Trinity College, just failed to hold on. Leffard, a Le Havre colt, disappointed in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club or French Derby, finishing next-last of eighteen. Rouget said the colt had sufficient excuse for that and he was proved right. Trinity College was last seen romping home first by 3 1/2 lengths in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot. Hong Kong The 2024-25 season closes out with Wednesday night's meeting at Happy Valley, but the premierships are decided and the hardware was bestowed at a gala Friday night. Ka Ying Rising hit a trifecta all his own as Horse of the Year, champion sprinter and champion 4-year-old. Little wonder as he was undefeated in eight starts during the campaign. He also lowered the Sha Tin Racecourse record for 1,200 meters twice, first erasing Sacred Kingdom's mark by reporting in 1:07.43, and then topping that two months later with a 1:07.20. Romantic Warrior was named champion middle-distance horse for the fourth straight season, Voyage Bubble was crowned both champion miler and champion stayer, John Size won his 13th training title and Zac Purton was runaway winner of the jockey premiership. Meanwhile, back in North America Filly & Mare Turf Excellent Truth and She Feels Pretty hooked up in a head-to-head stretch duel through the final furlong of Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Dunkin Diana Stakes at Saratoga, with the former putting a short head in front in the final jumps to claim victory. Excellent Truth, a 5-year-old, Irish-bred mare by Cotai Glory, ran 1 1/8 miles on yielding sod in 1:47.34. Flavien Prat rode for trainer Chad Brown and owner Resolute Racing. The win ended a string of three second-place finishes for Excellent Truth, all Grade I or Group 1 events dating to last July's Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville, won by Mqse De Sevigne. "She has had two tough trips," winning trainer Chad Brown said of Excellent Truth. "I think you could argue with a cleaner trip, she could be 3-for-3 in the country. ... Down the lane, there was no excuse for either horse. We ran right down the stretch together and she showed a lot of heart." Turf It wasn't hard to pick Far Bridge out of the past performances before Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Bowling Green at Saratoga, and it wasn't hard to find the 5-year-old son of English Channel at the finish, either. That was him, 3 lengths out front of his closest rival with jockey Joel Rosario letting him coast home. Trainer Miguel Clement said he will seek a repeat win in the Grade I Sword Dancer later in the Spa meeting. Turf Sprint Italian Soiree won Friday's $175,000 Grade III Coronation Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga, Roja took Saturday's $102,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park and Governor Sam prevailed in Sunday's $175,000 Grade III Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga. Juvenile / Juvenile Fillies The 2-year-olds were on the Woodbine all-weather course Saturday for a matched set of 5 1/2-furlong heats. Casson, a Caravaggio colt, took the $125,000 (Canadian) Victoria Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Jupiter. Border Czar won the $125,000 (Canadian) My Dear Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Spectator
5 days ago
- Sport
- Spectator
Four bets for today and tomorrow
It is so-called 'Super Saturday' tomorrow with a host of great racing from Newmarket, York and Ascot. The fast ground, which follows yet another week of fine weather, has reduced the anticipated size of some of the handicap fields but there is still a host of competitive racing at the three tracks. Before I turn to tomorrow's fare, I want to put up bets for today's racing at York and Newmarket. I generally don't like to back horses on their seasonal debut because their fitness cannot be guaranteed, especially when racing against rivals who have a race, or in this case several races, under their belts. However, in York's Group 3 William Hill Summer Stakes (2.45 p.m.), CELANDINE is not only the pick of the runners on last year's racecourse form but she is also the subject of some sparkling gallop reports from Lambourn handler Ed Walker. He has worked his three-year-old filly with the likes of his top sprinters, Mgheera and Balmoral Lady. In his Racing Post Weekender column on Wednesday, Walker revealed that connections had toyed with supplementing Celandine for the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket tomorrow because she has been working so well. Instead, going for the easier option at York, he said he expects his filly to be hard to beat if she translates her home work to the racetrack. So in this 12-runner field over six furlongs, back Celandine at 1 point each way at 5-1 with bet365, paying four places. Other bookies are half a point bigger but with one place less. At Newmarket, I want to back two horses in the bet365 Trophy (3 p.m.), a red-hot handicap over 1 mile 6 furlongs that is worth more than £51,000 to winning connections. The favourite, Endless Victory, will be tough to beat but he is too short for me at 3-1. Ian Williams is a masterful trainer of middle-distance handicappers and he certainly knows how to prime one of his inmates for a big target. The trouble is that today Williams fields thee of the 13 runners in this bet365 Trophy and they all have a decent chance. The shortest price of the trio, and the one with probably the best chance of winning, is Dancing In Paris who has run two mighty races in the past month, first at Goodwood and then at Newcastle. He is 4lbs well in as a result of this being an early-closing handicap as he will go up by that amount in future handicaps after his second in the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate late last month. However, betting is all about odds and so I am instead going to back Williams' two other runners. The first is ONEFORTHEGUTTER who is constantly under-estimated in these big handicaps. Now only was the gelding, now six, second in this very race last year, he went on to be third in the Sky Bet Ebor, Europe's richest handicap, last August before filling the same place in the Virgin Bet November Handicap at the end of the season. It is true that the horse has a poor win ratio – just three wins from 31 runs – but that may simply be because he contests such competitive races. Oneforthegutter is still nicely weighted off a mark of 92, ran well last time out at Ayr and, at more than twice the odds of Dancing In Paris, the recommendation is 1 point each way on him at 12-1 with bet365, paying four places. The other Williams runner is REAL DREAM, who is 6lbs well in after finishing a close third to Coltrane in the listed Coral Marathon at Sandown a week ago. The form of that slowly-run, four-horse race could be suspect but Real Dream also ran a fair race in the Copper Horse handicap at Royal Ascot too. With Tom Marquand in the saddle today, I loved the look of his price yesterday afternoon when he was widely available at 14-1. Sadly, since then the horse has been put up by two of the best tipsters in the land, Matt Brocklebank and Tom Segal, and his price has crashed. Nevertheless, back him each way 1 point each way at 17-2 with William Hill, Betfred Ladbrokes and Coral, all paying four places. Turning to Super Saturday, I had expected to put up Holkham Bay in the LK Bennett Butterfly Mark Heritage handicap (4.50 p.m.) over five furlongs at Ascot. This horse was a hugely unlucky loser during Royal Ascot week when fourth to the trail blazing front-runner Get It in the Wokingham Stakes handicap over six furlongs. Racing away from the main group of 21 runners, Holkham Bay won his race on the near side comfortably against six rivals, only to be beaten into fourth less than a length by the winner and two others racing far away from him. At five years old, Holkham Bay seems to be getting better with age and he has a wonderful record at Ascot – two wins and a second from his three previous runs at the track other than the Wokingham. However, his price of 7-2, added to his off-putting drawn in stall 1 and this shorter trip, means that I will give him a miss as bet. Instead, at a much bigger price, I will suggest 1 point each way on EXISTENT for the in-form Stuart Williams yard. The Newmarket handler' has won five races from just 20 runners over the past fortnight for an impressive strike rate of 25 per cent. Existent is consistent having been second or third in his last six outings and I am hoping the booking of talented 7lbs claimer Ashely Lewis can be the deciding factor in enabling him to get his head in front where it matters. Back him 1 point each way at 11-1 with Sky Bet paying a generous six places in this 18-runner race. Other bookies have Existent a point higher but with less places. My biggest fancy of the weekend runs at York tomorrow in the John Smith's Cup (3.10 p.m.), a race in which I have already put up two bets ante-post. I am happy to be on Thunder Run each way at 12-1 but the horse I am sweetest on, now that he has his preferred quick ground, is See That Storm, already tipped each way at 14-1. I have high hopes for him even in an 18-runner handicap as competitive as this. Next week I am going to suggest some ante-post bets for the big summer meetings, including Glorious Goodwood, so watch this space. Last weekend: – 5.2 points. 1 point each way Balmoral Lady at 8-1 for the Coral Charge, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points. 1 point each way Miss Tonnerre at 10-1 for the Coral Distaff, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points. 1 point each way Minstrel Knight at 11-1 for the Old Newton Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points. 1 point each way Paddy The Squire at 9-1 for the Old Newton Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. 2nd. + 0.8 points. Pending: 1 point each way Celandine at 5-1 for the Summer Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. 1 point each way Oneforthegutter at 12-1 for the bet365 Trophy, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 1 point each way Real Dream at 17-2 for the bet365 Trophy, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 1 point each way Thunder Run at 12-1 for the John Smith's Cup, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places. 1 point each way See That Storm at 14-1 for the John Smith's Cup, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places. 1 point each way Existent at 11-1 for the Mark Heritage, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places. 2025 flat season running total: + 39.46 points. 2024-5 jump season: – 47.61 points on all tips. 2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips. 2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips. 2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips. 2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
