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Sing from the same hymn sheet as me and get on Choir
I’m hoping Sir Michael Stoute has a better time of it at Newmarket than he did at Royal Ascot.
Goodness me, Lady Luck was on vacation across those five days in June and was certainly not overseeing the wellbeing of the lodgers of Freemason Lodge.
Gospel Choir returned from being off for over a year at Newmarket recently. His winning margin in the Fred Archer Stakes may have been only a short head from Dubday, but the deficit back to Gatewood in third was nine lengths.
The significant factor was that he was back on a racecourse and back in the winners’ enclosure, a place where he is comfortable. He has had 12 runs for seven wins, including a brace of Group Two victories.
The Princess of Wales’s Stakes is a race in which Sir Michael Stoute almost has had a monopoly to the extent he is trying for his tenth success - it would be silly to just overlook him.
Much of the excitement will surround Mahsoob, who to say is progressive is an understatement and comes here on a roll, unbeaten in four, latterly the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
He beat Sennockian Star by half a length conceding 4lbs though today he steps a few rungs up the class ladder - he can either get vertigo or continue the rise. At the prices I’d rather sing off the Gospel Choir hymn sheet!
Come 3.45pm providing there has been no rain delays it will be tea in Cardiff for the First Ashes Test. It will be a chance for me to check out my RacingUK app to view the Newmarket action, providing it’s discreetly and quietly, no commentary then unless it’s in my headphones!
But it is always the predicament if your selection hits the front or comes to challenge its inevitable there’s going to be some urgings, no matter how much you try to restrain yourself.
For the Unibet Handicap I’m siding with Rotherwick as Paul Cole has won the race before in 2010 with a horse with a similar profile in Circumvent. Circumvent had finished a long way behind Cape Blanco prior to turning up to win at Newmarket, while Rotherwick was eleven lengths behind subsequent Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs at Sandown. That was prior to a respectable effort behind War Envoy in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. In finishing fifth he was only two and three quarter lengths behind the winner and was putting in a sustained and strong run.
Osborne skips Racing Right:
George Osborne failed to mention racing or the betting industry in his Summer Budget speech. He clearly had more pressing matters.
Should that concern racing and its intentions for future funding? Probably.
But racing has to decide what it wants and have the definitive reasoning for why it is entitled to such a degree of “Racing Right” and study and investigate that it is not cutting off its nose to spite its face.
For the present there is a really congested sports calendar, which is causing much frustration in this quarter. I’ve taken a few days off in order to enjoy a bit of Wales and Scotland, The Ashes and the golf at St Andrews only for a faulty car, then a train and tube strike to scupper the best-laid plans.
Had Kevin Kisner won the Greensboro Classic last week and not let nerves get the better of him on the drive of the first playoff hole then I’d have been able to buy a new car - instead I could fill two pages of the Racing Post’s recent unlucky punts series and mine are all on golf!
Just so you know I’ve laid into David Lingmerth at silly prices on Betfair to win The Open, while the hype swirls around the injury to Rory McIlroy and the sensation and class player that is Jordan Speith, there will be bundles of value elsewhere. David Lingmerth has been putting in some sterling efforts on the PGA Tour, which he can replicate on the home of golf.
Tanya Stevenson's Thursday July Festival tips:
3.15 Newmarket: Gospel Choir at 7-2 generally available
3.45 Newmarket: Rotherwick at 11-1 with William Hill
Tanya Stevenson's Thursday July Festival pointers:
James Doyle has a 36% strike rate so far in July
Mark Johnston has a 34% strike rate so far in July
2.10 Newmarket - Bahrain Trophy:
John Gosden is attempting to win a record-breaking fifth Bahrain Trophy (1997 Three Cheers, 2011 Masked Marvel, 2012 Shantaram, 2013 Feel Like Dancing) – today he runs Mr Singh
Frankie Dettori will be trying to ride his seventh winner of the Bahrain Trophy (1989 Podrida, 1993 Spring To Action, 1995 Grey Shot, 1997 Three Cheers, 2009 Kite Wood, 2010 Corsica) – today Mr Singh
Persian Punch 1996, Youmzain 2006, Masked Marvel 2011 & Hartnell 2014 all won the Bahrain Trophy before gaining Group One glory
In 2005 Detroit City finished second and Heathcote was last of the four. Detroit City went on to win 2006 JCB Triumph Hurdle and Heathcote won 2007 Totesport Trophy
In 2010 Simenon could only manage fifth to Corsica at 25-1, two years later and he was to win both the Ascot Stakes and the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot
Eight of the last ten winners of the Bahrain Trophy came from the first two in the betting (five of them were favourite)
Only two of the last ten winners of the Bahrain Trophy had won on their previous start
Seven of the last ten winners of the Bahrain Trophy had run at Royal Ascot that season – Today Future Empire, Mr Singh, Rocky Rider & Tommy Docc
2.40 Newmarket - Arqana July Stakes:
Paul Hanagan is hoping to gain his third victory in four years on Elronaq.
Eight of the last ten winners of the July Stakes had raced no more than twice prior to Newmarket
Nine of the last ten winners of the July Stakes had finished now worse than second on their most recent run
Nine of the last ten winners of the July Stakes came from the first four in the betting.
Only four of the last ten winners of the July Stakes had taken in Royal Ascot
2013 Astaire could only manage sixth before going on to win the Gimcrack and the Middle Park Stakes
Last year’s winner Ivawood went on to finish third in this year’s 2000 Guineas
In 2014 Muhaarar could only manage third but has since won the 2015 Greenham and the inaugural Commonwealth Cup and on Saturday will line up as second favourite for the July Cup
Richard Hannon Snr won the race six times
3.15 Newmarket - Princess Of Wales's Arqana Racing Club Stakes:
Sir Michael Stoute is trying to win his tenth Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (1986 Shardari, 1991 Rock Hopper, 1992 Saddlers’ Hall, 2000 Little Rock, 2005 Gamut, 2007 Papal Bull, 2009 Doctor Fremantle, 2011 Crystal Capela, 2012 Fiorente)
Ryan Moore has won four of the last eight Princess Of Wales’s Stakes
Only three favourites have won the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes in the last 20 years
Six of the last eight winners were aged four
Seven of the last ten winners had run at Royal Ascot on their most recent run, five in the Hardwicke Stakes
Nine of the last ten winners had competed against at least Group Two company
Seven of the last ten winners had finished no better than third on their most recent start
Seven of the last ten winners had run between once and no more than three times in the current campaign
In 2012 Fiorente beat Red Cadeaux in to third, come November 2013 they finished 1-2 in the Melbourne Cup
3.45 Newmarket - Unibet Handicap:
Only one of the last ten favourites have won
Mark Johnston is attempting is third straight win in the race and fourth in the last ten years
Nine of the last ten winners carried 8-12 or more
Nine of the last ten winners had had at least three runs in the current campaign
Five of the last ten winners had run their most recent start at Royal Ascot
