|
Remarkable can rise to the Challenge at Ascot
It’s Arc weekend, so all eyes will be on Chantilly for top class action on Saturday and Sunday.
I’ll be at Ascot on Saturday before my love of other sports takes me elsewhere.
Ervedya has her chance to bag another Group One in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, but I search bigger challenges in the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar and the Challenge Cup at Ascot.
Recent Redcar winners have mixed it in Group Two company, proving it pays to have a touch of class amidst a big field.
Rainbow Mist may not be ideally drawn, yet he ran a blinder behind Ardad in the Flying Childers. The extra furlong will hopefully assist him.
If you are like me and dabble in a forecast, I’d have to pitch in with Medici Banchiere who has put in two solid performances in the July Stakes and Gimcrack - plus he is drawn a bit better in 13.
A clutch of four stalls - 10, 11, 12 and 13 - have done well in the Challenge Cup at Ascot. The seven-furlong event has also been a happy hunting ground for those coming on from the Ayr Gold Cup so pay Growl, second in that contest, the utmost respect.
Librisa Breeze returns to Ascot, having just failed to land a massive gamble in the Royal Hunt Cup before recouping some of those losses in the International.
He then ran a cracker in the City Of York Stakes behind Nemoralia.
His odds are a bit prohibitive for me. Instead I spent a good deal of time watching the Jersey Stakes again and again paying close scrutiny to Remarkable, who was short of room on a couple of occasions.
He would have beaten Ribchester, even with a clear run, but he might well have finished third. He is entered in the Balmoral Handicap and may take this en route.
It is a big day for John Gosden, his trainer, because he has Shalaa returning to the track also.
Dominating the headlines on Wednesday and Thursday was the news that Michael O’Leary has removed his horses from Willie Mullins stable due to a disagreement over training fees.
My heart goes out to the stable staff. They are totally devoted to these horses and the horses are so comfortable with them and become use to certain routines.
The upheaval is immense and desperately heart breaking.
In addition to the racing, it is Ryder Cup weekend with most favouring USA to lift the trophy.
I invested on Europe at slightly over 2-1 in the hope there would be at least an opportunity to hedge at some point.
On Sunday it is another sport I will be fixated to and I hope those surrounding me at Wembley won’t mind watching the Arc 35 minutes into the game!
It may not be competitive as the Indianapolis Colts ought to continue Jacksonville Jaguars winless run to four, but there is something special about an NFL game that always draws me in, no matter who is playing.
Tanya Stevenson’s Saturday tips
3.15 Redcar Rainbow Mist
3.40 Ascot Remarkable
Tanya Stevenson’s Weekend pointers
2.30 Ascot Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes
Nine of the last ten winners have come from the first two in the betting (five of those favourites)
Nine of the last ten winners were aged three or four
Sir Michael Stoute aiming for his fifth win in the race
Seven of the last ten winners had run in at least a Group Three
Seven of the last ten winners won on their most recent run
3.05 Ascot John Guest Bengough Stakes
Only two of the last eight winners had taken in Royal Ascot that season
Seven of the last eight winners had run in at least Listed class that season
Four of the last six won on their most recent run
3.40 Ascot totescoop6 Challenge Cup Heritage Handicap
Only two of the last ten favourites have won (a further two finished second and two have claimed fourth)
Five of the last seven winners had run in that season’s Ayr Gold Cup (today Growl & Watchable)
Eight of the last ten winners were drawn 12 or lower (Librisa Breeze has stall 16)
4.15 Ascot Ascot And Camra 10th Anniversary Rous Stakes
Seven of the last ten winners had run in at least Group 3
All of the last ten favourites have been beaten
Only one of the last ten winners had won on their most recent run
Nine of the last ten winners had run at least six times in the current season
4.00 Newmarket Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes
Since being run at a mile in 2000 the Sun Chariot has gone to three-year-olds on nine occasions (Today Alice Springs, Epsom Icon and Volta)
Nine horses aged four or over have won in the last 30 years
Since 1988, 22 of the winners came from the top three in the betting
Seventeen of the last 20 winners finished either first, second or third on their most recent run (only two of the last ten had won on their most recent run)
French raiders have won five of the last seven runnings
All of the last ten winners had run in a Group 1 that season, five had won
3.15 Redcar totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy Stakes
Seven of the last ten winners were drawn ten or higher
Seven of the last ten came from the first four in the betting
Seven of the last ten winners had run in at least a Group Two
Seven of the last ten had finished no worse than third on their most recent run
SUNDAY
3.05 Chantilly Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Over the last 20 years Marienbard is the only five-year-old to win the Arc all the other winners have been aged 3 or 4
Three-year-olds have won 15 of the 20 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes
Only 2 of the last ten favourites have won 2008 Zarkava & 2009 Sea The Stars
Five of the last eight were won by fillies 2014 & 2013 Treve, 2012 Solemia, 2011 Danedream, 2008 Zarkava
Andre Fabre has won the Arc seven times (Trempolino 87, Subotica 92, Carnegie 94,
Peintre Celebre 97, Sagamix 98, Hurricane Run 2005, Rail Link 2006) . He runs New Bay and Talismanic this time
Frankie Dettori, Olivier Peslier or Thierry Jarnet could become the most successful Arc jockey in history if winning a fifth Arc
Seven of the last ten winners of the Arc won on their most recent start
Eight of the last ten winners of the Arc had won at least two Group Ones (the two that didn’t are 2012 Solemia and 2006 Rail Link)
Workforce in 2010 and Golden Horn last year are the only British-trained winners in the last ten years
Irish raiders have won the Arc twice in the last ten years with 2007 Dylan Thomas and 2009 Sea The Stars
