Friday, July 09, 2010

Eclectic thoughts on Saturday's cards....

With so many cards on offer tomorrow, it's difficult to know where to concentrate the effort...

The 51st running of the John Smith's Cup takes place on the Knavesmire at 3.05; twenty are set to face the starter. I used to think a single figure draw was an advantage not to be sniffed at in this but over the past ten years the winners have been drawn wide on four occasions, Sirvino taking the spoils from stall sixteen last year. The last three-year-old to win was Sir Mark Prescott's Foreign Affairs in 2001 which doesn't bode all that well for the well-touted Wigmore Hall who appears to have been tipped up by the world and his wife and now has a price to reflect that fact. Four-year-olds have won six of the last seven runnings - Sir Michael Stoute's Imposing will be popular and another with a price to match. Demolition is one of five from Richard Fahey's stable - he ran well behind easy Haydock winner Dangerous Midge last weekend but this may come a bit quick. Tom Tate runs two - I'll take a small each-way interest in Kings Gambit (14/1) with Jamie Spencer up. This one was noted doing his best work at the business end to take second in the Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot three weeks ago.

Northumberland Plate form gives a pointer to several in the Silver Cup at 3.40. Drunken Sailor ran second, Deauville Flyer (backed as though defeat was out of the question) fifth, Chiberta King tenth (and likely to appreciate the drop back to 14 furlongs) while Sabotage finished seventeenth of the nineteen runners. At the prices on offer I'll take a chance with Chiberta King at 5/1 (or bigger). It should be noted that although Richard Hannon's horses are in fine form at the moment, this season the handler hasn't managed to get to grips with The Queen's horse, Free Agent; I imagine Her Majesty is far from amused...

At Ascot Paco Boy won't take his chance in the Summer Mile and as a result we're left with a field of ten in what looks a very trappy affair. Dream Eater stayed on at one pace to take third off Zacinto in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot but doesn't make much appeal while Premier Loco can be a tricky ride. Two-year-old nurseries over six furlongs are well out of my comfort zone but earlier today I saw a word for Major Conquest in the 2.20.

The feature at Chester is the listed City Wall Stakes at 3.20. Last year's winner Borderlescott looks the one to beat again this year and he has a plum draw in stall one. Blue Jack is of interest having finished behind Equiano and Kingsgate Native in Group races this season. Owned by Andrew 'Bert' Black and Michael Owen, the gelding is highly regarded and many will think worth a second look at 10/1. There are reservations though - a poor draw (stall nine), quiet stable form and in a review printed earlier in the season, the handler expressed concerns as to how his charge would take to Chester's tight turns. In the opener Ashram looks a play against short-priced favourite Lord Shanakill.

1 comment:

GeeDee said...

In a thrilling finish to the John Smith's Cup, selection King's Gambit (14/1) failed by a short head to concede 18lbs to winner Wigmore Hall (5/1); they came close in the closing stages but the stewards let the result stand.

In the Silver Cup Chiberta King (7/2) looked a little reluctant waiting to go into the stalls. Once off, he led into the home straight but was one of the first beaten, failing to go the pace and finishing last of the seven; a very flat performance. Drunken Sailor, travelling well within himself, looked the winner two from home but he ran out of petrol and the Queen's gelding Free Agent stayed on to take the spoils at 15/2; I assume that will have cheered Her Majesty up. Connections are talking of a return for the Ebor next month.

At Ascot Dream Eater came home third behind Premier Loco who benefitted from George Baker's audacious ride up the inside rail while Major Conquest took the nursery at odds of 9/2.

Blue Jack (10/1) looked to have lost his chance at the start of the City Wall Stakes on the Roodee but Richard Kingscote performed something of a minor miracle to get his mount home a short head in front of Captain Dunne (5/1) with Borderlescott a neck away in third. Lord Shanakill (8/13f) took the opener with a workmanlike performace; Ashram (13/2) drifted markedly in the betting and ran accordingly, finishing well-beaten in fourth.