The latest news and best bets from day one of York's Ebor meeting in our daily horse racing blog, plus our tips competition
5.35pm Sea Moon past the post in the Leger, say Timeform
Chris Cook: Timeform have given Sea Moon a provisional rating of 128p after today's effort. That's higher than any rating achieved by a St Leger winner this century, the best of those being Conduit (127).
That's it for today, unless any especially big news should break. We'll be back with another edition of Talking Horses tomorrow, for day two of the Ebor meeting.
4.53pm Our Joe Mac (8-1) wins the last
Chris Cook: Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan are on the scoreboard at the Ebor meeting, gaining a narrow success in the 10-furlong handicap with Our Joe Mac, who pipped Arlequin (20-1), the pair clear.
The first two were last seen on day one of Glorious Goodwood, when Arlequin won with Our Joe Mac third.
Club Oceanic was third and Barren Brook fourth, both 7-1. The 5-2 favourite, Eagles Peak, was well beaten.
Bomber Jet (20-1) wins the nursery
Chris Cook: A fire alarm at Guardian Towers prevented me from actually watching the race but, thanks to the wonderful invention of text messaging, I was kept fully apprised as I stood on the pavement outside of how unlucky Mister Musicmaster (12-1) was, running on to be beaten a neck and a head. I suppose I should be thankful that I was spared the pain of actually watching the disaster unfold.
Still, I'm delighted for the winning combination of Nigel Tinkler and Kieren Fallon.
3.43pm Twice Over (11-2) wins the Juddmonte!
Chris Cook: Well done, Khalid Abdullah, who has won his own race for the first time. Well done, Henry Cecil, who trained the first two. Well done Ian Mongan, who rode a fine race on this rare chance in a Group One.
Await The Dawn cruised up to pass his pacemaker at the top of the straight but the Abdullah pair were on either side of him, travelling as well. The Irish horse was the first to crack and faded right away on what has been a poor day for Aidan O'Brien.
Midday (5-2), towards the inner rail, took it up and was perhaps a couple of lengths clear in the final two furlongs but Twice Over finished powerfully to win by half a length. This is his fourth Group One success.
Cecil must now be in serious contention for the trainer's title, having bagged more than �500,000 in prize money there. By my reckoning, he is now second, about �300,000 behind Richard Hannon.
A final well done to connections of Zafisio, who has picked up �37,000 for finishing fourth, having run past the pacemaker in the final stages on his first start since September.
In running notes: Twice Over hit 14-1, Midday got as low as 1-8. A bit more surprisingly, Await The Dawn went down to 2-9. Some premature punting there.
3.34pm Horse bites whip
Chris Cook: In the 3.30 at Nottingham, the runner-up, Creme Anglaise got a whack across the nose from the whip of Kirsty Milczarek, riding the winner. Creme Anglaise responded by craning his neck and trying to bite at her whip. Doubtless, he will be pleased to learn of the present movement for reform of its use.
3.09pm Sea Moon (11-2) hacks up in Voltigeur
Chris Cook: It looks like Sir Michael Stoute has a serious Leger prospect in his yard. Sea Moon is 13-8 for the final Classic in the bookies' quotes being offered moments after he scorched up the York straight, well clear of Al Kazeem (16-1) and Seville (5-6), who could find only one pace.
On his only previous start this year, Sea Moon had won a handicap at this course in June. He was only racing off a mark of 92 that day and had to be a lot better than that to win here. There is no doubting his ability now. Flag Officer, a Godolphin horse who was the only one to get close to Sea Moon in that handicap, has not run since and may be worth watching for.
Sea Moon was a nice spare ride for Richard Hughes to pick up, in the colours of Khalid Abdullah, who retained him for some years. Stoute tells Racing UK that Hughes got his instructions for this race from Ryan Moore.
Betfair describe Sea Moon as "a massive drifter", to 13-2 at the 'off' after being 100-30 yesterday.
It remains the case that Seville's only victory has been against three rivals at Tipperary last year. You'd think he could win something, but what?
Namibian was hard at work from the turn for home and never looked like winning. Hunter's Light came to make his challenge in the straight before blowing up and deserves credit.
3pm William Haggas responds to Entifaadha's success
Greg Wood: William Haggas said: "He wants to win and he's got a great temperament so he's really got a chance, this horse. He cost a lot of money and it's nice for me, personally, to have another stakes winner for Sheikh Hamdan. To be fair to Johnny Murtagh, after his maiden, when I was quite suprised he won, he said he was a Group horse and he's been proved right."
Haggas named a fistful of races as possible targets, including the Dewhurst, the Racing Post Trophy and the Lagardere on Arc day.
2.42pm Betfair report . . .
Chris Cook: . . . that Favourite Girl traded at 1-100 during the climax of the first race. That was presumably a mistake by someone because, although she was in the fight, she never looked home and hosed.
2.34pm Entifaadha (7-2) wins the Acomb
Chris Cook: The money was right. Entifaadha battled on well to land this Group Three from Fort Bastion (15-2) and Zumbi (8-1), the pair separated only by narrow margins.
Entifaadha is now unbeaten in two starts and is on offer at 20-1 for next year's Guineas. In light of what I said after the first race, I'd better note that the winning rider was the wonderful Richard Hills!
Zumbi, from Sir Michael Stoute's yard, seems likely to have a good future as well.
Fort Bastion would be about the best juvenile maiden in the country after four starts, not a title that anyone wants. This was a major improvement on his fifth in the Superlative at the July meeting, when the ride he was given by Olivier Peslier was criticised by the trainer, Richard Hannon.
The three O'Brien runners were very disappointing, all being well beaten.
A serious eyecatcher would be the fourth, Caledonian Spring, who ran on to be fourth after meeting trouble at the back with two furlongs to go. This was his fifth start, so it must be questionable how much improvement he can find.
2.14pm Furners Green on the drift . . .
Chris Cook: Aidan O'Brien's apparent first-string is 6-1 from an opening 3s on Betfair for the Acomb, which comes next at York. William Haggas's Entifaadha is the new favourite at 9-2.
2.04pm Secret Asset (16-1) wins the opener
Chris Cook: He wears down the long-time leader Racy (10-1) in the shadow of the post to land the sprint handicap. Trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, the grey got a lovely tow through the race from the winner as the field raced up the middle-to-stands-side section of the course.
Secret Asset goes well in big-field handicaps at major meetings, having won early in the week at Glorious Goodwood before running seventh in the Stewards' Cup. According to Nick Luck on Racing UK, he is known as Elvis in the yard because he has a suspicious mind . . .
Favourite Girl (20-1) was third and Irish Heartbeat (7-1) fourth.
If there was an unlucky horse, it would be Kanaf, who met trouble in running after his usual slow start. It might be thought by some that Richard Hills could have done a slightly better job in picking his route through the pack, though it's hardly an easy job in a big-field sprint. Kanaf ran on strongly to be a close fifth, with a gap to the rest.
Both time and visual impression suggest that good to soft is an accurate description of the going.
1.13pm Trainers and jockeys fret over the home straight
Will Hayler: In the hour that I have been at the track, there has been a steady stream of owners, trainers and jockeys strolling up and down the track. James Toller's daughter was striding out distinctly uncomfortably in heels on the grass, but the Hills brothers looked happy enough in consultation with Roger Charlton, who made a point of testing out the turf right across the full width of the home straight.
I wonder if some are considering the option of sticking to the far side in the straight, rather than taking the recent popular route of heading nearer to the stands' rail. The clerk of the course, William Derby, is adamant that GoingStick readings suggest there is minimal difference between the far side, middle and stands' rail.
It's a sunny, dry day, but conditions are still definitely just on the slow side of good and Tim Easterby, after walking the track, has withdrawn Medici Time from the opening contest, feeling that the going is just a little too soft for him. However, his other runners today, including two stablemates in the same race, will still line up.
12.43pm Going concern
Chris Cook: Mr Hayler, who lives a darned sight closer to York racecourse than Mark Johnston does, has poo-pooed my concerns over the going. Based on his experience of the local weather recently, he assures me that good to soft is entirely credible.
12.38pm William Hill are reporting . . .
Chris Cook: . . . that they've stood a �110,000 bet at 10-11 on Await The Dawn to a client in a London shop this morning. Presumably, said client is aware that Cook & Hayler have combined to take the Abdullah horses out of the race. Hill's also report a single bet of �40,000 on Seville in the Voltigeur.
12.30 Frederick Engels not among Gimcrack declarations
Chris Cook: The declarations for Friday's races are out and you can see them here. Frederick Engels has not, after all, been left in the Gimcrack, which presumably means he will run in the Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday. David Brown's two-year-old met with hideous traffic problems in Ireland's Phoenix Stakes on his most recent run.
12.20pm Why Await The Dawn is a certainty
Chris Cook: At least Will and I are agreed that Khalid Abdullah is finally going to win the Juddmonte International, more than 20 years after he started sponsoring the race.
Personally, I'm far from convinced that Midday was an unlucky loser in the Coronation Cup. St Nicholas Abbey struggled to cope with the track and only got going in the final furlong. He was the rightful winner that day.
Bapak Chinta misses the Nunthorpe
Will Hayler: Ante-post punters have been dealt a major blow before even the first race of the Ebor meeting has taken place with the news that Bapak Chinta misses the Nunthorpe Stakes.
Available at 10-1 in the immediate aftermath of his Norfolk Stakes victory, the colt's price had steadily come downwards ever since, but those who took the plunge have lost their money.
With Best Terms also taken out of the contest at this morning's declaration stage, it leaves only Requinto to represent the two-year-olds in Friday's five-furlong contest. There's no denying it takes some of the shine away from one of the best contests of the week, but hopefully the injury which Bapak Chinta picked up at exercise this morning is only minor and he'll be back out later this year ? in the Prix de l'Abbaye, maybe?
In his absence, Hoof It has hardened as favourite and William Hill make him the 100-30 market leader with Requinto and Masamah ? on whom Bapak Chinta's trainer Kevin Ryan now relies ? next in the betting at 7-1.
Another absentee at York will be Roderic O'Connor, out of this afternoon's Juddmonte International after reportedly failing to eat up this morning. Personally, I'm all over Midday to beat Await The Dawn today. She'd already have beaten the boys had the Coronation Cup panned out differently and it isn't easy to pick holes in the form of Await The Dawn's Hardwicke Stakes victory.
Today's best bets, by Chris Cook
It's day one of the Ebor meeting at York! The going remains good to soft, good in places after a dry night and goingstick readings taken across the width of the home straight suggest that there should be no faster strip anywhere. Of course, the actual racing may tell a different story.
Roderic O'Connor has been taken out of today's Juddmonte International for reasons that remain unknown to me, leaving just five in that race. Balti's Sister is the other non-runner at York, having been taken out of the nursery at 4.15.
I've written about my tips for today's TV races here but I'm slightly put off Kanaf in the opener by the general feeling that York may end up riding a bit softer than the going description suggests. I note in particular the comments of Mark Johnston, who says he has seen nothing but rain at his base nearby for the past fortnight.
East Meets West (2.30) is trading at 11-1, punters seeming content that he is a clear second-string behind his stablemate, Furners Green, who beat him when both were making their debut. That may be a dangerous assumption, considering that Furners Green has had no further experience, while East Meets West showed serious improvement when a very unlucky third in a Listed race a fortnight ago.
Speaking of dangerous, I'm taking on Aidan O'Brien-trained favourites in the two big races. Both have undeniable talent but have doubts to satisfy which are not factored into their odds. Namibian (3.05) seems to have a better attitude than Seville and 5-1 for the Voltigeur is too big, while Twice Over (3.40) is the same price to beat Await The Dawn and Midday in the International.
I'm encouraged that Henry Cecil has clarified the reasons for the jockey arrangements in the International, which he says were decided by him alone. He says he felt that Tom Queally, having won six Group Ones on Midday, should ride her again, adding that Ian Mongan "gets on very well with Twice Over" and deserves more chances at this level.
Mister Musicmaster (4.15) is a scarcely believable 20-1 on Betfair but will be well suited by any cut in the ground. He is unbeaten in two nurseries and, with Rod Millman's yard in great form, must be a serious contender. A front-runner with a powerful finish, he is the type to go well here.
Woe, woe and thrice woe, Midsummer Sun (Midday's half-brother) does not go to Nottingham today after all, so my interest elsewhere is confined to Terenzium (5.30) in the second division of Carlisle's amateur race. This nine-year-old has won on his last three appearances in amateur races (albeit all were at Hamilton) and today's rider was on board for the most recent of those. He appreciates some cut, which he will get, is just 4lb higher than for his last win and is on offer at 10-1.
The Hereford bumper at 8.10pm tonight is worth watching for the racecourse debut of Thespis Of Icaria, another offspring of Hellenic, a Yorkshire Oaks winner who has proved a sensational dam. This one is a full brother to Islington, Greek Dance and New Morning and a half-brother to Mountain High, making him one of the best-bred horses ever to line up for a bumper.
You'd have to be suspicious about a five-year-old with that pedigree who has never raced. He was still officially trained by Sir Michael Stoute as recently as last week and it would be nice to know why Stoute never managed to get this one to the track. He is now with Rebecca Curtis, runs in the colours of her partner, Gearoid Costello, and is currently 11-10.
Tipping competition, day three
23skidoo has taken it up, having followed up his fine start on Monday by picking Ridgeway Sapphire (17-2) yesterday. Winners were otherwise thin on the ground as most of you are seeking outsiders already. Renzofan and ToffeeDan1 had Carragold (3-1), while paragoncup and tokikura had Putin (9-1).
Today, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 3.05 York, 3.40 York, 4.15 York.
This week's prize is a pack of the brand new card game for racing fans, 'Collectacard', produced by Racing For Change in the style of the old Top Trumps games. There are 30-odd cards, each featuring a current Flat racehorse. RFC are pondering a jumps version (which would surely be at least as popular) later in the year.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of �1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -6.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Standings after day two
23skidoo +23.50
tanias +21.50
xwireman +14
WalthamstowLad +14
chris1623 +14
Shrewdette +14
paragoncup +4
tokikura +4
diegoisgod +3.50
William36 +3.50
JahLion +3.50
TheVic +3.50
sangfroid +1.50
TL127 +1.50
BearRides +1.50
MISTERCHESTER +1.50
orso +0
ToffeeDan1 -2
zizkov123 -2
Renzofan -2
Mulldog -6
Sportingchad -6
kenty58 -6
donlewis -6
MauriceNL -6
SmokingGun1 -6
MrWinnersSonInLaw -6
jaygee1 -6
wiggy12 -6
shears39 -6
millreef -6
factormax -6
moidadem -6
stee33 -6
mmmdanish -6
carl31 -6
Mai11 -6
unfaircomment -6
coma88 -6
Ormrod76 -6
goofs -6
stefanjames1979 -6
Ellandback -6
markahoy -6
stefmog -6
sandiuk -6
suckzinclee -6
Lameduck -6
Brochdoll -6
chiefhk -6
zzz62zzz -6
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips and racing-related comments below.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/aug/17/horse-racing-live-17-august-2011
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