Day Two of The Ebor Festival is all about Taghrooda as she steps back into the fray after her devastating victory in The King George last month. Mix that with a couple of big field handicaps, a sales race & you are left with an interesting card if a little below top class card.
Opening up the card is a big 6f sales race which has attracted 20 runners including an unlikely one in the shape of Group race performer & Group 1 runner up just over a week ago Kool Kompany who comes here chasing the cash that up for grabs. He is not that badly treated considering & if he is able to run up to his mark then he should win this on the bridle.
Mukhmal has been disappointing since the early part of the season where he won at Musselburgh & Chester, needs more in a tough race especially over a trip he has yet to try.
Mukhmal has been disappointing since the early part of the season where he won at Musselburgh & Chester, needs more in a tough race especially over a trip he has yet to try.
Arthur MartinLeake broke his maiden on his 3rd start in easy fashion at Yarmouth, his official mark leaves him with much to find in this.
Fast Act has run two excellent races on his last 2 starts in the Super Sprint & Molecomb, no reason to suggest he cannot get involved again.
Flyball has much to prove in this kind of race after not being seen since The Windsor Castle. Gaudy drops back in trip after his last 2 starts have come over 7f including his first win last time where he looked to really appreciate the distance, work to do in any case. Gerry The Glover won nicely at Beverly after a decent effort on debut at Nottingham, entitled to come on again but will need to against some of these.
Kasbah is still a maiden after 4 starts including finishing unplaced behind Kool Kompany in The Phoenix last time, work to do on what he has shown so far.
Marcano has been aimed at this ever since his impressive Salisbury maiden win at the end of June over 7f, he has the speed to cope with the drop back to 6f as he showed when a superb 3rd in a useful maiden at Newbury. Should not be underestimated.
Markaz is the choice of Paul Hanagan from his retainers 4 runners which is noteworthy, a good 2nd when favourite in a Nursery at Goodwood last month he should be competitive. Mubtaghaa was disappointing behind Ivawood at Newmarket last time although it was a messy race & few got involved, worth forgiving that as trainer does well in these kind of races.
Roudee is exposed now after 6 starts & continues to regress at present.
Roudee is exposed now after 6 starts & continues to regress at present.
Sawaahel won what looked an average Newmarket maiden on debut in a very slow time, clearly after 1 start there is more improvement to come so is not dismissed out of hand. Tachophobia is one who could well at a big price, he was taken off his feet in the end last time in The Super Sprint so that can be forgiven previous to that he had won his maiden in good style & had run well here on his 2nd start. Will find 6f more of his bag & has chances.
Ticks The Boxes was 3rd on his Nursery debut at Chester finishing ahead of Roudee, not a bad effort considering he didn't really handle the track, will like the open expanse of York & could get involved. Union Rose is exposed as not up to pattern class & has yet to taste success at 6f. Valley Of Fire showed a bit of nouse to win on debut over this course & distance after dawdling in the stalls, being out the back for most of the race, he found his stride in the last few furlongs to stay on well to the line. Open to any amount of improvement & clearly will be well fancied.
Ticks The Boxes was 3rd on his Nursery debut at Chester finishing ahead of Roudee, not a bad effort considering he didn't really handle the track, will like the open expanse of York & could get involved. Union Rose is exposed as not up to pattern class & has yet to taste success at 6f. Valley Of Fire showed a bit of nouse to win on debut over this course & distance after dawdling in the stalls, being out the back for most of the race, he found his stride in the last few furlongs to stay on well to the line. Open to any amount of improvement & clearly will be well fancied.
Vimy Ridge was given too much to do at Goodwood last time & is better judged on a good win on handicap debut at Thirsk the time before, not out of this if he bounces back. Winstanley is still a maiden after 5 starts, he didn't handle or appear to like the fast ground that much at Goodwood last time, his earlier maiden form suggests he can win a race although its tough to say it will be this one.
New Providence the only filly in the lineup has to be feared from her low weight, she was held to far back at Newmarket last time in a good race making up plenty of ground at the death, more experienced jockey on her back this time & can go well.
If the price is reasonable I will take a chance on Marcano who has impressed me on both starts.
The big race for 2yo fillies is The Lowther over 6f it features the rematch between Anthem Alexander & Tiggy Wiggy over a furlong further than at Ascot.
Anthem Alexander was due to tackle 6f against the boys in the Phoenix 11 days ago but was pulled out due to ground so rain at York will count against her. The step up to 6f is a slight concern as she has looked all speed so far.
Tiggy Wiggy has run since Ascot demolishing what had looked a good field for The Super Sprint at Newbury, all kinds of superlatives were thrown her way but at the end of the day she was just the best in what is in essence just a sales race. I see no reason why she will not stay 6f its just whether she is good enough in this grade.
Tiggy Wiggy has run since Ascot demolishing what had looked a good field for The Super Sprint at Newbury, all kinds of superlatives were thrown her way but at the end of the day she was just the best in what is in essence just a sales race. I see no reason why she will not stay 6f its just whether she is good enough in this grade.
Cursory Glance has not been seen since her impressive win in The Albany at the Royal Meeting, she is a sizable filly who is much more a 3yo than her opponents will be here. She has had the time to develop some more & as long as she is not too ring rusty she will take all the beating.
Lady Gemini & She's A Worldie are not up to this class on what they have shown so far. Bimbo got no run in a Pontefract Nursery last time after winning on her debut at the course, work to do up in grade as does her stablemate Realtra whose form is below what's required.
Lady Gemini & She's A Worldie are not up to this class on what they have shown so far. Bimbo got no run in a Pontefract Nursery last time after winning on her debut at the course, work to do up in grade as does her stablemate Realtra whose form is below what's required.
Pastoral Girl made the most of a weak race for the grade last time nicking some valuable black type at Ascot. She has yet to break her maiden & will need at least 4 to run below there best to get involved here.
Sulaalaat is a well bred daughter of New Approach (related directly to Summoner Group 1 winner / Compton Admiral Group 1 winner through her grandam & indirectly to The Fugue), easily disposed of inferior rivals at Nottingham on her 2nd start & should not be underestimated here.
Patience Alexander has an impossible task trying to give 23lbs at Haydock against 4 boys last time, she should stay the 6f well enough to get involved certainly better than she did at Ascot in The Albany behind Cursory Glance but she will need to have improved to turn that form around.
Cracking race between 3 fillies at the top of their game but not one I will get involved in financially.
A cracking 1 mile handicap is up next with Top Notch Tonto returning to handicap ranks after failing to set Group races alight so far this season. He just looks to be struggling after having such a stellar end to 2013, even with his young jockey's claim he is still far too high & will struggle. Gabrial's Kaka has had an excellent season so far, his last run showed he was still capable from this sort of mark & with his talented young riders claim helping him out further he can get involved.
Boom And Bust drops back into a handicap for the first time since he was 3rd in The Cambridgeshire 2 years ago from a 1lb higher mark with the addition of his young riders claim he is on a potentially excellent mark if he can rediscover some sparkle that has been missing so far this year. Short Squeeze is another who appears to be struggling this time around after the progression of last season, dropped away tamely last time here & needs more. My Freedom remains higher than his ability can cope with & is best left until he drops a few more pounds Prince Of Johanne can rarely be discounted in these big handicaps, he is on a mark that he can get involved from & is respected.
Two For Two has struggled from his new mark the last 3 starts, with the help of his riders claim he can get involved from a stable bang in form, this horse has the ability to travel which is a big help is these types of races. Energizer drops back to the mile after pulling too hard at Royal Ascot before actually staying on again late on, he has pulled hard on all 3 runs this term at home & in Dubai, if he can settle then there is no doubt that a mark of 100 undermines him, the stable have managed to get similar headstrong types Steeler & Artigiano to settle this season so there is hope despite a terrible draw. No denying that Santefisio has ability but he has an awful wins to runs ration & has not graced the winners enclosure since Nov 2012, he has been in good form again most recently & one could see him getting placed but no more than that.
Red Avenger came good after some promising down the field efforts last time at Goodwood, just getting up on the line. Is still capable of getting involved from this mark.
Bronze Angel appears to be a law unto himself & you back at your own risk.
Bronze Angel appears to be a law unto himself & you back at your own risk.
Navajo Chief has the obligatory duck eggs against his name after a battling first time out win in a similar race, the main thing in his favour is he adores York with 4 course wins including this race 3 years ago from 11 starts. The main negative on Thursday is that he usually needs a break between his wins twice either winning first time out that season (last 2 wins) or at least 2 -3 months between wins, he has managed 1 win at York after just a 3 week break before but he has only has a 12 day break since his last run when never figuring at Ascot on Shergar Cup day. That was clearly to keep the horse ticking over as this race would have been a target of his all season long, if he can cope with the 12 day gap then he is well handicapped again & under 'The Enforcer' Fallon he is one to take seriously.
Parbold steps into handicap company for the first time in his career & takes on his elders for the first time, he is a funny horse who needs things to drop right & will need to be right at the top of his game to get involved after a gelding operation.
Levitate is back down to a very favourable mark but is better with a bit of cut.
Passing Star has his work cut out against seasoned handicappers from this kind of mark judged on his last 2 runs especially from his draw.
Laffan moves up into a top grade handicap from his new mark from an outside gate which is no help to a prominent racer. Balducci has a great draw to attack as a front runner, last run was not great but has been given time to get over that & his stable is in great form. On old form he should be capable from this mark & is a player.
Fort Bastion has held his form remarkably well all season & remains with chances granted a clear run. Russian Realm has not quite delivered so far in handicaps as was first expected, he was too far back from a strong pace last time & looked laboured in attempting to make the ground up suggesting his mark has him. Could also have been feeling the effects of some hard races & has had a decent break since his last run so has another chance to show he operate around marks in the high 90's.
Kosika a 3yo filly has a real job on taking on the boys from this sort of mark.
Navajo Chief goes so well at York that he's worth chancing from yet another reduced mark.
The big race of the day has attracted just a small select field with most avoiding Taghrooda. Most imagine this will be no more than a procession for the unbeaten Oaks & King George winner. There's no getting away from how impressive she was at Ascot but things were in her favour, the pace of the race, ground & the amount of weight she received. Still back against her own sex she should take all the besting once more. None of the 3yo's look likely to get near her on the Epsom run so perhaps the 3 older fillies can do better.
One of those 4yo's is last year's Oaks winner Talent who has looked one paced & laboured on all 3 starts this year, she wasn't the best Oaks we have seen in recent years whereas Taghrooda looks like she is a class apart so I cannot see Talent playing a hand.
Venus De Milo was a well beaten 2nd last year in this & has been in n'out ever since, she is not genuine Group 1 class for me & is passed over.
That leaves the only 4yo in the race the classy Tasaday who made an excellent return to action at York a month ago when just getting up in a Listed race. It was a fair effort after a break since Dubai where she had also won in Listed class in amongst some average runs in better company over the wrong trip. She was just below the best of her generation in France last year & has always promised to be better on good fast ground over 1m4f. She should be there to pick up the pieces should Taghrooda have an off day.
Lustrous is not up to this class & should be in the Galtress.
Volume has been placed in 2 Oaks but both times has looked as if stamina has failed her at the end.
Finally Tapestry who seemed to bounce right back when a closing 2nd in The Irish Oaks behind Bracelet, that was a slowly run affair & it would be unwise to say that she truly stayed more that she was running on through horses that had been up with the pace & were faltering late on. In truth she was ridden to get as close as she could as on breeding the 1m4f would be the limit of her stamina.
Venus De Milo was a well beaten 2nd last year in this & has been in n'out ever since, she is not genuine Group 1 class for me & is passed over.
That leaves the only 4yo in the race the classy Tasaday who made an excellent return to action at York a month ago when just getting up in a Listed race. It was a fair effort after a break since Dubai where she had also won in Listed class in amongst some average runs in better company over the wrong trip. She was just below the best of her generation in France last year & has always promised to be better on good fast ground over 1m4f. She should be there to pick up the pieces should Taghrooda have an off day.
Lustrous is not up to this class & should be in the Galtress.
Volume has been placed in 2 Oaks but both times has looked as if stamina has failed her at the end.
Finally Tapestry who seemed to bounce right back when a closing 2nd in The Irish Oaks behind Bracelet, that was a slowly run affair & it would be unwise to say that she truly stayed more that she was running on through horses that had been up with the pace & were faltering late on. In truth she was ridden to get as close as she could as on breeding the 1m4f would be the limit of her stamina.
Not a race for betting purposes but I do believe that Tasaday will outrun her current odds.
Quite a poor version of The Galtress is up next as the free spending Qatar boys have bought another low grade mare for breeding prospects in the shape of recent Listed winner Noble Protector, I probably am doing her a disservice there as she has been consistent in this grade so far this season & has been placed well to find these weak fillies listed races. Work to do now carrying the penalty of Spencer & a Listed win.
Dark Crusader won the Melrose last year & was a decent 2nd in a ok Group 3 last time out, hooded first time on ground that may be a tad quicker than she likes.
Quiz Mistress has been trying & failing in this grade for a good few years now & also wants softer ground.
Waila is darn consistent but also consistently finds something better to worry her out of it at the end & she has been beaten in similar races lacking real quality already this year. Arabian Comet flew home upped to Group 3 company last time over 1m6f looking as though she needed all of that distance to get involved.
Waila is darn consistent but also consistently finds something better to worry her out of it at the end & she has been beaten in similar races lacking real quality already this year. Arabian Comet flew home upped to Group 3 company last time over 1m6f looking as though she needed all of that distance to get involved.
Island Remede is not up to this grade judged on what we have seen of her so far. Momentus ran her rivals into the ground when breaking her maiden last time, this big long striding filly should love York & she was well regarded earlier in the year so has chances. Queen Of Ice was well beaten last time behind Noble Protector & the stamina for this trip is far from assured. Starlet only has a soft ground maiden win to her name but is highly respected from a stable that rarely bring one over if they are not up to the task. Stella Bellissima found the step up to Group 3 company beyond her last time as well as the quicker ground, she will appreciate the drop back in grade here & could easily get involved.
Another race that is best left alone.
A classy fillies 7f handicap ends the day with a full 20 runner field.
Dutch Rose heads the weights as she goes for a hat trick of wins in this race, she comes right at this time of year & with her stable in grand form she needs respecting although it will be some effort of top weight this time around.
The Gold Cheongsam was found out back in Group company last time & was well behind Bragging the time before giving her plenty of weight, place chances at best.
Royal Rascal has struggled from these kind of marks all season & ideally needs soft ground.
Bragging will only run if the rain stays away, she is a stunning stamp of a mare who needs genuine fast ground to show her best which she did from a lowly mark of 87 at Newmarket last time, she travelled well into the race before quickening away in the style of a pattern performer. On that run a 10lb rise does not look insurmountable if she is indeed as I predict a Group filly in the making.
Askaud is a good performer but is on a pretty stiff mark here.
Askaud is a good performer but is on a pretty stiff mark here.
Wedding Ring is running well in this kind of grade, mark remains higher than I'd like even if she now has a 1lb pull in the weights with Bragging who beat her decisively last time & has more improvement in her. Dutch Courage is harshly treated back in a handicap on what she has achieved so far this season.
Stablmate Dusky Queen is on a mark that gives her chances in this, she has been running well all season & goes well here at York, place chances.
Sparkle Factor comes over from Dermot Weld's stable in Ireland, she was not up to Listed class & appears handicapped up to her best on her UK debut.
Azagal goes well in these races & is receiving little help from the handicapper as a result, minor place chance. Misplaced Fortune is better at 6f & has little improvement to come as a 9yo against some unexposed types. Ticking Katie is at the top of her game at present, game & consistent she will be hard to keep out of the frame.
Lady Frances didn't need to truly stay the 7f the time before last in a weaker race at Brighton, she is in & out like so many Johnston handicappers.
Nakuti gained a deserved win when the race at Newmarket fell apart around her due to the ground changing 2 starts ago but was well put in her place at Goodwood last time, would need the heavens to open. Enraptured is the big danger to Bragging, she is unexposed after just 4 starts & made an encouraging return to action in a good 3yo fillies race at Newbury just over a month ago, she missed her intended last start due to firm ground so she would be the selection if the rains came.
Jamesbo's Girl is on a hat trick after wins at 6f in lesser grades, this trip holds no fears for her as she showed when beating Nargys off this mark last year, player.
Artistic Charm was a promising 2nd over 6f last time out, the step back up to 7f will suit & she is respected from a low weight.
Little Shambles is struggling from her mark & has shown little on her last 2 starts, work to do.
Belletriste won on bottomless ground in France at Le Lion D'angers last time, massive step up to this kind of race & passed over.
Huge fan of Bragging & fully expect her to win,
if there is a freak rain shower & she doesn't run then I would back Enraptured.
Huge fan of Bragging & fully expect her to win,
if there is a freak rain shower & she doesn't run then I would back Enraptured.
@fttfracing
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