YORK EBOR MEETING PREVIEWS: Daqman checks out the top two-year-old races at York this week on the heels of yesterday’s Deauville victory for Newmarket in the juveniles’ Group 1 Prix Morny. More York previews tomorrow.
A PAINFUL DOSE OF SECONDITIS: Beaten a nose, a short-neck and threeparts of a length. Three Daqman bets were caught in the final strides yesterday: Via Sistina (2nd 6-5), Ramatuelle (2nd evens) and Unless (2nd 15-8). He heads to Catterick today for his nap.
ACHIEVER’S MORNY FOR NEWMARKET
THE soft ground that suited Vandeek (the horse called ‘achiever’) in the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood yesterday helped the grey reel in the hot French filly Ramatuelle in the Prix Morny 2yo test at Deauville by a short-neck.
It was another milestone for the father-and-son Newmarket team of Simon and Ed Crisford, who were the first UK trainers to become joint licence-holders in May, 2020.
And it was another warning to global racing that Andrea Atzeni, Vandeek’s jockey at both Goodwood and Deauville, will be a formidable world force when he moves to Hong Kong.
The Crisfords have just one runner at York this week, handicapper Monte Linas, in the Mile on Friday. Monte Linas won over the York CD on soft ground in July.
⚠️ HEADS UP: Now here’s Daqman’s preview of the 2yo races at the York Ebor Festival this week:
⭕ 2.25 York Wednesday (Acomb Stakes, 7f 2yo, winner £93k) This has thrown up two Guineas winners in recent years: in 2018 Phoenix Of Spain (Irish 2,000) and last year Chaldean who took the Newmarket Guineas in May.
Likely favourite on Wednesday is the Dubawi colt Navy Seal (Aidan O’Btien), easy winner of a Galway maiden on heavy ground.
⭕ 1.50 York Thursday (Lowther Stakes, 6f 2yo, winner £152k) Aidan O’Brien’s 2018 winner, Fairyland, went on to take the Cheveley Park Stakes.
Favourite over O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom on Thursday is likely to be Relief Rally (William Haggas), a Kodiak colt who is three from four, including the Newbury Super Sprint.
⭕ 3.00 York Friday (Gimcrack Stakes, 6f 2yo, winner £152k) Charlie Appleby and Richard Hannon have won two Gimcracks each in the last seven years; eight of the 10 winners in the decade were drawn 4, 5, 6 or 7.
Aidan O’Brien’s Johannes Brahms, who has been disputing favouritism with Kylian (Karl Burke), was Windsor Castle runner-up to Big Evs, who has been declared for the Nunthorpe, also on Friday.
HARA IN A HURRY
⭕ 3.35 Catterick Punting opportunities are thin on the ground today with modest racing at each of Monday’s four venues.
I can’t ignore the chances of Harappan in this novice event though and he is taken to defy a penalty.
He was a notable eye catcher on debut at Newcastle when third at 50/1 despite being hampered two furlongs out. He stayed on to good effect behind the odds-on favourite Theatre Honours.
He was then backed as if defeat was out of the question on his first start for Iain Jardine at Wolverhampton and won in good style beating Swift Hawk with a full eight lengths back to the third horse.
He now has to do it on turf for the first time but this doesn’t look the strongest race and it’s interesting to note that the trainer has selected this in preference to a better class race at Kempton later in the week.
Main market danger A Poet’s Secret was fifth on debut at Kempton beaten 16 lengths. He ran in snatches that day and he is surely better than what he showed but it’s a giant leap of faith to expect him to be winning on the back of that run.
A bigger danger may come from Hondo who has a little more experience and should improve for the step up in distance.
BETWEENTHESTICKS ON THE FLAT
⭕ 5.45 Lingfield The value call here might be Betweenthesticks in a race where Girl Magic and Faustus (both last time out winners) dominate the Betdaq Betting Exchange market.
Girl Magic was a winner here over 6 furlongs but her form over the minimum trip is slightly more questionable. As for Faustus, he won over 5 1/2 furlongs at Brighton last time and was staying on well in the closing stages up the hill suggesting the dropback in trip may not be ideal for him either.
Betweenthesticks won a class three event at York last year and does bring some class into the race. He was a below par sixth at Chepstow last time out but is now 2lb lower in the handicap and the return to a quicker surface could be considered a positive.
CALLING THE POLICE
⭕ 8.05 Bangor I head between the sticks for the final pick. Police Academy showed seemingly improved form on her first start for Fergal O’Brien when winning a modest race at Uttoxeter last time out. She comfortably accounted for Manimole who herself went on to run a solid race at Southwell on her next start. This form might be solid enough to win this.
Never No Trouble is on a frustrating sequence of three seconds from her last four starts and looks to have another good chance of picking up place money tonight. She rates the main danger to the selection.
DAQMAN’S BETS:
3.35 Catterick (win 10, nap)
BET 7.7pts win HARAPPAN
5.45 Lingfield (win 10)
BET 2pts win BETWEENTHESTICKS
8.05 Bangor (win 10)
BET 4.3pts win POLICE ACADEMY
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