Racing Nerd

 We were treated to a performance of the highest quality from Mishriff yesterday on the opening day of the Ebor Festival. He stamped his authority all over a strong field, who admittedly had their various limitations exposed. Still, it has hard to take away from the winner given the manner of the victory and he has been an exceptional horse for connections, particularly David Egan.  Hopefully we will see more of the same in the Yorkshire Oaks today. Snowfall has already produced a "wow" performance at Epsom this year. That performance has since been the subject of much debate and the question remains is she as good as she looked on that occasion. While she was impressive both prior and subsequent to that Oaks win, it certainly appears a standout piece of form and there may have been mitigating circumstances that led to the margin of victory. That performance aside, there isn't too much between herself and Wonderful Tonight. She faces a major question mark of her own of co...

 I have been rather quiet on here due to other commitments recently, but I am looking forward to a wonderful week of racing at York this week for the Ebor Festival. I will hopefully have something each day but a week like this really is about enjoying the quality on show. There are so many intriguing contests throughout the week it is hard to pick one. I simply cannot wait to see Snowfall take on Wonderful Tonight (hopefully) in the Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe looks mouthwatering too.  More on those later in the week but there is a quality card today too, not least the emerging talent in the Acomb Stakes, that looks a Group 3 in name only. Ehraz is a horse that I have like since his promising debut effort behind the re-opposing Noble Truth at Newmarket. He confirmed that promise with an effortless win at Ascot next time. While the jury is still out on the form of that Ascot win, the closing sectionals suggest it was the performance of a Group horse, backing up the visual ...

 Undoubtedly, there are mixed opinions about the benefits of the Shergar Cup to racing. Team events within the sport are even more in the spotlight at the moment with the recent addition of the Racing League. What I will say on the matter is that we need to attract more people to have an interest in the sport. As I have a number of friends who are not interested in racing, I believe the "team aspect" can have some impact in that regard.  While the colours may confuse regular racing followers, it certainly makes it easier for those that do not spend their Saturday's regularly watching the racing. I am reserving judgement on the racing league and am slightly disappointed by the wealth of criticism it has received. What is the alternative? To simply continue down the same road. We must be willing to change, adapt and attract new people to the sport. Anyway, attracting new people to the sport is (probably) not going to be solved today but we might be able to find a winner at ...

 While the Irish Oaks at the Curragh is the highlight of tomorrow's racing in terms of prestige, even the most enthusiastic of fans would struggle to consider it a vintage renewal this year. The race does present us with another opportunity to see the wildly impressive Epsom Oaks winner, Snowfall. I doubt we will learn very much about her tomorrow apart from that she is in full health as the race lacks any realistic challengers on all known form.  There is a competitive supporting card but for a bet I decided to look to Newbury instead and the proverbial "group horse in a handicap" potentially rearing it's head once more. I am a huge fan of Rodrigo Diaz and he has been incredibly progressive over the past twelve months or so. It has co-incided with his partnership with Jamie Spencer and the pair have combined for four wins and two placed efforts from six starts. Having comfortably progressed through the ranks last season with three wins from much lower marks, he has...

 It really is a Super Saturday on the racing front with quality action at York and Ascot, as well as of course the final day of the July festival from Newmarket. The feature at Newmarket is the eagerly awaited July Cup. This race promises to be one of the best sprint races we have seen in a very long time in the UK. There is quantity as well as quality with a large field of 19 set to take their chance in a clash of generations. The fact that nine of the runners are officially rated 114 or above means that there is a fair chance it will take a performance of the highest quality, particularly from any of the older horses having to concede 6lb to a host of progressive three year old's. Interestingly, the last ten renewals are split evenly between those, but I have a feeling that the younger horses will come out on top on this occasion.  The starting point when looking at the three year old's is the Commonwealth Cup, despite it not being as informative as it may have been if geldi...

 The second day of the festival sees a very promising card, more appealing to this pair of eyes than the Thursday card certainly. From the opening maiden to the concluding 5f handicap, there was something that caught my attention. However, as regular readers will know by now, that is not my style. I just hope that if I have read any of the races right that they are the ones I have included!!  The opening contest, while not a betting race for me personally sees an interesting one from the Charlie Appleby stable. Noble Truth was third behind July Stakes winner Lusail over course and distance on debut and in my opinion that rates close enough to the form of Chesham fourth Sweeping to suggest they should be closer in the betting than they currently are.  The following handicap is the first port of call in terms of selections and I believe the Mark Johnston trained King Frankel is worth another chance after a string of good efforts. He was a good second in the London Gold Cup...

 It is the opening day of the July Festival at Headquarters tomorrow and it presents a very competitive card to commence festivities. I felt the other days present more betting opportunities if I'm honest and contemplated keeping my powder dry entirely. I had no strong opinion regarding taking on Al Aasy given the opposition he faces as they are far inferior on all known form. Stowell was a tentative selection but not a bet at the prices in the Bahrain Trophy and I had a rather large shortlist for the 6f handicap.  In the end, I decided I couldn't let Eldrickjones go unsupported at the current price based on the impression he left on me at Royal Ascot in the Coventry. Having travelled ominously well on that occasion, he was stopped in his tracks inside the 2f pole (having waited patiently behind a wall of horses up to that point) when making his initial challenge. Once he re-gathered his momentum, he came with an eye-catching late run, despite racing on the part of the track ...