Stodge

On then to last Saturday evening and the iconic Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya_SMgKOfzU Strangely for an American race they went no early pace and that allowed John Velazquez on AUTHENTIC to recover from a slow start and get over to lead by the clubhouse turn. I imagine Manuel Franco wasn't unhappy with the position he had on TIZ THE LAW but AUTHENTIC piled on the pace down the back straight and as they came off the home turn TIZ THE LAW led but the slow early allowed AUTHENTIC to rally and in the end he won going away by a length and a half. TIZ THE LAW was second with outsider MR BIG NEWS in third while HONOR AP, who looked to hate the track, plugging on for fourth. I imagine AUTHENTIC and TIZ THE LAW will re-match in the Preakness and I think the latter may well benefit from a more traditionally run American race. Back in France on Sunday, soft ground greeted the six runners for the Moulin over 1600m. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfuO6TsTTw This was a strange race and a dominant performance by PERSIAN KING who had won the Poulains in 2019 before being beaten by SOTTSASS in the Jockey Club. He was eight lengths behind PALACE PIER in the Marois but I suspect the Longchamp 1600m suits far better than a straight 1600m at Deauville. CIRCUS MAXIMUS tried to go with the winner but wilted in the final 200m and was beaten a long way in third. PINATUBO was held up for a run but the bird had already flown in the final 300m. It wasn't a bad effort by the second and take out PERSIAN KING and we'd be hailing him as an impressive winner. I still think PINATUBO is a 1400m horse and I'd love to see him take on some serious rivals in the Foret. As for the winner, he might come to Ascot but the Queen Elizabeth II is, I think, run on the straight mile rather than the round course.

Seven stand in the Group 2 Doncaster Cup over 3600m on Friday. REVOLVER has won six on the bounce and has moved up nearly three stone in the ratings from a mark of 57 to 98. He's won plenty of handicaps but this is Group 2 for all he gets weight from the older horses. SPANISH MISSION is favourite having won well at Chester last time and while he was no match for STRADIVARIUS at Goodwood that's no disgrace at this level. Both EAGLES BY DAY and RED VERDON have questions to answer in terms of the trip and in the latter's case, the ground. One who won't have a problem with the trip is THE GRAND VISIR who relishes extreme distances running second in the Queen Alexandra and fourth in a 4000m handicap at Goodwood. It's not a betting proposition with jut the seven but he'd be my idea of a winner at a big price. The variety of UK racing is on display with the other Group 2 on Friday the Flying Childers for the speedball juveniles over 1000m. The filly SACRED was runner up in the Queen Mary and the Lowther so that's solid Group 2 form. THE LIR JET won the Norfolk and was just touched off in the Papin before being decisively defeated in the Phoenix Stakes. STEEL BULL was well behind that day and the other Irish raider, FRENETIC, makes more appeal - on a line through MISS AMULET she comes up close to SACRED.

Final declarations are through for the second day of the Leger meeting at Doncaster where the ground is currently Good to Soft, Good in places. The Group 2 May Hill for the juvenile fillies over 1600m has nine runners. Two unbeaten fillies dominate - INDIGO GIRL won on the soft at Yarmouth but ZABEEL QUEEN, a daughter of Frankel, looked the part in a maiden at Ascot which usually turns up a good one and I can see why she's favourite. That being said, I think INDIGO GIRL will come on for the debut experience and the better ground and she'd be my choice. The Park Hill over 2800m has eight runners with four 3-y-o taking on four older fillies. The favourite and clear top-rated is ALPINISTA and if she reproduces her second place to LOVE in the Yorkshire Oaks, she'll win this. BELIEVE IN LOVE has been a prolific winner but in handicap company and I much prefer the Aidan O'Brien trained SNOW in first-time blinkers with Frankie Dettori on board. At 8/1, she's a sporting each way bet. It's Irish Champions weekend and I'll be posting a preview of all the top races at Leopardstown and The Curragh in the next couple of days. Thee are six Group 1 races over the two days.

Time to start the review of last weekend's action in the northern hemisphere. Friday evening (UK) saw the opening day of the Derby meeting at Churchill Downs which was held in glorious early September weather. The feature Kentucky Oaks looked a match on paper between GAMINE and SWISS SKYDIVER but in the end both were run down by SHEDARESTHEDEVIL who had won the Indiana Oaks previously but had finished 14 lengths off SWISS SKYDIVER in an earlier meeting. As expected, GAMINE and SWISS SKYDIVER went hard, perhaps too hard, from the front and GAMINE patently didn't get beyond 1600m. On Saturday afternoon in the UK, two significant races took place. At Haydock, the Group 1 Sprint Trophy saw DREAM OF DREAMS follow up his emphatic Hungerford success with a smooth win defeating outsider GLEN SHIEL with the 3-y-os GOLDEN HORDE and ART POWER third and fourth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cJkXUxMYU0 In an incredibly crowded and quality field of 1200m and 1400m horses at the moment, in has come DREAM OF DREAMS and I'd love to see him take on SPACE BLUES and perhaps PINATUBO in the Foret which, whisper it quietly, might be the race of the day in Paris in early October. He's a gelding so will be around next year and it may just be we've not seen the best of him yet. GLEN SHIEL has come through handicaps and ran a stormer under Hollie Doyle, the jockey of the moment up here. GOLDEN HORDE didn't get home in the ground and I'd want to see him back on a sound surface and this was much better than ART POWER for all he has come from handicaps to Group 1 level as well. HELLO YOUMZAIN was beaten four lengths in fifth and LOPE Y FERNANDEZ was a slightly disappointing seventh behind the veteran THE TIN MAN. At Kempton, ENABLE was backed in to 1/14 but if you had a spare £14,000 down the sofa your investment was never really in doubt as the dual Arc winner won by seven lengths. BUT.... I wasn't impressed - she completely blew the start fly-jumping in the stalls and she can't do that on Arc day as she will be left well out of her ground. Don't forget although the Arc is a French race it will be run as a British race with plenty of pace. Frankie Dettori said after the race she wasn't coping with the deeper Polytrack - for those who don't follow All-Weather racing (you soon will once you have half a dozen down in NZ), the surface can be harrowed in different ways. If it's deep-harrowed, the surface rides a lot slower (this is often done when jumps horses run on it to simulate winter turf conditions) but ordinary harrowing creates a surface akin to decent summer turf so it's favoured by flat horses. The Polytrack at Kempton has been relaid and new surfaces need deep harrowing to settle in so it was riding I'd say the equivalent of Soft to Heavy turf and I think ENABLE prefers a sound surface. I can't see her winning the Arc - I know that's tantamount to treason but she doesn't look the same horse as in past seasons. Her defeat to GHAIYYATH in the Eclipse reads very well in hindsight (on fast ground) but the King George win was nothing with JAPAN losing a shoe. LOVE gets 12 lbs and let's not forget ENABLE only just held off SEA OF CLASS on a similar weight concession in 2018 with the latter having an awful draw.

Forgot to mention it's the Kentucky Oaks over 1800m tonight at Churchill Downs and a clash between two superstar fillies in SWISS SKYDIVER and GAMINE. SWISS SKYDIVER was an impressive winner of the Alabama just three weeks ago and that puts her right in this but GAMINE has been awesome albeit at shorter distances. She bolted yp in the Acorn over 1600m by 19 lengths and then destroyed the field in the 1400m Test winning by seven lengths. There's a question about her over the 200m extra and she has a half-sister who raced in the UK and was a moderate handicapper. The Racing Post US correspondent fancies DONNA VELOCE and the trip will be no problem but she's not run since early March and it will be some feat to get her match-fit after a six month lay off. The season resumes in Hong Kong on Sunday as well. Doncaster's four day Leger Festival starts on Wednesday and the ground is currently Soft, Good to Soft in places but that will dry out a lot and it could be on the quick side by this time next week. The opening day is fairly quiet but two Group 2 races on the Thursday include the May Hill over 1600m for the juvenile fillies. Joseph O'Brien has entered three but John Gosden's INDIGO GIRL went into everyone's notebook with a stellar debut win on soft at Yarmouth and normal improvement should see her make the jump to Pattern company. The Park Hill over 2800m is known as the fillies' St'Leger though it's more like the Irish version in that older fillies and mares can run as well. 13 have been entered. The four 3-y-o include ALPINISTA who was five lengths behind LOVE at York and was four and a half lengths in front of MANUELA DE VEGA, who looks the best of the older fillies.

So you're not investing in Tapeta or Polytrack for the all-weather venues but Strathayr which is artificial grass or turf. https://strathayrsolutions.com/turf-solutions/ I had no idea it was so widely used in your part of the world.

The weekend beckons and there's a lot going on up here and across the Atlantic. Saturday sees the Group 1 Sprint Trophy at Haydock. 13 stand for the 1200m race on ground which was downgraded to Soft this afternoon. It looks between six on paper and that's not to completely rule out THE TIN MAN but he looks to be declining. He was beaten by the lightly-raced TABDEED at Newbury last time but that looked a weak Group 3 and TABDEED has a little to prove on this ground at this level. There are three 3-y-o in a race which the classic generation have won and with some quality horses down the years. Are this year's classic runners that good? ART POWER never went a yard in the Nunthorpe and that sharp 1000m wouldn't have suited given his wins have been on much stiffer tracks like Ascot and Naas. I think he has a big chance on the ground. LOPE Y FERNANDEZ has been placed three times in four races this year and all have been Group 1 heats. His second place in the Jean Prat and third in the Maurice de Gheest read really well but hint he may be more of a 1400m horse and the one race he failed to place was over this trip in the Commonwealth Cup behind GOLDEN HORDE. From there, GOLDEN HORDE ran third in the July Cup and fifth in the Maurice de Gheest and I think he needs 1200m and decent ground and I just think if it stays soft that will be against him. HELLO YOUMZAIN won this last year as a 3-y-o and this year won the Diamond Jubilee on re-appearance. He was fifth in the July Cup and second in the Maurice de Gheest and that reads really well. The horse he beat at Ascot, DREAM OF DREAMS, is favourite after romping away with the Hungerford but that as over 1400m and I wonder if that's his trip these days. So, ifs and buts about all of these - I'm minded to back ART POWER at 8s each way and overlook the Nunthorpe run but if the ground dries a little I'd be on HELLO YOUMZAIN who brings the most consistent level of form at this trip about one or two of these who look to now want a bit further. ENABLE has six rivals in the September at Kempton and she is 1/6 which tells you all you need to know. In America, it's Derby night at Churchill Downs and while the sun may shine bright on my old Kentucky home, TIS THE LAW looms the clear favourite in the Derby. Interestingly, both the favourite and his two most obvious opponents, HONOR A and AUTHENTIC have been drawn in the car park berths, but that doesn't make finding an alternative any easier. KING GUILLERMO was second in the Arkansas Derby and has been primed for this but TIS THE LAW looked the business at Belmont and if he can win this the Preakness will be at this mercy. At Saratoga, the feature is the Woodward over 2000m for the older horses, TACITUS mixed it with the very best as a 3-y-o and was third in the Derby and second in the Belmont. He was fifth in the Saudi Cup and returned after a break to slam MORETTI nine lengths last time, He looks one of the leading older contenders for the Breeders Cup Classic along with MAXIMUM SECURITY. The best race of the weekend is saved for Longchamp on Sunday with the Moulin over 1600m. Just six runners but all quality. It's so good the two locals, PERSIAN KING and VICTOR LUDORUM, both classic winners, are outsiders at 8s and 10s respectively. PERSIAN KING couldn't cope with the Heavy ground in the Marois and the current Good to Soft ground will be much more to his liking and I rate him highly even in this company. ROMANISED was fifth in the Marois and I'm just not convinced in this company. SISKIN won the Irish 2000 Guineas but the older horses had the edge in the Sussex and he finished third with CIRCUS MAXIMUS second. I love CIRCUS MAXIMUS and you'll never see a braver horse and he may just tough it out. Favourite is PINATUBO who was third in the 2000 Guineas, runner up to PALACE PIER (form which now looks very strong) in the St James's Palace and won the Jean Prat last time. I just think he's a 1400m horse though it's not a straight 1600m in Paris and in the absence of any pace the race might set up nicely for him. I'm not playing but it's a race to enjoy and I think PINATUBO will get the run of the race and have too much speed for CIRCUS MAXIMUS close home.

Yes, he was very good last year - the Eclipse third was quality form and he moved up to 120 in the ratings. He has never run as well on soft ground and when he has encountered it in lower grade races he's never run up to his form. His rating this year fell back to 116 and Sir Michael put the visor on after he ran sixth in the Eclipse and then was well held behind ASPETAR in a Group 2 at York. He was dropped to Group 3 at Salisbury on really quick ground and did it very well. As often happens, the visor didn't work so well second time and he just couldn't hold the lead at Goodwood and weakened tamely behind a soft and heavy ground specialist in CENTURY DREAM. The ground was equally quick when he won the Brigadier Gerard last year so an uphill finish on really quick ground look to be the keys to this horse.

Both TINANDALI and ALMANIA have been declared for Saturday's Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton along with last year's MC runner-up PRINCE OF ARRAN. Obviously, ENABLE is due to run and can't be opposed on all known form. TINANDALI was a moderate fourth at Windsor on heavy ground on Saturday and while ALMANIA's run behind FUJAIRA PRINCE at Ascot looked very good, I'm not sure he went on from that next time.

Nine have been entered for the September Stakes but LOGICIAN won't run so ENABLE, who is already 1/4, will be even shorter. PRINCE OF ARRAN will doubtless be having is pre-Australia prep run but he's 15 lbs behind ENABLE on the numbers and I can't see him getting anywhere near her in all honesty. 15 have been entered for the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Trophy over 1200m. The ground has improved to Good to Soft and news already the July Cup winner OXTED won't run - he worked poorly at trainer Roger Teal's yard this morning. DREAM OF DREAMS was very impressive over 1400m in the Hungerford and is likely to be favourite. Last year's winner HELLO YOUMZAIN was fifth in the July Cup but is a top sprinter and must be in calculations. He was then second to SPACE BLUES in the Maurice de Gheest over 1300m with LOPE Y FERNANDEZ third and GOLDEN HORDE fifth. ART POWER is the third of the 3-y-o but he was very poor in the Nunthorpe last time.

It's been phenomenally wet up here and the Bank Holiday has been the coldest for 50 years. Goodwood raced on ground described as Soft, Heavy in places on Saturday and the Group 2 Celebration Mile went to CENTURY DREAM who relishes wet turf and came away well in the final 200m. Ryan Moore sent REGAL REALITY to the front but while he ran okay at Ascot on Soft in June this was proper slow, heavy turf and he just couldn't handle it coming home a well beaten third with SIR BUSKER following up a fine run in a Group 3 last time with a decent effort in the higher grade. CENTURY POWER heads for the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot on Champions Day in mid October and connections will be hoping for an autumn bog. In America, they had rain at Saratoga and the flat track went Soft which completely went against PEDRO CARA in the Sword Dancer. The winner was CHANNEL MAKER who made every yard but Soft ground is such a rarity at American turf tracks he'd be very unlikely to get it in the Breeders Cup Turf but we know he handles it. Sunday saw the final day of the Deauville August Festival and again it was Heavy ground after more rain. The British raiders had another excellent afternoon with TELECASTER running away with the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville by six and a half lengths. He's obviously very effective on heavy turf and let's not forget he got to within a length and a half of LORD NORTH at Haydock earlier in the season. SOFT LIGHT and ZIYAD were the best of the locals taking the minor places. Looking ahead to the coming weekend, it's a big one - at Haydock we have the Group 1 Sprint Trophy while at Kempton ENABLE makes her final appearance in the UK in the September Stakes. In America it's the delayed Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday evening and finally it's the Moulin at Longchamp on Sunday. More on all of these through the week.

A few snippets from up here this evening. Spectators are set to return to a racecourse for the 4-day St Leger meeting at Doncaster next month. 3,240 will be allowed on day one and 6,000 on the other three days. The local Mayor has protested but the racecourse owners, ARC (Arena Racing Company), are keen to proceed (understandably). Tickets range from £25 to £60 and racegoers will be confined to an alloted area for the afternoon within which masks will be mandatory indoors and no food and drink will be allowed in to the course. I imagine they'll get plenty of takers though it's not for me and whether, compared with a normal Leger day, it will have any atmosphere remains to be seen but no doubt it will be hailed as a "triumph" by the uncritical racing media. As for on track action, seven go in Sunday's Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville over 2500m. It was 2800m when RED VERDON won the Maurice de Nieuil last time while TELECASTER was fourth at York over 2000m so what are we to assume of both horse's ability to act over this in-between trip? I prefer ZIYAD who was third in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last time and while the very soft ground is a question, I always like Group 1 form in Group 2 company. As of next Tuesday, a more "normal" fixture list returns in the UK with 7-race cards replacing the 9 and 10 race meetings we've had since June so we are going back to 4-5 meetings per day instead of three. While the light allows, there will be 3 afternoon fixtures and 2 evening meetings and with a number of the all-weather tracks operating under floodlights, we'll have a thin gruel of evening winter flat racing to stir the soul.

Another day of heavy rain here in London Town and we have the final decs for Saturday's racing. Just seven go in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday for which the ground is currently Good to Soft. BENBATL is clear top rated and is 2/1 favourite. The problem is the balance of his form is on a sound surface - he looked very good slamming KING OF COMEDY at Newmarket last autumn on decent ground but on Champions Day he was tailed off last in the Queen Elizabeth II on Heavy ground. He was last seen running third to MAXIMUM SECURITY on the dirt at Riyadh in the Saudi Cup. He might have too much class for this lot. REGAL REALITY has mixed it with the very best and had a nice confidence-boosting win at Salisbury last time on quick ground. She seems to go on any ground and has a great chance. She saw off DUKE OF HAZZARD that day and the latter has something to prove in this grade. CENTURY DREAM won the Diomed at Epsom and was fifth in the Ispahan which would be a better race than this. POSITIVE was behind CENTURY DREAM in the Ispahan and behind REGAL REALITY at Salisbury and he's far from certain to enjoy slower ground. I'm backing REGAL REALITY if I can get on at 3s or bigger. The big race in North America is the Sword Dancer at Saratoga. This is run over 2400m which is not a usual American trip and it's on the grass so this is a stepping stone to the Breeders Cup Turf, a race often won by the Europeans. A number of these met four weeks ago in a very rough Bowling Green Handicap over 2100m. SADLER'S JOY was first past the race but demoted to fourth for causing interference and CROSS BORDER got the race with HIGHLAND SKY promoted to second and MARZO to third. They all look closely matched to me and the one that interests is PEDRO CARA who was last seen running third in Doha. He was second in the Jockey Club Derby last year and could just be a notch above these.

In my rush to catch up with Saturday's racing, I forgot to mention the two Irish Group 2 races at The Curragh for the juveniles. They were run on Soft ground following overnight and morning showers. The Debutante for the fillies saw PRETTY GORGEOUS comprehensively reverse Silver Flash form with SHALE winning well and she looks a nice prospect. No surprise as she is a daughter of Lawman that she enjoyed the softer turf and on such conditions she is obviously very good. SHALE ran well and I'd love to see her back on quicker ground. The Galileo saw a minor surprise as MAC SWINNEY, who was well held in the Tyros, reverse places with the better fancied runners from that race. He was always close to the pace and this home bred son of New Approach showed plenty of determination to hold off the late challenge of CADILLAC and to overhaul ONTARIO on whom Padraic Beggy had appeared to have made a decisive move 400m out but it didn't quite work. CADILLAC had won his maiden by nine lengths at Leopardstown and I thought this son of Lope de Vega would follow up here but it all happened too quickly and he ran home very strongly You'd think on breeding 1600m would be the optimum but the dam is related to Sadler's Wells so he might get 2000m and could be a really nice prospect. On then to Deauville on Sunday and a stellar card to not complete the traditional August Festival. The ground had dried to Soft but I thought it would be against CAMPANELLE in the Morny for the juveniles over 1200m. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P20gez54WD4 Well, I got it wrong in spades, didn't I? To be honest, Frankie got a soft lead on the filly and that enabled him to hold her kick in reserve but she seemed perfectly fine on the ground and she's clearly very good. NANDO PERRADO, the Coventry winner, ran a decent race in defeat and I know the Fahey team think a lot of RHYTHM MASTER who ran well in third. The time suggested the ground was quicker than the official report but for all that TACTICAL was disappointing. Once again, the British and Americans have put the locals to the sword in the juvenile division and it's curious given France resumed three weeks before Britain to see their juveniles seemingly miles behind the British. On then to the Jean Romanet over 2000m for the fillies and mares and another British raider but not the one you (and indeed I) might have expected: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXubIkJweHM This was what they call a "right turn up". NAZEEF was hugely disappointing - she was beaten 500m out. AUDARYA was 48/1 in France and 33/1 with the UK bookies. She had carried top weight to victory in a Newcastle handicap but was running here off 99 which is barely Listed let alone Group 1 level. The second had won the Corrida at Lyon-Parilly over 2100m last time so you knew she was going to stay and was coming back at the winner before the end but I'm genuinely puzzled by this race - perhaps the winner is improving fast and maybe we''ll see her in the Matron or the Sun Chariot. With three late scratchings including GET SHIRTY and RED VERDON, the Kergorlay was a slightly depleted event but CALL THE WIND returned to form with a fine win beating the German colt ASHRUN. The winner had been beaten in this last year by MARMELO before running second in the Cadran and winning the Royal Oak and I imagine that will be the plan again. He was disappointing when beaten in the Vicomtesse Vigier by GET SHIRTY so a rematch later will be interesting. Finally we have the Pomone for the staying fillies over 2400m and this is a trial for the Vermeille next month. The sole 3-y-o EBAIYRA is from one of those wonderful staying families from which the Aga Khan does so well. She got going too late in a muddling Diane and this will be much more to her liking. Having done my conkers on TACTICAL in the Morny, I managed to get a little back with EBAIYRA who looks a really smart staying filly. She found the 2000m of the Diane too sharp and like so many of the Aga Khan's top fillies and mares, she loves the 2400m if not further. I think she may go for the Vermeille next.

"While I really respect ONE MASTER, I'm going to give SAFE VOYAGE a chance to continue his upward path - he's hovering around 9/2 and 5/1." Yep, that's what I said last Thursday and for those who have the stupidity to follow my inane nonsense, a nice winner. The final day at York took place on Soft ground as the course was again battered by heavy squally showers which plagued three of the four days. The feature City of York Stakes saw SAFE VOYAGE throw his hat into the 1400m division which looks incredibly strong currently. He saw off ONE MASTER who ran another good race but as she showed at Goodwood, 1400m is getting short for her and I think she's a 1600m mare as she showed in the Falmouth. SAFE VOYAGE had no luck behind SPACE BLUES in the Lennox but even with a clear run I think he'd have been second best. To be fair, SAFE VOYAGE ran a fine third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day last year and if it came up soft or heavy at Ascot, he'd be worth an each way punt though PALACE PIER, in the sad absence of MOHAATHER, is going to be a short priced favourite to bring home the bacon (perhaps with some chips and a couple of fried eggs as well). The Ebor went to FUJAIRA PRINCE and almost immediately Greg Carpenter was on the tv (via Zoom from Melbourne I presume) to basically invite connections to have a go at the Cup. The problem is FUJAIRA PRINCE is very fragile and as a Pivotal, is always going to prefer softer turf. If you could guarantee a soft or heavy track at Flemington, he'd have a chance but connections don't sound keen and he may well try the stayers race at Champions Day. GLENCADAM GLORY ran a blinder in second having been up with the pace all the way and he'll be back for the Ebor next year but the one from the race which is in my notebook is MONICA SHERIFF who was having her first run for 301 days and ran a fine fourth having tracked the second through and just getting tired in the final 150m. Deauville on Saturday had a couple of interesting Group 2 races - the ground was Very Soft and TAWKEEL made hard work of landing the odds in the Nonette but she toughed it out and I imagine the Vermeille or the Opera will be the next step - if it came up quick at Longchamp she'd have a leading chance in either race. In a quieter year, she'd be an Arc contender but this year's renewal looks very strong. The Calvados for the juveniles saw British raider FEV ROVER grab the prize against what I thought was weak local opposition. At the gorgeous Del Mar racecourse just up the coast from San Diego, Saudi Cup winner MAXIMUM SECURITY looked a much fitter and better horse when running out a comfortable winner of the Pacific Classic. I thought SHARP SAMURAI ran well in second but the winner is on course for the Breeders Cup and presumably a return visit to Riyadh.

Thought I would update this with my occasional burblings on racing issues up here. We have a fixture list from September 1st after much huffing and puffing and helped by the British Horseracing Authority committing more money to boost prize money with an aim to return to pre-Covid levels. There's a very large fly in that ointment, however. As of now, we still have no paying spectators at UK racecourses - some Owners and media are allowed on-course but strict protocols and social distancing rules still apply and while there is talk of some limited crowds returning to Scotland this week and England next month, we remain a very long way from normal. Racecourses are starting to feel the strain - there have been redundancies at two tracks and Goodwood has asked its annual members (who have been unable to attend a single meeting this year) to gift the course the £384 annual membership fee. The York CEO William Darby was on ITV last week stating the course was losing money while staging racing and I thought, hang on, no one is forcing York or any other racecourse to hold meetings. If it's not cost effective to race, why race? Had the entire York meeting been transferred to Doncaster, for example, all the races would have happened and ARC would have borne the costs. Big venues don't make their money from media rights - they make money from the thousands who pay through the turnstiles, eat the overpriced food and drink and bet with the on-course bookies. In addition, racecourses, on non racing days, make money via conferences, exhibitions, weddings and the like and that income stream has also been badly hit. Smaller courses and those holding midweek meetings get the income from the media rights so they want to race and it's a paradox the current situation could and should have been used to bring venues like Salisbury, Leicester and Hamilton into the spotlight with tv coverage and exposure but instead it's been the traditional Group 1 venues which have had all the attention. The entire summer evening season - another hugely lucrative money spinner for many courses - has also been lost in its entirety. Courses like Windsor and Bath have lost huge amounts of income yet have still staged meetings to try to get back perhaps 30% from media rights. As we move into the autumn, it will be interesting to see how the notion of having large numbers of people inside stands and other buildings plays out.

I'm still catching up the weekend's racing but sad news today Sussex Stakes winner MOHAATHER has been retired owing to significant bone bruising to his near-hind fetlock. He's obviously a potentially valuable stallion prospect but it would have been nice to have seen him take on PALACE PIER in the Moulin or at Ascot. He was SHOWCASING's most successful son up here and to be fair the stallion has also produced Group 1 performers in ADVERTISE, QUIET REFLECTION and TASLEET so he's done very well as a stallion. It will be fascinating to see if MOHAATHER's progeny can carry that forward. Looking ahead to the coming weekend and as you might expect it's not too busy up here - the main meeting is at Goodwood where the ground is currently Soft after plenty of rain. 12 have been entered for the Group 2 Celebration Mile on Saturday and REGAL REALITY, who had a nice confidence-boosting win in lower grade at Salisbury last time, is favourite over BENBATL, who got to within two lengths of WINX in the 2018 Cox Plate and was last time third to MAXIMUM SECURITY in the Saudi Cup after wins in Group 2 company on grass and dirt in Dubai. He's a class act on his day but I'm less convinced soft ground works for him. POSITIVE and DUKE OF HAZZARD were well behind REGAL REALITY at Salisbury but the latter in particular goes well on slower turf. The Deauville August meeting closes on a low-key note with a two-day meeting over the weekend. The feature is the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville over 2500m. 20 early entries have been made including ASPETAR who was a late withdrawal from the Juddmonte last week.

Day Three at York and the weather had once again turned inclement with frequent squally showers and a very strong wind blowing across and behind the runners in the straight. The ground was Good to Soft by the end of the day. The feature was the Group 1 Nunthorpe over 1000m, one of only two Group 1 races in the UK over the minimum trip (the other is the King's Stand at Ascot). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGaQ_K0YG3s BATTAASH got there in the end but this was an unconvincing display from the 4/9 shot who seemed ill at ease on the ground. QUE AMORO was getting 3lbs from the winner but is rated 104 while BATTAASH is at 126 and with MOSS GILL in third running close to the form he and QUE AMORO had shown in a Listed race over course and distance in mid July, the only conclusion I can draw is BATTAASH ran at least a stone if not more below form. He's won on soft before but the wet ground didn't help - even so, this was a lacklustre display from the horse. Presumably, he'll head to Paris for the Abbaye (geldings can run in that French Group 1) but a number will fancy their chances against him especially if it comes up soft or heavy. QUE AMORO ran a huge race in defeat as did MOSS GILL in third but the two 3-y-o, A'ALI and ART POWER were both very disappointing. The Group 2 supporting races were very interesting. The Lonsdale for the stayers saw the mare ENBIHAAR beat the boys as she saw out the 3200m well as she had always threatened so to do. The obvious target for her is the Royallieu over 2800m for the fillies and mares. STRATUM, who's a decent hurdler on his day, ran a fine race in second while NAYEF ROAD seemed not to have the pace for 3200m and I'd love to see him over 3600m on better ground at Doncaster. Looking further afield, I have to say DASHING WILLOUGHBY didn't do much and WITHHOLD's limitations at Group level were once again. The Gimcrack is a traditional Yorkshire race for the juveniles over 1200m. To be fair, Gimcrack himself only ran twice at York and was beaten on both occasions but the club set up in his name had its first meeting at York and the annual Gimcrack Dinner gives the winning Owner a platform to vent on anything to do with racing. I suspect there'll be nothing too controversial from Angus Gold, racing manager for Sheikh Hamdan-al-Maktoum but he has a lot to consider regarding the future of MINZAAL who did this in style. He had won easily at Salisbury on his previous outing but took to the slower ground and better class without any problem and indeed Jim Crowley rode an excellent race, missing the break and allowing the others to do the work before coming through with 300m to go and easing away to win two lengths. He's a son of freshman sire Mehmas who won the July Stakes and the Richmond as a juvenile but was retired at the end of his juvenile campaign so we'll have to wait to next year to see if progeny like MINZAAL or SUPREMACY are classic contenders or just precocious juveniles. The previously unbeaten horses DEVILWALA and MYSTERY SMILES (another son of Mehmas) were second and third and the former looks a really nice prospect.

Looking back to the second day at York and after the disappointing weather of day one, much better conditions and the ground dried throughout the afternoon. The feature was the Yorkshire Oaks over 2400m for the fillies and mares: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poW0kj4ZRho This was a visually hugely impressive performance by LOVE. Ryan Moore never got anything like serious on her and she won as she was entitled to and while PALACE PIER has performed well at 1600m, LOVE is for me the top 3-y-o running up here currently. She will go for the Arc for which she is now second favourite behind ENABLE and in front of GHAIYYATH and if they all turn up in Paris in early October, it will be, as it should be, the top race of the European season. I was visually reminded of ENABLE's romp in the 2017 Yorkshire Oaks and LOVE will be in receipt of 7 lbs from ENABLE and 10 lbs from GHAIYYATH in Paris and you'd have to think that could be significant. The Group 2 Lowther went to MISS AMULET who was able to hold the late run of SACRED who perhaps didn't quite see out the 1200m on the dead ground. SANTOSHA lost her race by falling out of the stalls and losing lengths on the others. The first two were nicely clear of the others but I'm not sure we know much more about the juvenile fillies.

Desperate ground at Killarney - a beautiful track on a sunny day. SAN MARTINO had too much experience and won well but DOLCE NOTTE ran a very promising debut. Many moons ago, DOLCE NOTTE's dam threw the half sister CAMBINA (by Hawk Wing). She was trained by Tommy Stack and once chased home CHRYSANTHEMUM in a Listed race before going to America. She dead heated in the American Oaks in 2011 and performed well.

More detail on the weekend's racing in this part of the world. Two Group 2 races at Deauville tomorrow where the ground has improved to Very Soft. The Nonette is over 2000m for the 3-y-o fillies and clear favourite is the unbeaten TAWKEEL who was a runaway winner of the Saint Alary last time. If she can reproduce that form she'll win this. Fabre runs two and SOLSTICIA was third in the Saint Alary and seventh in the Diane while ALKANDORA was beaten in a Group 3 last time and will have to improve. Eight go in the Calvados for the juvenile fillies over 1400m. Not sure how strong a field this is in all honesty - Frankie Dettori has missed York and has ridden in France all week. He's on NO SPEAK ALEXANDER for Jessica Harrington who bolted up on heavy ground at Roscommon in a maiden last time so this is a big jump. FEV ROVER was second to DANDALLA in the Duchess of Cambridge and followed up in a Listed at Sandown. She's favourite and deservedly so especially as the local challengers are either coming out of Parisian maidens or from the provinces. In America, the feature is the Pacific Classic at the gorgeous Del Mar racetrack just up the coast from San Diego. MAXIMUM SECURITY won the inaugural Saudi Cup at the end of January but didn't impress last time scrambling home in a handicap over course and distance. I'm sure he'll be much better and should confirm placings with MIDCOURT and HIGHER POWER. On to Sunday and an excellent card at Deauville which marks the climax of the August Festival. Nine go in the Morny for the juveniles and while CAMPANELLE was good in the Queen Mary, I'm always wary of these American types on really slow turf. TACTICAL handled soft ground at Newmarket and has the best form while we will find out whether NANDO PERRADO's win in the Coventry was a fluke or a brilliant piece of training. At 7/1 he represents a bit of value against TACTICAL given his trainer Clive Cox is an excellent handler of these speedy juveniles. Twelve go in the Romanet but NAZEEF has far and away the best form having tasted Group 1 success in the Falmouth. She was beaten in the Nassau when not getting an ideal run and while I've a doubt about her over the trip on this ground it won't be an end-to-end gallop and I think Frankie Dettori will be in his element sitting off the pace and coming through late on. The Group 2 Kergorlay over 3000m is a real test. Plenty of these meet regularly in these French staying races. RED VERDON won the Maurice de Nieuil at Longchamp while SAN HUBERTO was third that time having previously beaten CALL THE WIND in the Vicontesse Vigier. I don't know - CALL THE WIND is a tentative selection. Finally we have the Pomone for the staying fillies over 2400m and this is a trial for the Vermeille next month. The sole 3-y-o EBAIYRA is from one of those wonderful staying families from which the Aga Khan does so well. She got going too late in a muddling Diane and this will be much more to her liking.

The first day at York's Ebor Festival took place on ground described as Good, Good to Soft in places but rain started to fall during the first and while it wasn't torrential it was persistent. The feature on Day One was the Juddmonte International: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GC8eUdDp2Q No denying, this was an impressive front running performance by GHAIYYATH - I thought Buick taking him up the centre of the track and avoiding eyeballing MAGICAL was a shrewd move. GHAIYYATH has such strong mid-race and tactical speed, he quickened fully 700m down but still had enough to see the race out. MAGICAL hit a flat spot and lost second briefly to KAMEKO but she's one of the toughest around and battled back for second as KAMEKO's stamina gave out. LORD NORTH got third in the final 50m but never got involved in the race. So do they take GHAIYYATH to the Arc to take on LOVE and ENABLE? Much will depend on whether he gets an uncontested lead in Paris which seems unlikely. MAGICAL ran really well in defeat - she's been beaten by ENABLE so on a line through her GHAIYYATH is the best around currently over 2000m but at 2400m? KAMEKO will, I suspect, go back to 1600m after this. I wonder if LORD NORTH will go for the Irish Champion next month. He ran a decent race and, to be fair, this is as good as it gets and to come up slightly short in this company is no disgrace whatsoever. I've already mentioned the Voltigeur and a huge win for PYLEDRIVER who laid the ghost of a disastrous experience at Epsom firmly to rest. He's been backed for the Leger though Martin Dwyer, the jockey, thought he had enough speed to win at 2000m. I think the owners will go to Doncaster rather than try to swim with the sharks in the Arc and he must have a big chance. It was a fine tactical ride by Dwyer and they have to be respected and PYLEDRIVER is generally 5/1 with the English bookies for Doncaster. HIGHLAND CHIEF, another for whom Epsom didn't go well, ran a fine race in second and I just wonder if the rain had turned the ground against MOGUL who really bounced off the fast ground at Goodwood but looked rather one-paced here.

Final declarations are through for Saturday's racing. Nine go in the Group 2 City of York Stakes over 1400m and it's a solid field (ratings from 107 to 114). Favourite is the Foret winner ONE MASTER for whom the trip and ground look ideal. The 1600m of the Falmouth was just too much and she needed every inch of the sharp 1400m at Goodwood last time so this will be ideal on slower ground. SAFE VOYAGE was fourth to SPACE BLUES in the Lennox last time and that's serious form with the latter going on to win a Group 1 at Deauville next time. SAN DONATO is very lightly raced - he had only one run as a 3-y-o but that was a third in the Poulains and this year he's gone up against MOHAATHER twice at Ascot and Goodwood. The drop back in trip is interesting but I always prefer the 1400m specialists. THREAT was taken out of the Hungerford last Saturday because the ground had eased - he didn't do much last time and has plenty to prove. While I really respect ONE MASTER, I'm going to give SAFE VOYAGE a chance to continue his upward path - he's hovering around 9/2 and 5/1. In Ireland, the ground at The Curragh is yielding. Eight go in the Group 2 Debutante for the juvenile fillies. Five of the eight are trained by the O'Brien clan - Aidan has three including MOTHER EARTH, Joseph has one while Donnacha runs the top-rated SHALE who won the Silver Flash at Leopardstown last time. The logical progression for the Irish fillies is the Silver Flash, the Debutante and then the Moyglare so we'll see. The route for the colts is the Tyros, the Futurity and the National Stakes and Tyros winner MILITARY STYLE looks to have a big chance in the Galileo Futurity but the horse he beat in the Tyros, stable companion VAN GOGH, could well reverse places.

I ended up backing PYLEDRIVER and having a small saver on JUAN ELCANO but it's fair to say that was a nice performance and Mrs Stodge will enjoy a nice steak supper at the weekend. Pity about MAGICAL - I thought she ran very well and I didn't think GHAIYYATH would be able to back up the Eclipse run and he's beaten MAGICAL about as easily as he beat ENABLE at Sandown so he's improved loads this year.

Final declarations through for Friday at York. Eight go in the Group 1 Nunthorpe over 1000m for which BATTAASH is 1/2 favourite and that can't be a surprise on form. The only worry might be really slow ground while the two 3-y-o ART POWER and A'ALI are obviously speedy types they don't have Group 1 form and that means they have a lot to do against one of the best sprinters of recent times. The Group 2 features are the Lonsdale over 3200m and the Gimcrack over 1200m. With no STRADIVARIUS, the Lonsdale looks wide open - ENBIHAAR looked very good in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood but she loves fast ground and I would oppose her if the Knavesmire turned soft. NAYEF ROAD has no ground worries and for all he was beaten nine lengths in the Gold Cup he got much closer to STRADIVARIUS at Goodwood and he is a confident choice. He holds EAGLES BY DAY on Goodwood running and for all DASHING WILLOUGHBY is unbeaten this season I just think he would prefer a sounder surface though I don't underestimate him. WITHHOLD won a Northumberland Plate and returned to form at Newmarket in a small race last time but neither he or the jumper STRATUM look good enough. Ten go in the Gimcrack and the 2-y-o form remains difficult to evaluate. The problem here is going to be the unknown of slow ground. Both MINZAAL and MOHAIR KING bounced off quick ground on their recent wins and on a firm surface would be the obvious fancies but I'm less convinced. The best form is probably with YAZAMAN who was beaten by TACTICAL at Newmarket and was well held by SUPREMACY in the Richmond at Goodwood. He has obvious claims. UBETTERBELIEVEIT has won twice at 1000m so the trip is a query while MYSTERY SMILES has won a couple of small races. At a bigger price I prefer LAUDED who was only just behind YAZAMAN at Goodwood having previously run seventh in the Coventry which wasn't bad. He's available at 11s so may be worth the proverbial each way play.