14:40 York – Camacho Chief 9/1
In the unique circumstances that we are currently facing in the UK, it’s very hard to judge what the ground is actually going to be. With the numerous forecasts I’ve seen, it could honestly be somewhere between Good to Firm and Soft going, which of course, doesn’t help punters!
If some of the forecasts are correct, I’m going to side with (and keep my fingers crossed) for the predicted rain to fall over the Knavesmire during this evening and throughout tomorrow, hoping it puts some real cut in to the ground. And, as I won’t be attending the beautiful racecourse, the heavens can open for as long as they so wish!
The reason for this is because I’m sure it won’t hinder the chances of Camacho Chief, a sprinter who is on a fast incline for Michael Dods and has always shown an appreciate for getting a toe in.
This season, the son of Camacho has had three runs including a comfortable victory at Haydock Park last time out in deep rain softened ground, when staying on strongly over five furlongs to beat an in-form Duke of Firenze. The third that day, Fool For You, won the Gosforth Park Cup on his next start at Newcastle for Richard Fahey, helping frank the form.
As a four-year-old, Camacho Chief represents an age that has won this race in five of the last 10 runnings, and is drawn very favourably in stall eight with Paul Mulrennan in the saddle, who keeps the ride following that victory in Lancashire last time.
16:15 Ascot – Sun Power SP
The Winkfield Stakes is often a good race for punters with only one double-figured priced horse winning in the last 10 years.
If you look a little further back in the history books to 2012 and 2013 respectively, you’ll find Richard Hannon Snr’s name on the winner’s board. This year, his son Richard Hannon Jnr saddles Sun Power, who bids to give jockey Oisin Murphy a first win in the race.
On debut at York in May he was very well supported in the market, being backed in from an opening show of 7/2 into 5/2 favourite and did run well in a race that threw up winners but didn’t really have the pace for the fast five furlongs he faced that day.
His second start on a racecourse was at Wolverhampton where he made light work in a Novice Stakes over six furlongs before stepping up in trip to seven furlongs in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot. He performed with great credit that day, doing his best work towards the end of the race and this race certainly looks weaker.
Al Dabaran SP won on debut for Charlie Appleby a month ago, although the time of that performance was slower than average and the three horses to come out from that race have all be beaten since. Richard Hannon’s horses continue to be in great form and his crop of two-year-olds this year are potentially the best he’s had in his care.
5:35 Chester – Norma
The closing race on the card at Chester is a handicap over 1m2 ½ furlongs and I think Norma is well handicapped on her current mark of 77 - she certainly won’t end the season on the same mark.
She has contested in some pretty hot maidens in her three starts to date and has taken the eye in each run. She looked as though she would win coming in to the final two furlongs last time out, however, she faded on the run in. The eventual winner, Litigious, is being trained as a St Leger horse, so time may tell it was a better performance than the bare result suggests.
She is learning on the job and this isn’t the strongest race I’ve ever seen at Chester, so providing she gets a good break, she should go very close for jockey George Wood who has a 14 per cent strike-rate at Chester in the past five years.
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