RACE COMMENTARYThe highlight of Wednesday's York card is the Ebor handicap, one of the biggest betting horse races of the season. Once again we will be 1/4 odds all races and will be Guaranteeing Best Odds on all races at www.betdirect.net
Purple Moon looks sure to go off favourite for the race for Luca Cumani who was successful in the race in 1999 with Vicious Circle and 2004 with Mephisto. Last year there was a 100/1 shock winner via Mudawin and the last winning favourite in the race was Tuning back in 1998 via the unexposed 3-year-old Tuning trained by Henry Cecil. The Master of Warren Place has a similar sort in Tranquil Tiger this year who is currently a 9/1 shot with www.betdirect.net
With Mahler and Macarthur likely to run in the Gt Voltigeur it looks as if Hitchcock will be the leading representative from Ballydoyle. Once again it looks a tricky puzzle to solve and it would be no surprise if we were to witness a real thriller in what looks another top-class renewal.
Hamdan Al Maktoum has purchased Heaven Knows since his last start but it remains in the care of William Haggas who suggested that the four-year-old would be targeted at the John Smiths Cup for his first start of the campaign. He has obviously had his training problems but with the stable in cracking form he is of interest in a fascinating opening race. Sir Michael Stoute has won the race in two of the last five years and looks sure to have a big-player in Great Hawk who was a good winner at Ascot last time.
The Gimcrack Stakes is one of the leading juvenile races of the season and Luck Money and Swiss Franc meet again after finishing in the frame behind Henrythenavigator in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Group 1 race on the card is the Yorkshire Oaks which sees the reappearance of the brilliant dual Classic winner Alexandrova who also landed the corresponding event last year. Connections have suggested in recent days that she may come for the run, however, and her younger stablemate Peeping Fawn has improved throughout the year and she will be a very difficult filly to pass. The Ribblesdale Stakes winner Silkwood steps up to Group 1 class for the first time, and the drying ground is in her favour, but Irish Oaks and Nassau Stakes winner Peeping Fawn is the one to beat. Click here for the latest betting.
The big stables run some of their better juveniles in the Convivial maiden the penultimate race on the card, and Mark Johnston and Aidan O'Brien are well represented, although I can pass on a very good word for the Michael Jarvis newcomer Otaared. Whatever the fate of Otaared Jarvis has a good chance of landing the finale via the progressive Marozi.
Labels: York
Posted at 13:33, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 by the Sandracer.
0 Comment(s)
Post a Comment