Saturday 14th May – Review
After a busy week that had fourteen selections, I settled for only four for Saturday: Auditor (unplaced 8/1 < 16/1) was well backed in the run-up to the race, difficult to say where he would have placed if he hadn’t been hampered by the winner two out but he’s running out of excuses; Israr (WON 3/1 adv 9/2) won well despite having to
race wide; later on at Doncaster Bookmark (WON 4/1) defied a huge market drift to get up on the line and reward punters getting SP; finally Qipao (Doncaster 6:05) did come in for support but she dropped away tamely after some scrimmaging, so we couldn’t end the day with another winner, but a great return on the day.
Sunday 15th May
Like most of the UK it seems that Ripon is due heavy rain prior to racing on Sunday, so the going could be anything by then. Which is a shame as it has put me off backing Gulmarg (2:40). The colt was given a tough debut assignment up against Yahsat, who ran so well in the listed race at York this week. That was only a four-runner race, but the other two have both won since. The uncertainty over the going puts
me off betting in the other races too, as it’s not simply a case of finding horses that act on various types of going, it’s more about the impact on the market of non-runners.
There are two two-year-old races at Naas, the first a conditions event where the first and second -The Antarctic and Wodao renew rivalry after ½ length separated the two at Tipperary. Aiden O’Brien also has the favourite, Meditate, for the Group 3 fillies race (2:45). I have Matilda Picotte (Naas 2:45) ahead of the two on what they’ve shown so far, and I suspect that if you
swapped the trainers names the prices might be different. Sire Sioux Nation is doing well with his first crop and Matilda Picotte was very impressive on debut when making all in what looked a furious pace. The visual impression created by the filly has been backed up by those that have run since the race, I think she has been under-estimated, and she can endorse her Royal Ascot credentials:
Naas 2:45 – MATILDA PICOTTE – 1 point win @ 5/2 (generally)
I will be watching the French Guineas races at Longchamp, but I don’t know enough about the French form to suggest a bet in either the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (2:15) for fillies and for colts the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (2:55). In fact, if I had to have a bet on the card it would probably have to be Suesa in the Prix de Saint-Georges (4:05).