July 21 – Curragh – Poet Master – 81
Yet another race to export and it proved how powerful the UK raiders are when it comes to these weak-looking, older horse Group prizes. Art Power and the ill-fated Highfield Princess set the tone for the sprinters in recent times and even Mitbaahy chipped in with a success of his own earlier this season. This victory, over a furlong further, was altogether a good deal more straightforward and Karl Burke’s inmate fairly toyed with the best the home contingent could offer. Moving his way through the ranks at a rapid rate, he is fully effective with some ease underfoot and under similar conditions, he can work his way up to Group 1 level.
July 26 – York – Verbier – 86
The free-going Bolsena ensured this listed fillies’ contest was run at a true gallop and it suited those held up well off the pace. The winner, last turning for home, finished her race off strongest of all to score in convincing fashion and her winning time was reflective of the overall quality of the race. Clearly more suited to this trip than when failing to stay 1m4f at Newmarket against the boys previously, Simon & Ed Crisford’s filly is well worth her chance in slightly better company next time.
July 27 – Ascot – Northern Express – 83
An outcome even the hardiest of critics would fail to knock and if any horse deserves one of these big Saturday handicaps it was Michael Dods’ grand campaigner. Often the bridesmaid and never the bride, a well judged ride from the front by Paul Mulrennan proved to be the difference and he had a willing partner who kept battling away when he looked certain to swallowed up. Possibly, the first-time cheekpieces also could have been another determining factor but either way, he will now head to his old stomping ground, York, on a crest of a wave.
July 27 – Ascot – Goliath – 87
Aidan O’Brien, by his normal immaculate standards, wasn’t very magnanimous in defeat after the dust had settled, blaming the ground conditions for the flop of Augustine Rodin and Co in this mid-summer showpiece but the bottom line is team Ballydoyle got the fractions totally wrong. Rather than turn the race into one which would have suited the previous Derby winner better, it became a brutal test of stamina and as we have seen before, the son of Deep Impact isn’t the most reliable or robust of characters when asked to go through the pain barrier. On the other hand, the winner clearly thrived in a more testing environment than he encountered in the Hardwicke over the same C&D a month earlier and on the day, he ran out a worthy winner. Not eligible for the Arc, presumably connections will look towards other races on the International stage for the son of Alderflug and under similar conditions, he will surely be a potent force for all. Of the rest, Bluestocking produced a career high in coming from last place to finish a creditable second and she continues to thrive, while Sunway did no harm to the Irish Derby form and he looks to be crying out for further.
July 27 – York – Greydreambeliever – 77
We would have normally added Bedtime Story to this column after awarding her a 76 at Leopardstown on Thursday but along came this maiden to top the two-year-old chart from this week. A race dominated by previous winner Beauty Queen in the betting beforehand, Kevin Ryan’s filly took the field along at healthy fractions until halfway but it soon became apparent she had some stiff competition and she was ultimately brushed aside by two fillies who exhibited tremendous backend speed to pull clear. Indeed, the winner clocked 34.0 for the last three furlongs with the runner-up (Stormy Impact) 33.9 and when you compare those posted by 100 rated Rage Of Bamby in the quality older horse handicap over the same C&D (35.3), it puts into context when was achieved by these two highly promising fillies. Not entered in the Lowther, neither would look out of place were they to be supplemented but either way, they are both potentially high quality juveniles in the making and they deserve to be kept on side throughout the remainder of the season.
July 27 – York – Finn Ironside – 83
One of the two strongest run handicaps of the week – the other won by Northern Express at Ascot – and it was won by a horse who did the hard way from the front. Setting useful fractions, Craig Lidster’s gelding was extremely game in fending off a whole series of challengers inside the final two furlongs and it was nothing more than he deserves having got run out of the argument late on at Doncaster previously. On this evidence, seven furlongs suits him best and the narrow margin of his victory should ensure he doesn’t get too heavily penalised. Of those defeated, Bill’s Baar, Scarlet Lady and, in particular, Modern Times all deserve marking up.