DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY AUGUST 23
2.52 CURRAGH
SHAOOL (NAP) (best price 9-4) hasn’t received the rub of the green in her last two starts and she afforded another chance to make amends in a race she stands out on pure ability.
An impressive winner both visually and on the clock when scoring by a wide margin at Leopardstown three starts ago (Pink Oxalis, Moonhall Church and Summer Snow all won since), Johnny Murtagh’s filly was upped significantly in grade at Killarney next time and although she came out of the contest with plenty of praise, her third place finish may have easily been bettered if she hadn’t been forced to race the entire race on the swamp around the unfavoured part (inside) of the track.
Bidding to atone for that ill-judged ride at Ballinrobe last time out, the daughter of Belardo got no help from the ballot in the first place with stall 12 of 12 and that wide draw meant she was dropped right out the back from the start, a position she was always going to find difficult to overcome around such a sharp track on a night when all the front runners dominated.
To her great credit, she did manage to rescue something from the wreckage by running on strongly to finish a never-nearer third and it was yet another performance that suggested she still can leave behind her current rating when back on a more level playing field.
So far to date, all her best form has been on a soft surface, so today’s good ground remains a slight unknown but the combination of the trip and more galloping track than of late offset that negative and she may just end up having too much ability for these rivals.
SHAOOL – 2-point win@9-4
3.00 YORK
There is little doubt Rosallion adds a sprinkling of class to this sub-standard-looking Group 1 but whether this genuine miler will be seen to best effect over a furlong shorter remains to be seen and at the prices, NEVER SO BRAVE (best price 10-3) rates a strong alternative.
Arguably the most impressive handicap winner of Royal Ascot, Andrew Balding’s inmate left the impression he was a pattern race performer in the making, and it didn’t take long for that theory to come to fruition.
Upped in class when tackling the Group 2 Summer Mile back at the Berkshire venue, the four-year-old exhibited an impressive turn of foot to cut down the front-running Point Lynas and with solid form guide Haatem, well beaten back in third, he thoroughly deserves a shot at this contest – his target ever since.
NEVER SO BRAVE – 1-point win@10-3
3.35 YORK
Roger Varian landed this prize with Fujaira Prince back in 2020 and in the shape of SHADOW DANCE (best price 8-1), the Newmarket handler has a decent chance of repeating the dose.
Having secured a 1m4f handicap at this meeting last year, one can imagine the Ebor has been the main target for the five-year-old grey ever since and the way he has been campaigned certainly backs up that way of thinking.
The son of Almanzor has just had the one run so far this season and the way he finished off his race over an inadequate trip in a hot 1m2f handicap at Goodwood had all the hallmarks of an ideal preparation.
Proven over today’s trip when lumping a big weight into a creditable third at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting (East India Dock back in fourth), he arrives here primed to give his well-known set of connections a great thrill.
SHADOW DANCE – 1-point each-way@8-1 (six places)
4.10 YORK
COMMANCHE FALLS (best price 16-1) might be close to drawing his pension, but he may not be finished just yet as a potent force in races of this nature and, at a track that has served him well in the past, he can roll back the years at rewarding odds.
Michael Dods’ gelding kept on well without threatening at Hamiton two starts ago and although a similar set of circumstances arose in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood last time out, he may have finished closer but for meeting traffic problems at a crucial stage.
Second of 14 in his group over towards the unfavoured far side of the track, it is reasonable to assume he will finish closer to Two Tribes this time around and having finished second and third in the last two running’s of this race off marks of 109 and 107 respectively, he should, in theory, go close again off just 98 this year’s renewal.
COMMANCHE FALLS – ½ point each-way@16-1 (five places)
4.45 YORK
A wide-open feel to this listed two-year-old affair and even though KINNALARGY (best price 11-1) only has a rating of 85, he may well be capable of proving that assessment all wrong.
Due to greenness, Kevin Ryan’s colt made an inauspicious start to his career when down the field over today’s course back in May, but since then, he has totally left that initial outing behind him with two much more promising efforts.
Off the mark at the second time of asking at Redcar a month later, he did well to overcome a wide draw and poor track position at the Yorkshire venue and although beaten into third at Thirsk last time out, subsequent events suggest he ran much better than first feared.
Showing bright speed to help force a strong pace, the son of Havana Grey only wilted late on and when you considering the time figure and it was none other than Gimcrack hero, Lifeplan, who overhauled him, his performance deserved upgrading.
Back over the minimum trip and hailing from a stable who know what it takes to win this prize (Hot Streak in 2013), this speedy youngster can easily outrun his morning odds.
KINNALARGY – ½ point each-way@11-1
On a busy day, two others who are worth noting and could have easily made the list are Erzindjan (5.20 York) and Star Of Albion (5.45 Windsor).
The former caught the eye with the way he finished off his race in the John Smith’s Cup over today’s C&D last time out and presumably this has been the plan since, while the latter wasn’t knocked about on rain-softened ground at Goodwood on his debut and looks the type to build nicely on that initial effort. Today’s wide draw, however, is the big sticking point with Amanda Perrett’s inmate for tipping purposes.