stodge

Heavy rain overnight at Goodwood has left the ground Soft, Good to Soft in places. It will dry out as much drier and warmer conditions are likely over the weekend with 29c likely on Tuesday. Entries are through for next Thursday with the Group 1 feature the Nassau for the fillies and mares over 2000m. 12 have been put in headed in the ante post betting) by OPERA SINGER who was the champion juvenile filly last year but who has been beaten in both her outings this year - third in the Irish 1000 Guineas and runner up to PORTA FORTUNA in the Coronation at Ascot. The latter form was franked when PORTA FORTUNA won the Falmouth a couple of weeks ago. OPERA SINGER holds English 1000 Guineas winner ELMALKA on Coronation form but I think the latter will relish the step up in trip. The 3-y-o classic winners are also represented by Diane winner SPARKLING PLENTY. She beat SURVIE who went on to win the Malleret a fortnight ago. The older horses are a strong threat - EMILY UPJOHN and INSPIRAL are from the Gosden yard. The former is better known as a 2400m horse but ran well when second to BLUESTOCKING (in the King George tomorrow) in the Irish Pretty Polly while INSPIRAL, who was the top older filly miler last season, has another try at this trip which, on this easier course, should help, after her sixth to AUGUSTE RODIN (also in the King George tomorrow) in the Prince of Wales at the Royal meeting. PURPLE LILY is held by OPERA SINGER on Irish 1000 Guineas form while STAY ALERT is held by EMILY UPJOHN on Irish Pretty Polly running. This is potentially a very strong field and we'll see who makes the final declarations on Tuesday. The supporting Group 2 is the Richmond for the juvenile colts over 1200m. Wathman Racing has three including Railway runner up THE STRIKIN VIKING as well as AESTERIUS and ELECTROLYTE. Oisin Murphy rides the Norfolk runner up TROPICAL STORM while July Stakes second BILLBOARD STAR has proven form at this level.

Yes, a real champion. Three times English Champion Hurdler, four times Irish Champion Hurdler and almost unbeatable round Leopardstown. He was bred to be a Flat horse by Sadler's Wells out of a Secretariat mare but he wasn't much use ending up as an 85-rated staying handicapper. He was arguably the horse who launched Aidan O'Brien's career but O'Brien himself got the job because of the untimely death of John Durkan who was supposed to handle the horse. ISTABRAQ also launched the career of Charlie Swan and made the gold and green hoops of J P McManus famous across the British and Irish racing scenes yet he only won just over £1 million in win and place money. Apart from two falls and pulling up in his final race (the 2002 Champion Hurdle) he was never beaten over 3200m over hurdles. Oddly enough, he started his jumping career over 4000-4200m and won the intermediate novice championship race at Cheltenham in 1995 but 4000m stretched his stamina.

Eight have been entered for next Wednesday's Sussex at Goodwood which is for the 1600m types what the King George at Ascot is for the 2400m horses. However, at the shorter distance, the 3-y-o seem to be dominating with five of the eight from the classic generation. Irish 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace winner ROSALLION is 5/6 to continue his Group 1 spree. HENRY LONGFELLOW was second at Ascot and re-opposes as does English 2000 Guineas winner and St James's Palace flop NOTABLE SPEECH. The Queen Anne form is represented by MALJOOM (third) and FACTEUR CHEVAL (sixth).

I was at Sandown Park this afternoon where a decent crowd turned up for a 6-race card. As always with horse racing, what happens on the track is often overshadowed by what happens elsewhere. Up here the current crisis is around the viability of bookmakers even showing horse racing. When I marked the board in a bookmakers 40 years ago, the only "action" was horse or dog racing, no pictures, just a commentary over the Exchange Telegraph (known as "the blower"). Changes in odds would also come over the blower and I would show these on a board. The idea a betting shop wouldn't have horse racing then would have been laughable but times have changed - we have virtual horse and dog races intermixed with the real stuff, there are all sorts of other sports from all over the world which are shown live in the shops. The proportion of betting shop turnover going on horse racing has gradually declined and some bookies are now saying it's not viable for them to pay what they pay for the product (remember that) because it doesn't generate enough turnover. They are threatening to withdraw some weekday horse meetings from shops and that would have a huge impact on racing finances. Anyway, back on the track, the two most interesting races were the juvenile events over 1400m. First, we had a maiden which saw the debut of RULING COURT, a son of Justify out of a High Chapparaal mare Inchargeofthegame, who was a decent type at around a mile. Unusually for the progeny of Justify, RULING COURT was bought at a breeze up sale by Godolphin for 2.3 million euros. He looked very good in the paddock and was backed from 8/13 to 4/9 which suggested someone knew something. He was settled off the pace having jumped awkwardly but William Buick was in no hurry and presumably knew what he had underneath him. The horse made significant progress from 600m and powered away to win five and a half lengths without Buick having to do anything much. On the back of that, RULING COURT was put in as 12/1 favourite for the 2025 2000 Guineas and also made favourite for next year's Derby (I'd be doubtful on the stamina for 2400m). Visually, it looked very good but I'm not sure what he beat. PANTILE WARRIOR from the Gosden yard was second and came on a lot from his debut while Ralph Beckett's Ghaiyyath colt STANHOPE GARDENS shaped very well in third and is in the Stodge notebook. The winner ran 1 minute 31 seconds for the 1400m, four and a bit seconds above Standard on ground officially described as Good but for me looked a little slower - nearer Good to Soft. The juvenile fillies had a Listed race over the same 1400m and favourite here was Newbury winner FLAMING STONE who had looked very good winning a 1200m novice maiden. It didn't go well for her - I think she found the ground loose and she just didn't have the speed up the hill with the race going to CELESTIAL ORBIT, trained by Ollie Sangster who is establishing a name for himself over here. The winner is by No Nay Never out of Rose Bonheur, a Danehill Dancer mare, making her a half to Nayef Road, a stayer and others who have performed between 2000m and 2400m. She ran strongly through the line and could be a nice prospect at 1600m. Slughtly denting the form was the second, ANSHODA, at 66s. To be fair, she had only won a Lingfield maiden at 33s on debut so it may be a case of underestimate her once, shame on her, underestimate her twice, shame on me. The fillies ran 1 minute 30.29 seconds and it looked a well-run race with the field strung out at the line.

A lot going on... First, we have the final declarations through for Saturday at Ascot. Nine stand for the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes which has in the past been the first serious clash between the classic generation and the older horses over the 2400m trip. This year only the Irish Derby runner up SUNWAY represents the classic horses and I'd be surprised if he were good enough given it was a bunch finish at The Curragh and the winner, LOS ANGELES, had been well held at Epsom by CITY OF TROY who, as we know, will be seen next at York in the Juddmonte. Aidan O'Brien runs AUGUSTE RODIN and LUXEMBOURG as well as the likely pacemaker HANS ANDERSEN. AUGUSTE RODIN either wins or flops but he was on his best behaviour in the Prince of Wales last time for all he was pushed out to hold ZARAKEM who was himself well held in the Ganay so I just question the value of the form. AUGUSTE RODIN flopped in this race last year but as a wise man once said, that was then and this is now and he has a huge chance. LUXEMBOURG was once thought of as a Derby winner and he has a 6 lb pull for the three quarters of a length by which AUGUSTE RODIN beat him in the Irish Champion last year. LUXEMBOURG won the Coronation Cup at Epsom last time and many have thought 2400m was always going to be his trip. He's 12s and is my each way selection as I cannot see him out of the frame. REBEL'S ROMANCE is rated the same as AUGUSTE RODIN courtesy of his wins in the Sheema Classic and the Champions & Chater Cup which are both serious races but has he achieved as much as AUGUSTE RODIN in the UK? I'd argue not. BLUESTOCKING is a thriving filly in the care of Ralph Beckett who I saw at Sandown this afternoon (more in my next). She won the Irish Pretty Polly last time but I'm just not quite convinced 2400m works for her as well as a fast run 2000m. DUBAI HONOUR comes here off a win in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud but on a line through FEED THE FLAME is held by LUXEMBOURG. MIDDLE EARTH has Britain's leading rider Oisin Murphy but his form isn't good enough. LUXEMBOURG each way for me and I'm on at 12s. At York, where the ground is Good to Firm, just five go in the Group 2 York Stakes over 2050m. This could be seen as a Juddmonte trial and PASSENGER could well go for the big one if winning well here. He won the Huxley at Chester in May but remains a low-mileage type with a lot of potential. ALFAILA was fourth to the aforementioned AUGUSTE RODIN in the Prince of Wales on his seasonal bow and is a serious challenger in this slightly easier company. Of more interest is KING'S GAMBIT who was a desperately unlucky loser in the Hampton Court at Ascot and we know he's very highly regarded at home. It wouldn't surprise me if he bustled up both PASSENGER and ALFAILA in a race which, for me, is more interesting than the Group 1.

Next week sees the five day Glorious Goodwood meeting at the iconic Sussex Downs venue. The ground is currently Good to Soft, Good in places. The opening day features the Group 1 Goodwood Cup over 3200m. Two years ago, KYPRIOS won a thriller beating Stradivarius and TRUESHAN. Two years on and once again KYPRIOS comes on from a successful Gold Cup run and while he may not be quite as good as he was in 2022, he should hold the likes of COLTRANE and SWEET WILLIAM on Ascot running. The latter would definitely prefer some ease in the ground while COLTRANE was my each way fancy at Ascot and just seems on a downward curve. GREGORY was beaten a long way in the Gold Cup but dropping back 800m should help while last year's Leger winner CONTINUOUS has to bounce back from a moderate effort in the Hardwicke - I think he'll enjoy the 3200m trip and is a strong each way player at 12s. TRUESHAN would love the heavens to open and he came back to form at Sandown last time albeit in Listed company. The supporting Group 2 races are both sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. 15 have been entered in the Vintage for the juvenile colts over 1400m. It looks an open heat with one or two on recovery missions from disappointments at Ascot and Newmarket coming up against more unexposed types in deeper waters. The Lennox would be a Group 1 in other jurisdictions and why it isn't is a mystery to this observer (presumably rhe proximity to the Jean Prat). Lockinge winner AUDIENCE comes back in trip after running fifth in the Queen Ane while KINROSS moves up in trip after running eighth in the July Cup. Both have claims. ENGLISH OAK is a fast improving colt having won one of the warm Ascot handicaps impressively - whether he's good enough for this I'm not sure. He was beaten two lengths at Newmarket back in May by NOBLE DYNASTY who won a Group 3 last time. Final declarations for all these races will be on Sunday.

We have that over here with a couple of funded initiatives. One is the Sunday Series - six meetings on six Sundays from May to September, all with tv coverage but the races are all handicaps (with one maiden) and at the more unfashionable tracks such as Thirsk, Pontefract and Beverley. The Class 5 handicaps carry a first prize of £10,500 with the feature Class 2 just shy of £40k to the winning owner which is 250% of the normal prize money. The jockeys have a £10k Cup at each meeting. About £1.3 million has been put in by the bookies and by the BHB with the courses stumping up some money as well. There's a huge bonus to the Owner if your horse wins three races in the series (£100k I think). The courses love these meetings as they bring in the crowds and the bookies report increased turnover helped by tv coverage. That may be the big thing - getting horse racing onto free-to-air tv in New Zealand? If you can get Trackside fully free-to-air it would help a lot. This week sees the start of the Racing League - six successive Thursday evenings (all on free to air tv) - again, mostly from the lesser courses. Yarmouth stages the opening meeting with seven geographically based teams of runners (London & the South, Scotland, Wales & the West, North, East, Ireland and Yorkshire) putting up two horses in each race but all the races are Class 4 handicaps and all carry three times the normal prize money to encourage owners and trainers to enter. This one is funded by Sky Sports Racing and by Arena Racing who have put in a wedge of cash. 2024 Racing League Fixtures Announced | Racing League The problem unfortunately is despite all the carrot they haven't got enough runners so far - average 11 or 12 entries per race rather than 14. Three of the six meetings are under floodlights on synthetic surfaces and they'll probably fill better. I think they should run them as Class 5 and Class 6 races because, as we know, there are many more slow horses than fast ones. Both could be adapted to work in NZ - how about a regional "competition" with different meetings round the country? What about giving a big prize money boost to a series of Sunday fixtures?

Japan is a hugely successful racing jurisdiction - the amounts of prize money and betting turnover are extraordinary. From what little I know of it, however, it's a two-tier set up. The JRA covers the main weekend meetings and all the big races but you also have the NAR meetings at the smaller courses - these are basically racecourses run by the local authority and these stage the midweek meetings. The authority runs the race meetings but they all sit under the NAR (National Association of Racing). The JRA is a public company with the remit to run the big meetings but they also run betting and training facilities and perform the regulatory function. It's different to France or the UK or Hong Kong. I've said this before to you all but the first question you have to answer before you can move forward is who owns the product? In the UK, we have a triumvirate - the bookmakers, the racecourses and the Horsemen (Owners, Trainers, Jockeys) with the British Horseracing Authority as the regulatory body. The courses own the product and sell it to the bookies via the media rights deal while the bookies get income from streaming races and of course from punters. I think what NZ needs to do is borrow what will work for you from other jurisdictions. Each jurisdiction has had to evolve its operating model to fit its circumstances.

Time to look back at the weekend just gone in Europe. It was a day more of quantity than quality in England with Newbury staging a weak feature card. That said, the Group 3 Hackwood over 1200m only muddied the sprinting waters further. A week after the 3-y-o sprinters had been put to the sword in the July Cup, the younger horses got their revenge as ELITE STATUS beat Commonwealth Cup runner up LAKE FOREST. The winner had won a Listed over course and distance so this was a step forward but he took some notable scalps. The second ran as though an extra 200m would help while race favourite REGIONAL, who had missed Newmarket because of the quick ground, was only fourth. REGIONAL had chased home ASFOORA in the King Charles III and it looked as though he didn't quite get home off what I thought was a strong enough gallop. The second and third furlongs were both sub 11 seconds. The Commonwealth Cup runner up ran better than INISHERIN, the winner, had at Newmarket so as I say, colour me confused. Over in Ireland, the feature was the Irish Oaks over 2400m and the question seemed to be whether Ryan Moore had chosen right in picking CONTENT over PORT FAIRY: Ryan Moore has ridden many fine races - this wasn't one of them. He was a long way back on CONTENT, got hampered on the home turn and then had to weve through traffic by which time YOU GOT TO ME Had flown. In the first time tongue strap, the winner made amends for a fourth place at Epsom (when carrying my each way money) and a more disapppointing fourth in the Ribblesdale. She reversed the Ascot form comprehensively with PORT FAIRY who was up front with RUBIES ARE RED but the pair went too hard and ended up in the last two places. It all got a bit congested 500m down as the pace collapsed up front. PURPLE LILY was prominent throughout but had to settle for third as CONTENT took second in the final 100m. I thought ELIZABETH LAKE ran well for Dermot Weld and a word also for HANALIA on just her fourth run - one to follow. The winner is 10s for the Yorkshire Oaks next month. The second has obvious talent but needs a bit more luck. They ran 2 minutes 32.61 seconds which was a decent time (fractionally below Standard). The supporting Group 2 Sapphire saw an easy win for BELIEVING who was always prominent and was simply too good. She's 3s for the King George at Goodwood next week where she might meet ASFOORA and 10s for the Nunthorps. This will have given her confidence a real boost and it'll be fascinating to see how she goes back at the top level. The Group 2 Curragh Cup saw a remarkable performance from TOWER OF LONDON who cut down his stable companion GROSVENOR SQUARE having been 15 lengths behind with 400m to go. The first two finished seven lengths ahead of VAUBAN who for me isn't the horse he was before Flemington. Speaking of that 2-mile handicap in November, Aidan O'Brien in the post race interview hinted both the winner and second might head to Melbourne. GROSVENOR SQUARE improved markedly for the step up in trip and 3200m will be no problem. The winner is an experienced international traveller and were he to go on the plane to Australia would go with real claims. I wonder if I saw next year's Derby winner in the opening 1400m maiden as THE LION IN WINTER (Sea the Stars out of a Lope de Vega mare and a full to a 69-rated handicapper in England) looked very good. He could be anything or nothing, time will tell. Yesterday, another who looked very good was POET MASTER from the Karl Burke yard who won the Group 2 Minstrel by four lengths and is clearly improving fast. MOUNTAIN BEAR completely missed the break and was 22 lengths back in last. The winner is 12s for the Lennox which brings together all the good 1400m horses so we'll see how he goes in those deeper waters. LORD MANEUSSUS was second but well held by the winner but the decision to step back from 2000m was vindicated. The action this weekend is centred on Ascot and the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth over 2400m. 11 entries of which five came from Ballydoyle including the favourite AUGUSTE RODIN who won the Prince of Wales at Ascot last time, Second in is another globetrotter REBEL'S ROMANCE who won the Sheema Classic and the Champions & Chater Cup in his last two runs with BLUESTOCKING third favourite at 5s. It's often billed as an inter-generational clash but this year only the Irish Derby runner up SUNWAY represents the classic crop. In other 3-y-o news, it's been confirmed CITY OF TROY will run next in the Juddmonte at York while Ascot Summer MIle winner QUDDWAH will miss the Sussex in favour of the Marois at Deauville.

The worldwide IT issues affecting Ladbrokes and Corals (so Entain) this morning with websites down and shops affected. Sky Sports Racing is unable to broadcast live which some will say is no great loss. No courses have been affected and all today's fixtures are due to go ahead. Couple of snippets this morning - INSPIRAL heads for the Nassau at Goodwood in two weeks. The five day Goodwood meeting doesn't have the quality of Royal Ascot but there are three Group 1 races, the Goodwood Cup over 3200m for which Gold Cup winner KYPRIOS is 8/13. On the Wednesday, we have the Sussex for the milers. ROSALLION is Evens with last Saturday's Ascot winner QUDDWAH in at 10s. On the Thursday, we have the Nassau for the fillies and mares over 2000m. It's an intriguing clash of the 1600m, 2000m and 2400m types and currently OPERA SINGER is 2/1 with BLUESTOCKING 7/2 and INSPIRAL at 9/2. ASFOORA is due to run in the Group 2 King George Stakes over 1000m on Friday where she is due to take on the likes of BELIEVING. KERDOS and BIG EVS who were all behind her in the King Charles III at the Royal meeting. On a personal note, I'm due to be attending Lingfield and Sandown next Wednesday and Thursday - the latter has a Listed race (be still, my beating heart). Sandown is a lovely course - one of the best viewing tracks in the country - although the facilities are nothing special and it's not cheap for admission (probably £20 for the Grandstand). Although it's hot here in London today, there has been rain in Ireland and the ground at The Curragh is now Good ahead of their Irish Oaks meeting. The Group 2 Minstrel on Sunday has eight runners. This isn't a strong race but it is closely matched with the field rated between 100 and 109. Top rated is MUTASARREF who won the Group 3 Ballycorus last time and is on the upgrade. LORD MASSEUSUS chased home the useful WHITE BIRCH in the Mooresbridge but was well behind that one in the Tattersalls Gold Cup but he's interesting back in trip. Just two 3-y-o contest the race - Aidan O'Brien runs MOUNTAIN BEAR who was seventh in the Irish 2000 Guineas and fourth in the Jersey at Ascot behind HAATEM who will likely run in the Sussex at Goodwood. He was only two lengths off the winner and closer than he had been in the Irish Guineas when HAATEM was second so I think this is his trip and he possible didn't quite see out the Guineas trip on seasonal debut. He'll do for me as a rather unoriginal selection.

A different perspective from the other side of the world.... Wet tracks are a problem probably compounded by overwatering up here. Less of an issue in Ireland where they rarely need to water - indeed, Irish racing often takes place on wet ground with horses splashing through water - it's not waterlogged, just the result of recent rain. They call that Yielding by the way. British tracks now race when there is surface water as long as everyone is happy it's safe but rails are moved where possible to bypass the worst affected areas. If the water level is so high the ground is waterlogged underneath you don't race - if there's water on top but it's still dry underneath it's fine to race as long as everyone is happy.

A couple of post scripts to last weekend's action. Gai Waterhouse was among the winners at Newmarket but as an owner not a trainer - her filly ASIAN DAZE won the 1400m handicap and will doubtless be heading Down Under before long. The filly was trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam who would follow up later with MILL STREAM in the July Cup. William Buick rode a four timer on the day which paid around 900/1 but he's well behind Oisin Murphy in the jockeys' championship. VANDEEK will now head for the Maurice de Gheest with the Crisford yard thinking the July Cup third will have brought him on while second placed SWINGALONG heads for Haydock with trainer Karl Burke saying the filly is best on quick ground. A low key weekend in Britain coming up but in Ireland it's the two day Irish Oaks meeting - the ground at The Currgah is Good, Good to Firm in places and a decent field of 14 go to post for the Irish Oaks over 2400m on Saturday afternoon (UK). Ryan Moore has chosen Pretty Polly third CONTENT and she has been supported from 6s to 11/4. The bare form shouldn't be good enough but clearly there's an expectation of further improvement with an extra 400m of ground to cover. Wayne Lordan rides Ribblesdale winner PORT FAIRY and the question is whether you prefer Group 1 placed form to Group 2 winning form. Willie Mullins is of course better known as a jumps trainer but he runs LOPE DE LILAS but she only won a maiden last time and I'm far from convinced. DARE TO DREAM was fifth in the Diane but was three lengths behind CONTENT last autumn and has never run on quick ground. It could bring on 10 lbs of improvement and she's be right in this if it did. WAR CHIMES was third and CAUGHT U LOOKING fifth in the English Oaks but the form of the race isn't holding up at the moment and I prefer Ribblesdale runner up LAVA STREAM who has proven quick ground form and would be my each way play at 10s. It's hard to ignore Ryan's choice - he doesn't often get it wrong - and CONTENT could well improve for the extra trip. I think DARE TO DREAM and LAVA STREAM are the two I'd take to see following her home. The supporting Group 2 Curragh Cup for the stayers over 2800m has 12 runners. TOWER OF LONDON hasn't been seen since flopping in the Yorkshire Cup but could well make amends - his principal opponent looks to be VAUBAN who was in front of him at York and didn't see out the 4000m of the Gold Cup when fourth to KYPRIOS. The Group 2 Sapphire over 1000m should be calmer waters for BELIEVING than the King Charles III or the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee in which she was fourth. Hopefully her Ascot exertions haven't left their mark because on other form she should be too good for the locals - she comfortably holds the ex-American galloper VALIANT FORCE on Ascot form. The highlight on Sunday is the Group 2 Minstrel for the 3-y-o over 1400m.

Apologies for the delay in the review of last weekend's racing. Starting at Newmarket where the three day July Festival reached its climax on a fine Saturday afternoon - a little overnight rain had fallen but the ground was still officially Good. The feature was the July Cup, the traditional midsummer clash for the older and younger sprinters over 1200m. The older sprinters were represented by the first three home in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee, KHAADEM, SINGALONG and MILL STREAM while the 3-y-o had the Commonwealth Cup first and third, INISHERIN and JASOUR, the 2023 Middle Park and Morny winner, VANDEEK and the Irish 2000 Guineas third RIVER TIBER representing Coolmore and Ballydoyle. The money came for INISHERIN who had looked dominant at Ascot and he was backed in to 11/8 favourite. A tremendous race but the finish dominated by the older horses as MILL STREAM narrowly reversed Ascot form with SWINGALONG winning by a neck. The winner gave his trainer, Jane Chapple-Hyam, her biggest success to date and the colours, those of Peter Harris, have long been associated with British racing. His daughter married the ex-jockey Walter Swinburn who died in 2016. SWINGALONG ran another huge race and you'd think she would have a leading chance at Haydock on a slightly flatter track - a Group 1 would not be undeserved after two wonderful placed runs in the highest company. VANDEEK led the 3-y-o home, two lengths off the winner in third. This was a much better run than his seasonal effort at Haydock and the blood problem which contributed to him missing Ascot may have just left him short of his best. I'm sure connections will fancy their chances of closing the two length gap at Haydock. ART POWER was prominent all the way and finished fourth - I just think 1000m on softer ground such as at The Curragh might be the optimum but for fifth placed INISHERIN, the opposite might be true. I never thought he looked comfortable on the ground from the start and he was never going to win but he ran on well up the hill and I just wonder if they'll consider stepping him up to 1400m for a race like the Lennox at Goodwood. He's 7/1 second favourite for the Sprint Trophy at Haydock (VANDEEK is 6/1 favourite). JASOUR ran well in sixth and got a little closer to INISHERIN than he had at Ascot. The disappointments were KHAADEM who ran too free, KINROSS, who couldn't go the early gallop and will be much better back at 1400m and RIVER TIBER, who put in another moderate effort after his failure in the Jersey. MILL STREAM isn't in the Haydock entries though he could be supplemented. I wonder if they might try the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville over 1300m next month. The supporting Group 2 saw ANCIENT TRUTH won the Superlative - he's no CITY OF TROY and trainer Charlie Appleby didn't even think after the race he'd stay much beyond a mile with the National at The Curragh the next target. Aidan O'Brien withdrew THE PARTHENON and SEAGULLS ELEVEN, who finished second, a son of Galileo out of a Kodiac mare, could be the longer term prospect. The opening 1400m juvenile fillies maiden saw a very nice debut from DESERT FLOWER, a home bred daughter of Night of Thunder out of Promising Run who won at Group 2 level at Meydan over a mile. She could be anything and enhances what already looks a strong crop of juvenile fillies. At Ascot, the Group 2 Summer Mile saw QUDDWAH maintain his unbeaten record and earn a 12/1 quote for the Sussex at Goodwood at the end of the month. He's yet to prove he's Group 1 class but he's not had much racing and clearly has plenty of ability. ANCIENT ROME returned to form in second but the first four were split by a length so I'm not sure how strong this form is but the winner is decent. On to Paris in the evening and a decent card highlighted by the 2400m Grand Prix de Paris which many now think of as the true French Derby since the Jockey Club was dropped in trip. ILLINOIS brought strong Ascot form to the table with SOSIE the best of the locals for the master trainer, Andre Fabre. SOSIE followed up a strong third in the Jockey Club with a decent performance here. It looked an even gallop so quite quick by French standards and they ran the 2400m in 2 minutes 31 seconds which isn't bad on a slow surface. The winner was always going well and quickened nicely in the straight. He's in the Arc as you might expect. It had to be a stamina test for ILLINOIS who we know gets 2800m well and he ran on well once headed. He's still in the Goodwood Cup at the end of the month for which he's 12s and he's 6s for both the Voltigeur at York and the English Leger and the long straight at Doncaster (over 800m) will be ideal. The favourite, DELIUS, lost his unbeaten record but wasn't disgraced and is also in the Arc (again, no surprise). I thought TAMFANA was coming to win the race 300m out but she got run out of the places and didn't seem to quite see out the full trip. Whether she'd do better on quicker ground I don't know. Last year's Royal Oak winner DOUBLE WIND relished the soft turf when winning the Group 2 Maurice de Nieuil over 2800m. He had previously run third in the Vicomtesse Vigier and reversed the form with second placed SHEMBALA but there's very little between them on the ratings. I expect their paths will cross again in the autumn staying races. Fillies can run in the Grand Prix de Paris but they have exclusive rights to the Group 2 Malleret over 2400m and Diane runner up SURVIE won this very nicely. She's a useful filly and she's in the Arc where she could give the colts plenty to think about. I'm not sure if they will give her a crack at the Vermeille first.

Up here, synthetic meetings can be arranged at 48 hours notice. There's always two synthetic meetings on a winter Saturday (and can provide tv coverage if all the turf meetings are lost) and they've put on a third if it's a very cold spell and the turf fixtures are certain to be cancelled. The Irish re-arrange fixtures because they have space in the calendar (and a smaller country) - the British don't. We re-arrange races but not whole fixtures because we don't have the capacity in the calendar. There's less concern about midweek meetings than Saturdays (the biggest betting day of the week and guaranteed free-to-air tv coverage which also boosts turnover). It should be possible to have a system of "standby" meetings on the synthetic during the winter months which can be activated if required. I don't know if the horse population could support that.

The second day of the Newmarket July Festival featured the Falmouth , a Group 1 for fillies and mares over the straight 1600m. Only a small field and dominated by the English 1000 Guineas second and Coronation Stakes PORTA FORTUNA for whom Donnacha O'Brien had booked Ryan Moore (Donnacha's father not having a runner). With the ground drying to Good, PORTA FORTUNA was backed in to tips on (10/11) against the Duke of Cambridge winner RUNNING LION and the Irish 1000 Guineas runner up A LILAC ROLLA. An impressive performance by PORTA FORTUNA who established herself as the top 3-y-o filly miler and arguably the overall top filly miler. She won by nearly four lengths and the times was only a fraction off Standard suggesting the ground had dried markedly and much to the winner's favour. Two of her American owners were present and this hugely consistent filly has now won her third Group 1 in ten starts. She's by Caravaggio out of a Holy Roman Emperor mare who stayed up to 3200m so you can see why Coolmore would be interested in her as a broodmare down the line. For now, I gather the plan is the Matron and then another tilt at the Breeders Cup and I'd love to see her in the Mile against the colts and geldings - a clash between her and ROSALLION would be well worth the wait. JABAARA outran her odds in second but second to fifth were split by half a length. A LILAC ROLLA looked as though 2000m would be a good idea but basically you had Group 2 horses in the wake of a proven Group 1 performer. RUNNING LION stopped very quickly once headed - similar happened at Epsom and I just wonder if there's a problem somewhere. The Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge for the juvenile fillies saw a fair field headed by the Albany third HEAVENS GATE who was well supported into 15/8 against the fourth in that race, MOUNTAIN BREEZE, who eased to 7/2 but the form was comprehensively reversed with MOUNTAIN BREEZE turning a near three length deficit into a three quarter length advantage but that wasn't good enough as ARABIAN DUSK sprang a minor upset for Team Crisford (part of an opening race double) winning at 12s. In a field of winners, she was one of the few maidens having run third in a Listed over the course and distance but after a lean spell in late May and June the Crisford yard (run by Simon and his son, Ed) is firing in winners left, right and centre. I'm not sure what to make of the form and it's early days among the juvenile fillies - the O'Brien paid BEDTIME STORY and FAIRY GODMOTHER look the top two but ARABIAN DUSK, and no doubt some others from this race, will head for the Lowther at York next month. I don't often mention 2-y-o maidens but the 1400m colts and geldings juvenile maiden at this meeting often throws up a good one and John Gosden was strong in his praise of FIELD OF GOLD who won well. He's by Kingman out of a Shamardal mare and is a half to the useful Zambaq who raced for Roger Varian in 2021 and 2022. Gosden doesn't over race his juveniles but this one looked very good winning by three and a half lengths. A couple of improving types in the handicaps were INVOLVEMENT who won the 2000m Class 2 and will probably go into Listed class and FAIRBANKS, who, despite pulling Oisin Murphy's arms out for 2400m, wasn't hard pressed to land the 2800m handicap and earn himself a tilt at the Ebor. He's got an ante post of 10s for that warm handicap for which they currently go 8s four times including two from the Willie Mullins yard and the Dermot Weld trained HARBOUR WIND who was runner up in the Chaudenay at the Arc meeting last year - Group 2 form in a handicap? Something to take seriously.