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Friday 20 June 2014

A Right Royal Saturday !


Saturday sees a couple of the biggest sprints of the season in one day. I may be wrong but I'm not sure we've seen The Wokingham at 5.00pm before.
The Golden Jubilee looks a bit weak for a Group 1 sprint and it could be a big day for one of the number of handicappers in the race. Slade Power is head and shoulders above most of the opposition on speed figures and 4/1 represents a fair price. Gordon Lord Byron(10/1) is back from his travels and there's no Lethal Force or Society Rock this time around so he must be thereabouts.
The Wokingham doesn't really stir the blood either and York Glory last years winner is worth a punt at 12/1.

The Golden Jubilee Stakes - Ascot
History : First run in 1868 as the All Aged Stakes over 1 mile. From 1871 through to 1898 it was run over 2 year old course of about 6f and from 1899 to date over its current distance. It was renamed the Cork and Orrery All Aged Stakes in 1926 and was elevated to Group 1 status and renamed The Golden Jubilee in 2002.
Draw  Record last 6 years:
2013 : 15, 8, 16, 4 (18 ran) Good to Firm - Adam Kirby
2012 : 15, 5, 11, 8 (14 ran) Gd
2011 : 3, 7, 11. 10 (16) Soft
2010 : 21, 12, 16, 4 (24) Good to Firm
2009 : 12, 14, 6, 7 (14) Good to Firm
2008 : 18, 20, 17, 19 (17) Good to Firm
Age of Winner - 4, 6, 4, 4, 3, 3
Result :
2013 : 1st Lethal Force, 2nd Society Rock, 3rd Krypton Factor, 4th Gordon Lord Byron
2012 : 1st Black Caviar, 2nd Moonlight Cloud, 3rd Restiadargent, 4th Soul
2011 : 1st Society Rock, 2nd Monsieur Chevalier, 3rd Star Witness, 4th Elzaam
2010 : 1st Starspangangledbanner, 2nd Society Rock, 3rd Kinsale King, 4th Fleeting Sprit
2013 Review - 
They raced up the middle of the track, but the first three finishers were all positioned towards the near side of the group (like the winners of the Chesham and Wokingham) and may have been at an advantage.LETHAL FORCE, under a good ride from Adam Kirby, saved plenty before being committed and that helped him reverse recent York form with the held-up Society Rock. The time was 0.43 seconds quicker than the Wokingham. 
Lethal Force had looked flattered by his success in last year´s Hungerford Stakes, when he was blinkered for the first time (had earlier worn cheekpieces) and just held on after being allowed to open up a clear advantage. However, he put up an improved performance with the headgear left off on his reappearance and he had clearly progressed a good deal again. He edged slightly left under pressure, but had the race in safe keeping from some way out. 
While Society Rock couldn´t confirm York form with Lethal Force, he dealt with the others quite comfortably. This was the fourth straight year he´s contested this race after taking second in 2010, winning it 2011 and claiming fifth last term.

The Wokingham Stakes - Ascot
History : First run on 21st July 1813 it was named after the town near the course. It was in this race that Lester Piggott recorded his first Royal Ascot win on Malka's Boy in 1952. 
Draw Record last 6 years :
2013 : 22, 18, 15, 29 (26) Good to Firm - Jamie Spencer
2012 : 15, 23, 16, 6 (28) Good
2011 : 11, 16, 15, 3 (25) Soft
2010 : 31, 20, 28, 18 (27) Good to Firm
2009 : 4, 5, 7, 24 (26) Good to Firm
2008 : 1, 26, 6, 23 (27) Good to Firm
Age of Winner : 5, 6, 4, 5, 4, 4
Result :
2013 : 1st York Glory, 2nd Shropshire, 3rd Dinkum Diamond, 4th Khubala
2012 : 1st Dandy Boy, 2nd Waffle, 3rd Hawkeyethenoo, 4th Morache Music
2011 : 1st Deacon Blues, 2nd Waffle, 3rd Pastoral Player, 4th Anne of Kiev
2010 : 1st Laddies Poker Two, 2nd Striking Spirit, 3rd Palace Moon, 4th Knot in Wood
2013 Review - 
They shunned the far side here, with the main bunch racing more towards the middle and a smaller group of six racing stands´ side. The first three raced in the larger group. The final time was 0.43sec slower than the Golden Jubilee.YORK GLORY was held up at the rear of the centre group and travelled strongly as usual. Not asked for his effort until reaching the furlong pole, he picked up well once asked and saw it out strongly. He´d run well in defeat at York last time in a race that´s worked out well, and off just a 2lb higher mark he was fully entitled to be involved here. He was one of only two in the race that holds a Group 1 July Cup entry (the other, the 3yo Glass Office, finished fifth).

Monday 16 June 2014

The Kings Stand



History : First run in 1860 as the The Queens Stand Stakes/Plate over the 2 year old course of about 6f. The distance was reduced to 5f in 1907 with the name of the race having changed to The Kings Stand Stakes in 1901.
Draw Record last 6 years :
2013 : 14, 5, 10, 6 (19 ran) Good - Johnny Murtagh
2012 : 7, 8, 22, 3 (22 ran) Good to Soft
2011 : 14, 18, 10, 15 (19 ran) Gd
2010 : 11, 4, 3, 5 (12) Gd
2009 : 1, 15, 14, 9 (15) Good to Firm
2008 : 11, 9, 12, 1 (13) Good to Firm
Age of Winner -  6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 3
Result :
2013 : 1st Sole Power, 2nd Shea Shea, 3rd Pearl Secret, 4th Jack Dexter
2012 : 1st Little Bridge, 2nd Bated Breath, 3rd Sole Power, 4th Medicean Man
2011 : 1st Prohibit, 2nd Star Witness, 3rd Sweet Sanette, 4th Overdose
2010 : 1st Equiano, 2nd Markab, 3rd Borderlescott, 4th Nicconi
2013 Review -
SOLE POWER, bidding to become the first Irish-trained winner of the King´s Stand since Bluebird in 1987, was proven at this level having won the 2010 Nunthorpe and was running in this race for the third time, having finished eighth in 2011 and third last year.  With Johnny Murtagh back and the ground staying in his favour, things went perfectly, even though he had to switch to his left in order to get a clear run. He was out in plenty of time and produced a storming finish to grab the prize near the line. Murtagh has commented since that he feels that the stand side at Ascot is a huge advantage.

Saturday 7 June 2014

The Dash at Epsom




History :
Draw Record last 6 years :
2013 - 19, 1, 5, 13 (17 ran) Good - 55.22s
2012 - 2, 16, 15, 3 (20 ran) Good to Firm - 53.69s
2011 - 9, 13, 10, 1 (16) Good to Firm - 54.30s
2010 - 15, 14, 16, 9 (19) Good to Firm - 54.22s
2009 - 18, 12, 11, 1 (18) Good to Firm - 54.67s
2008 - 8, 19, 12, 17 (19) Good - 55.33s
Age of Winner - 4, 4, 6, 6, 9, 6
Result :
2013 : 1st Duke Of Firenze, 2nd Smoothtalkinrascal, 3rd Dinkum Diamond, 4th Fair Value
2012 : 1st Stone of Folca, 2nd Desert Law, 3rd Catfish, 4th Taajub
2011 : 1st Captain Dunne, 2nd Confessional, 3rd La Fortunata, 4th Sohraab
2010 : 1st Bertoliver, 2nd Hawkeyethenoo, 3rd Rocket Bob, 4th Judge N'Jury
2013 Review :
A typically competitive renewal of this hot sprint handicap, and a fantastic finish, with the first two home cutting through the field in the closing stages from seemingly impossible positions.DUKE OF FIRENZE, who showed he could handle a downhill track when scoring at Goodwood earlier in the season, was well backed but his chance looked negligible when he had just three behind him 2f from home. However, once switched and meeting the rising ground, he powered up the hill and got a clear run through to strike the front near the line.
Race FactsDandy Nicholls has a good record in this race having had the winner in 02, 03, 05 and 09. His 42 runners have brought 4 wins and 5 places. Steve Williams has had 7 runners from which he has had 2 winners and 2 places.

This year is an equally competitive race as in previous seasons and it looks set to be the usual frantic pace with the question of whether the front runners can hold on from the fast finishers.

Front runners Caspian Prince, who has run probably the fastest times of the field in recent races, Even Stevens, Tangerine Trees and Judge'N Jury look likely to be forcing the pace but I think Addictive Dream wont be too far behind.  The latter fits into a lot of the trends for the race and being trained by a sprint maestro David Nicholls, who has an excellent record in this race, he looks sure to go well at a big ew price.