Bad News, More Bad News - And Perhaps Some Winners?

ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN

Well, it’s been a busy week for me returning from sunny Spain after watching Royal Ascot in various bars and then trying my hardest to catch up on all the racing news.

Its been mainly sad news this week I am sorry to say with the retirement of the living legend D Wayne Lukas in America due to ill health, the retirement of Paul Cole due to (dare I say it) old age (sorry Paul but I hope to be retired before I reach 83) , and the never ending government versus racing row over funding, gambling laws and so on – with my own view continuing to be that us punters that fund the sport are virtually ignored unless they feel like wheeling us out to act like they care - but do they?

Looking for something positive (I always try but often fail), and all I could dig out was the performance of Field Of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. I was not his biggest fan up to then but boy did he sprout wings to win by three and a half lengths from a decent field, but the best since Frankel (according to the ratings) – not in my eyes I’m afraid, not yet anyway. He has a way to go to be mentioned in the same breath and he needs to be kept in training at four to take on the 2026 classic winners to cement his place as a true great (unlikely with his breeding value), and it will be interesting to see how he is campaigned for the rest of the season with a step up in trip to a mile and a quarter needed to make his mark in racing history.

On to the racing – and its all-weather time at Newcastle!

Newcastle 2.10pm.

As you all know, I got it badly wrong thinking Jonquil could drop back to six furlongs successfully at Royal Ascot – but I never learn and I am trying a similar tactic here with Array. I was really taken with him in 2023 as a two-year old when he won the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes over this trip at Newbury (admittedly on heavy ground), but he missed the whole of last year and hasn’t looked as good this year with a third at Thirsk and a last of five at Haydock. Trying the Tapeta surface this afternoon I am hoping he will let himself down on the more forgiving surface, and as this is a Group Three we know he is good enough if he is over whatever ailed him for a year.  

Newcastle 3.15pm

Time for one of statistical attacks with the competitive Northumberland Plate over two miles and half a furlong – off we go. Looking at the last 15 runnings and I note: all the winners finished in the first four last time out, all were priced at 33/1 or shorter, 14 were aged seven or younger, 14 were rated 107 or less, all were rated 89 or higher, 14 had raced in the last 90 days, and none had raced in the last seven days. Using those as a starting filter we (amazingly) end up with a shortlist of three - Asgard’s Captain, Dancing In Paris, and Spirit Mixer. Of those three, only trainer Andrew Balding has had a place (two from 10 runners), and if life is as simple as that, Spirit Mixer is my each way pick.

Newcastle 3.45pm

If anyone hasn’t noticed I am a big fan of trainer Saeed bin Suroor who may not have the big guns of fellow Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, but who does remarkably well with the older “cast-offs” who he regularly nurtures back to their best. Hopefully City Walk fits the bill, returning from a 540 days layoff after finishing 15that Meydan. Now an eight year old, he has won five races off marks up to 102 (he races off 100 here), and the fact that they even keep him in training suggests they think they can get another win out of him, possibly this afternoon.

And on the turf…

2.15pm Windsor

Amorim looks sure to go off at a short price for this novice event after his second at Yarmouth, but he was beaten five lengths at the line with no obvious excuses. Starlight Sami was third on his only start to date, beaten four lengths, but he went into my notebook having shown signs if inexperience and getting repeatedly checked when looking for a run. He will have learned plenty from that experience, and if he gets a clearer run this afternoon, he could give the jolly plenty to think about at a much bigger price.  

7.00pm Doncaster

I do like the look of Singoura in this seven-furlong handicap, despite the little matter of top-weight. Her last run saw her get very stressed both during and after the race and I feel we can put a line through that run – assuming she doesn’t act up once more. The race before saw her beaten a length off this mark over course and distance on only her third start, and with a hood added to keep her focussed and a drop in class, hopefully you can all see why I think she has every chance this evening.

Sean’s Suggestion:

Singoura each way 7.00pm Doncaster