York Review And Saturday Selections

ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN

Although you will have read plenty of quotes elsewhere, I still need to start this week with a brief thank you for Rachael Blackmore after the Queen of the Saddle announced her retirement on Monday afternoon, sending shockwaves through the Irish racing industry. I have never been a huge fan of “the best woman jockey” argument as that segments her by her sex alone – she was in fact a top-class jockey full stop, winning the Champion Hurdle, The Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Grand National, and the Stayers Hurdle – I cannot think of another jockey still riding who can claim the same with the obvious exception of compatriot Paul Townend. To me she is not the best female jockey of all time over jumps (she is but you take my point), she is or was a top class jockey full stop who never asked for or gave an inch in the race if necessary. Better with the media than some I could mention, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that most photos you see of the 35-year-old bear a beaming smile, and there is no question that she will be sadly missed on the racecourses of both the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Moving on and this week’s article is being updated on a daily basis thank to the York meeting from Wednesday to Friday inclusive. Sunshine, top-class racing, and Derby and Oaks trials make this a meeting not to miss – so I am not too happy to be covering it from my desk thanks to work commitments this year.

On Wednesday we all awaited the return to action of the Karl Burke sprinters Night Raider and Elite Status ahead of the Group Two Clipper Stakes over six furlongs, but it was Inisherin who landed the odds after being sent off the 11/8 favourite for Kevin Ryan. The Burke horses fished third and fourth, promising much for the rest of the year, and I won’t be writing them off just yet.

Later on the same card we had the Musidora Stakes over a mile and a quarter plus, a recognised Oaks trial won by the likes of Soul Sister, who followed up at Epsom in 2023, and the amazing Emily Upjohn who may have come home second in her Oaks, but went on to win the Fillies and Mares on Champions Day at Ascot in 2022 and the Coronation Cup back at Epsom the following year. Whether Whirl ever reaches those dizzy heights, only time will tell, but the daughter of Wootton Bassett came home five and a half lengths clear and is obviously a very decent filly, though whether she will handle Epsom I am less convinced.

Moving along to Thursday, and this time it was all about the colts, with last seasons top juvenile The Lion In Winter making his eagerly anticipated return in the Dante Stakes where he took on Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten Alpine Trail and 2000 Guineas fifth Wimbledon Hawkeye, alongside a long list of promising but perhaps untested colts. We had another shock on this occasion with the O’Brien colt sent off odds on before trailing home in sixth with the Godolphin horse stone cold last! It was Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, a winner of a Sandown novice last season on his only start, who made the race his own. He scored here by a length and a quarter at odds of 18/1, beating 16/1 chance Damysus (John and Thady Gosden) and Wimbledon Hawkeye (7/1) in third, shaking up the Epsom Derby market with the winner introduced into the betting at 6/1 from a massive price pre-race.    

The other race that really interested me was the Middlton Fillies Stakes, won last season by Bluestocking, who went on to win the Arc at Longchamp the same year. This time Doha represented the Ralph Beckett team, though it was Andrew Balding’s See The Fire who attracted support early in the week, being backed from 4/1 to 13/8 by Tuesday morning.  Sent off an 8/11 shot, she turned this into a procession, winning by 12 lengths, and she clearly looks a filly to follow for the rest of the season – though at what price after that who knows?

Friday ended the three day meeting with a bang, though the Yorkshire Cup over a mile and three quarters was the only Group race on the card. The globetrotting Rebel’s Romance, a winner at Doha, Meydan, Sha Tin, Cologne, and Del Mar last year landed the odds for favourite backers, albeit by just a head at the line. He has now earned over £10,000,000 in win and place prize money but remains a bit of an unsung hero to many – I only wish I owned him and had that money in my piggy bank!

On to the racing this weekend…

Saturday

Newbury 12.50pm

King’s Gambit heads the early market with Ryan Moore booked and first-time blinkers, but I remain a big fan of Al Aasy who keeps on winning even at the age of eight. He scored late on over a mile and a quarter at Sandown on his return which should have put him spot on for this, a race he won back in 2021! Unlike the rest of us, he shows no signs of his age, and he could follow up four years later, with the return to the mile and a half very much in his favour.

Newbury 1.25pm

I suspect we may see a big run from Defence Minister, who pulled too hard when losing his unbeaten record in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, but if he settles here on quicker ground we may see how good he really is. He is one for each way backers but I prefer the obvious chances of the Aidan O’Brien trained Ides Of March. A maiden and a Group Three win as a two-year-old were followed with a seventh in the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, but he returned this season at Navan when only beaten half a length by stable companion Whistlejacket, who is already a Group One winner. That form looks pretty solid to me and a repeat of that may be all he needs to come home in front in this field.  

Newbury 2.35pm

The Lockinge Stakes is one of our top mile races for older horses, and all eyes here will be on Richard Hannon’s Rosallion – assuming he is spot on for his first start of the season. A class act as a three-year-old, he followed a brilliant second in the 2000 Guineas with wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but was not seen again after that. He looks the sort to be bigger and stronger this year, and if that is the case he can win this and then go on to prove himself one of Europe’s top milers over the rest of the season.

Sean’s Suggestion:

Ides Of March 1.25pm Newbury Saturday