Good morning/evening everyone, I hope you are prepared for what looks to be a fantastic weekend of racing with Ascot, Newmarket and Redcar today and more importantly, Longchamp who stage the Arc meeting which promises to be as spectacular as ever. The blog continued in good form last week with Tiggy Wiggy and Elm Park who put together a nice double, but today brings a new week and we have to go again.
As always we have a video preview prepared for you with @Ontheotherhoof as we talk about all of tomorrow's racing on Channel 4. Joining me on the panel we have @Adamwebb121, @Calummadell and the return of @Mytentoryours... Hopefully! You can tune in live just after 8pm or watch it at your leisure via the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5Ul9_fPClA&feature=youtu.be
Now onto the all important selections.
2:05 Ascot - Justice Day
The original selection for this race was going to be Muthmir but after seeing that the ground was softer than the description, and with rain expected tomorrow I'd be surprised if we see him this afternoon.
That could leave the door open for Justice Day who has been mixing it with the best in Group One's and coming up short on class. However he returned to Listed company last time out where he bounced back to form behind Mecca's Angel at Newbury. That is likely to have been down to the return of soft ground which looks assured today with the weather forecast looking as wet as it is. He may have also been struggling over six furlongs in high class races as it could just stretch his stamina when against better horses. He found only Mecca's Angel too good last time out which is no disgrace as she is a rapidly improving filly, and it was rumoured that she would go for the Abbaye next, however connections have decided against that route. Justice Day has struggled this season in terms of finding the winner's enclosure but he can gain a well deserved success today. (9/1)
3:05 Redcar - Bronze Maquette
Gary Moore has found himself a few nice horses recently in both codes and Bronze Maquette is definitely one of them. I have to confess that I was originally very sweet on Limato however again with the rain expected I would be surprised to see him today unfortunately.
Bronze Maquette has been consistent in good company all year and has improved over her last three outings including two victories. The first of those came in a competitive nursery over six furlongs at Ascot when she defied an opening mark of 83. Don't be fooled by the going description that day however, as it claims to be Good To Firm but after a downpour before racing it was more like soft ground. That is crucial to Bronze Maquette and with more rain expected at Redcar than any other racecourse it should be testing this afternoon. She excelled in soft ground again at Newbury when making light work of a Listed race field including Accipiter who has since won her own Listed race. However she came undone on fast ground last time out at Doncaster when behind Beacon, that clearly wasn't her true running and is quickly forgotten.
We will be praying that the rain does come for Bronze Maquette and she remains a good each way proposition. (12/1)
3:15 Ascot - Lucky Kristale
George Maragarson has his string in fine form after Excellent Guest refound his winning form at Ascot yesterday afternoon. Before Excellent Guest, the yard hadn't exactly been in the best of form so this could just be a turning point and a close eye will be kept on their runners from now on.
Lucky Kristale is another horse that will need to refind her winning form after not exactly lighting up the racecourse this season, but she was a top two year old last year and has shown glimpses of that this year. Her season started off at Newmarket in the 1000 Guineas, however that was her first try over a mile and she didn't settle which resulted in her tailing off. She was then given another chance over the trip in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, she improved on her opening effort but looked a non stayer at the trip to which connections seemingly agreed. Last time out bought her most encouraging effort when dropped to seven furlongs in a strong race won by Kiyoshi (who tackles Group One company today) and even led with a furlong left. Connections have dropped her in trip again today and on her old form this would seem a race well within her abilities and she should be competitive.
I have long thought this season that Lucky Kristale is a sprinter rather than a miler so on a personal note I am very happy to see her back at this trip, but today is the day to confirm that promise and put it all together. (14/1)
3:30 Newmarket - Integral
One original selection that won't mind softer ground is Integral for Ryan Moore and Sir Michael Stoute, however she has to bounce back from a disappointment in France.
The ground won't be a bother to her as she has won on fast ground at Royal Ascot and she has also won on soft ground on the July Course. There is also the fact that Newmarket is due to get the least rain out of all English courses tomorrow, plus with the fast natural ground on top of that it shouldn't be overly testing. On the form side of things, her last run isn't too inspiring in the sense that she trailed in behind Esoterique and Miss France, but that race wasn't run to suit her at all and can be forgiven. Before that effort she was incredibly impressive at Royal Ascot in the Duke Of Cambridge when beating a top class field, and followed that up with her first Group One victory in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
On the whole of it Integral's form is of a level that leaves her in front and her current price tag is one that seems far too big, for that reason she is today's Nap. (7/2)
NAP - Integral
Nb - Bronze Maquette
Good luck tomorrow guys and as always, happy punting!
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