Alex Hammond looks ahead to a huge weekend on both sides of the Atlantic - check out her must-read blog and weekend tips here.
What a year 2020 has been so far, there have been plenty of lows, but in horseracing at least, we have enjoyed some considerable highs. The progress of Hollie and Tom has been a thread running through the season and has been my personal favourite narrative.
How about you, what story has captured your imagination? I’ve been incredibly lucky to be able to actually go to work and it’s been a pleasure to bring the action to you on Sky Sports Racing during this difficult year. It’s also been comforting to hear from you all and it’s been heart-warming to get emails and tweets from you over the spring and summer. It seems like we will need to keep talking as we head into winter, so keep them coming.
I’m off to Donny on Saturday, which if it can’t be sunny, let’s hope it’s not quite as bleak as the last time I visited. Thermals and brolly at the ready just in case. The flat turf season draws to a close there on Saturday, reverting to its traditional conclusion owing to the delayed start to the campaign. The November Handicap is the puzzle we have to solve there and it looks as tricky as ever to do so.
You couldn’t fail to be impressed with Tulip Fields when she ran away with a course and distance handicap at Doncaster’s last meeting. The ground had gone very testing that day and it won’t be that bad on Saturday, but she has since been beaten on the all-weather, albeit in a decent listed contest.
She’s 4lbs higher in the ratings on her return to handicap company, but that might not be too harsh if she’s on her A-game. Franny Norton, who rode her for that Doncaster win is heading to Chelmsford though, rather than renewing his acquaintance with this filly, but maybe we shouldn’t read too much into that.
There’s most likely more to come from Tulip Fields and the same can be said about former stablemate Kingbrook who will be having just his eighth career start in this competitive handicap and his fourth for his current trainer, Ian Williams, who is a little quiet at the moment which is my only concern with this progressive 3 year-old. Dash Of Spice ran a good race to be second to Tulip Fields last time out and is only 1lb higher in the weights for what was his best effort for some time. He’s not badly handicapped being 4lbs lower in the weights than he was when winning the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot a couple of years ago and trainer David Elsworth has been amongst the winners of late. He could be an each way play.
Sam Cooke was unlucky not to have won a decent handicap at Ascot in July, going down by a nose, but he’s only 3lbs higher for that effort and that puts him bang in with a shout here on his favoured soft ground. He’ll be short enough in the betting though. Euchen Glen is bidding for a hat-trick of wins after success in group 3s at York and Newbury on his last two starts. He’s in unbelievably good form and has to be high on any shortlist even off his mark of 109. He’s obviously had his training problems and has spent quite a long time off the track, but Jim Goldie seems to have got him right now and he can go well here, despite top weight.
In a wide-open race Rhythmic Intent can’t be ignored as he looks the type to win a big handicap either here or in a big pot next season. The booking of William Buick is a plus, but at the time of writing trainer Stuart Williams had gone three weeks without a winner. He’s a smashing handler though and hopefully that tide is about to turn. At this stage Dash Of Spice each way will do for me, but I’ll wait until I’m there on the day and looking at them in the paddock before making a final call, so tune in to Sky Sports Racing on Saturday for the final verdict.
Another of the important questions in this strange year is who is going to reign supreme over the Atlantic? Yes, it’s Breeders’ Cup weekend and whilst we wait for the results of another significant race in America, the racing at Keeneland this Friday and Saturday offers a bit of escapism from the shenanigans taking place in the States right now. Let’s put it to a vote!
My best bet of the two day fixture is Tarnawa in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, so I’m hoping to save my best for almost last on Saturday. One of the pleasures of this year has been familiarising myself with the French racing scene and enjoying some of the high quality action we’ve been lucky enough to bring you on Sky Sports Racing from over the Channel. Whilst Tarnawa isn’t trained in France, she’s in the care of Dermot Weld in Ireland, the best of her form has come on French soil. She is unbeaten in three starts this season, the first of those victories coming on home soil in a group 3 at Cork. Since then she has plundered two top prizes at Longchamp, firstly in a high quality Prix Vermeille in September and then in the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day. Both races were of the highest quality and whilst this filly has a bit to find on ratings with fellow Europeans Magical, Mogul and Lord North, I don’t think she has reached the ceiling of her ability yet. She is a superstar and this prize for me is heading back to Ireland. She’s 7/2 with Sky Bet.
Can Hollie Doyle crack America by winning the Juvenile Turf Sprint on Friday on Mighty Gurkha? If she does it would cap an incredible year for the talented rider. We’ll know in less than a minute just after 7.30pm, but I feel on this occasion she may have to settle for a supporting role. Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal will be a tough nut to crack in the 5.5 furlong grade 2, a race won last year by the trainer. This colt may have been touched off in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot by The Lir Jet, but he got a first win on the board at Saratoga in August and has the zip to dominate from his wide post position. He’s 2/1 with Sky Bet and sometimes that can look like a good price and I think it is in this case.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile on Saturday is another race I’m really looking forward to with 2000 Guineas winner Kameko bidding to end his racing career on a high before heading to Tweenhills Stud for career 2.0. Andrew Balding’s colt is 4/1 with Sky Bet to end the season the way he begun and he has been showing the right signs since arriving in America. The colt had a nice little confidence boost by winning the group 2 Joel Stakes against older horses at Newmarket on his latest outing. Conditions will be in his favour in America and it’s been good to see him looking sharp in the mornings on the track in Kentucky.
The Classic has only been won by a female once in the past, when Zenyatta was successful in 2009 and that won’t change this year as Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver heads to the Distaff (11/4 second favourite), denying the race the winners of all three legs of the Triple Crown.
That leaves Belmont winner Tiz The Law and Kentucky Derby winner Authentic to fight that duel out. There’s pride (and plenty of dollars) at stake as Tiz The Law has to reverse the form of the Derby where Authentic used his speed to beat the hot favourite that day, although his 82 year old trainer Barclay Tagg thinks it was the track that got him beaten. Authentic’s trainer Bob Baffert has safety in numbers with favourite Improbable, Authentic and Maximum Security, so a very strong hand. I’m happy to stick with Tiz The Law though, who is 100/30 second favourite with Sky Bet.
If you fancy getting lost in the romance of this wonderful meeting, how about 50/1 available with Sky Bet for both Mighty Gurkha and Kameko to place in their respective races?
Anyway, as we have now entered lockdown 2.0, take care of yourselves, pick some winners and keep those emails and tweets coming; it’s great to hear from you.
