"GLORIOUS" GOODWOOD FESTIVAL 2019 [TUES 30th JULY - SAT 3rd AUG] -- DAY TWO

WEDNESDAY Day Two
Second day here in Sussex and nice to have the opening winner with PINATUBO getting our week off to a nice start. The Goodwood Cup was won by Stradivarius once again and we ended up the first day with a small profit to SP.

It's a busy week of action here and we crack on with Wednesday where we have the feature event the Group 1 Sussex Stakes. Gates are open from 11am but would advise getting here early as the crowds will gather and roads will be packed. Once you are in you can enjoy the scenery and high quality racing.

We are only looking at the major races each day not the entire card so focused on the main Group Races or major handicaps. The meeting runs to Saturday and we'll keep running totals of profit / loss throughout the week +0.3 so far to SP.

The Qatar Sussex Stakes is one of the highlights of the flat racing season, with prize money of £1million attracting a high-class field from UK, Ireland and France. This mile-long Group 1 race has previously been won by the peerless Frankel, the French sensation Solow and in 2017, by the 20/1 shot Here Comes When. Last year we witnessed Lightning Spear winning at 9/1 for trainer David Simcock. Racing will commence at 1.50pm and the last race will be at 5.55pm. 

So lets look at day two we've got a pair of Group races today with the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes off at 3:00 supporting the feature event the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at 3:35;

Going -- Good, Good to firm in places.

Weather -- Generally sunny, bit breezy a 50/50 chance of some showers during the day, high 22C.

3:00 Molecomb Stakes 5f (Group 3)
Strong field of 13 line up for the 5f sprint that is the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes today. The 2yo's are headed by the American trainer Wesley Ward who has MAVEN here and Frankie Dettori booked to ride. A recent winner of a Group 3 in France is likely to be all the rage here today.

ALLIGATOR ALLEY [2nd 8/1] might have only won a Navan maiden event but owned by the Magnier family and a son of Kingman could have plenty to offer. JP O'Brien has a few entries and isn't here for the scenery so at 14/1 is taken seriously in the place market at the very least. 

Selections -- MAVEN [win]   ALLIGATOR ALLEY [win/place]. Place bet secured. 

3:35 Sussex Stakes 1m (Group 1)
A field of 8 declared for the feature race today, worth over half a million pounds to the winner, a race that could be at the mercy of TOO DARN HOT [WON Evens f] if he can continue to recreate last years impressive form should be a banker of the meeting with maybe Circus Maximus the main danger. Hopefully there will be no non runners here so that the place market can be an option for a small bet on ZABEEL PRINCE [25/1] who faded at the mile mark when trying 1m 2f in the Eclipse and doesn't have to face the likes of Enable or Magical here 

Selections -- TOO DARN HOT [win]  ZABEEL PRINCE [place]. 

Wednesday results to be updated later.
Staked 4pts
Returned 5pts

Day Three should be ready soon and we'll try and get back on track before the end of the meeting this Saturday. Thursday of course is Ladies Day naturally the most glamorous day of the meeting, and is truly the place to see and be seen. The prestigious Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes is the highlight of the eight-race card, worth £600,000. Previous winners include Ouija Board, Midday and Minding. Expect fierce competition as the best of the best compete against the backdrop of the stunning Sussex Downs. 

GALWAY FESTIVAL 2019 [JULY 29th -- AUG 4th] -- DAY THREE WEDNESDAY

DAY THREE
The Galway festival is off with a bang, after the first couple of days results we are a little behind on -5pts for Mr D Weld with JP O'Brien on -9.75pts for their selections and -14.75 points overall. The third day begins in the early evening again the opening fixtures will begin at 5:10pm with a 2m 5f maiden hurdle, but the feature race this afternoon is the Grade A Galway Plate over 2m 6f which will get underway at 7:20pm. 

Don't miss our Goodwood coverage too today click to view Wednesday

As mentioned on day one our recent years we have focused on the horses from trainer Dermot Weld and we will continue to track his progress this week though we might also offer one or two other selections in particular the feature races if no Weld runner is declared. And NEW for this season we intend to follow the success of JP O'Brien who often has a nice priced winner and seems to have taken well to training and has the ability to be as good as his father in time.

Going -- NH -- Good ; Flat -- Good to Yielding

Weather Forecast -- A high of 17C with a chance of a few showers later as it has been so far this week.  

DAY THREE SELECTIONS;

5:10 - Tote Supporting Irish Racing Since 1930 Maiden Hurdle

2m 5f 11y  [14 Runners]

DAYS WITHOUT END  [D Weld].  2nd 7/2

5.40 -- Tote Proud Sponsor Of The Galway Races Handicap Hurdle

2m 5f 11y  [23 Runners]

AIR SUPREMANCY  [JP O'Brien]  10th 25/1

WEST COAST TIME  [JP O'Brien].  Non Runner

6:10 - Sign Up For A Tote Account Irish Ebf Mares Handicap Hurdle

2m 110y  [22 Runners]

No Selections here.

6.45 - Play The Tote Trifecta (Q.R.) Maiden

1m 4f 43y  [21 Runners]

HASANKEY  [D Weld].  3rd 10/1

7:20 - thetote.com Galway Plate (Handicap Chase) (Grade A)

2m 6f 111y  [25 Runners]

No entries for either JP O'Brien or Dermot Weld for this the big race of the day and indeed the week really, so will be looking elsewhere for selections amongst the 25 declared runners. Suppose we should start with Gordon Elliott who has trained 2 of the last 3 winners here, MENGLI KHAN  [9th 12/1] and BARRA  [14th 14/1] both in the colours of Michael O'Leary (Gigginstown Stud) look the pick of his entries. 

Willie Mullins has a trio of runners with YORKHILL the one of interest in the place market, but plenty of quality coming over from the UK too and Paul Nicholls might be able to take this with BLACK CORTON and Bryony Frost.  2nd 12/1

8:00 -- Bet With The Tote At The Galway Races Handicap
1m 123y  [13 Runners]
COLFER ME  [JP O'Brien]  11th 25/1
COSMIC HORIZON  [JP O'Brien]   3rd 9/2
FROSTY BEACH  [D Weld].   6th 12/1

8:30 -- Play The Tote Superfecta Handicap (60-80)
2m 110y  [16 Runners]
STRONHOLD  [JP O'Brien]  12th 16/1
GREY WATERS  [JP O'Brien]. 9th  14/1

Day Three results; 

Will be updated on Wednesday night.

D Weld 3pts staked today     Returns today - 0pts.
p/l for week    -8.00 after Day 3
JP O'Brien 6pts staked today    Returns today - 1pts.
p/l for week       -14.75 after Day 3

Overall week p/l to date   -22.75 after Day 3

Summer, Horse Racing, Galway, Irish Women, Guinness YES Life IS Good.

Results to update later tonight, and Day Four should be ready by then, not forgetting our other updates this week from the 'Glorious' Goodwood meeting.

GALWAY FESTIVAL 2019 [JULY 29th -- AUG 4th] -- DAY TWO TUESDAY

DAY TWO

This year's Galway festival is off with a bang, and although Dermot Weld failed to find a winner he had two seconds including a 20/1 shot in the feature race [Dalton Highway] which got us a return on the place markets. JP O'Brien got us off the mark on the opening day but still slightly behind for day one, it is still early days.  The second day is another evening meeting and will begin at 5:20pm with a 2m Novice Hurdle. The feature race tonight being the Colm Quinn BMW sponsored Handicap over a mile and that gets underway at 7.40pm.

As mentioned on day one as per recent seasons we will continue to focus on the horses from trainer Dermot Weld and we will continue to track his progress this week though we might also offer one or two other selections in particular the feature races if no Weld runner is declared. And NEW for this season we intend to follow the success of JP O'Brien who often has a nice priced winner and seems to have taken well to training and has the ability to be as good as his father in time.

Going -- Good to Yielding (NH) and Good (Flat).


Weather Forecast -- A high of 18C with a chance of a few showers during the course of the evening.

DAY TWO SELECTIONS;
17:20  Colm Quinn Bmw Novice Hurdle (listed)
2m 110y  [5 Runners]
FINE BRUNELLO  [JP O'Brien]    4th 10/3.

17:55  Latin Quarter Beginners Chase
2m 2f 54y  [18 Runners]

JACK DILLINGER  [JP O'Brien]   6th 12/1.

18:25  Colm Quinn Bmw Irish Ebf Fillies Maiden
7f  [12 Runners]
AZILA  [D Weld]   5th 2/1f.

19:05  Caulfield Industrial Irish Ebf Maiden
7f  [19 Runners]. 
TRANCHEE  [D Weld]   8th 15/2.

19:40  Colm Quinn Bmw Mile Handicap
1m 123y  [18 Runners]
This is our featured race for the evening on day two, each of our trainers will be represented it appears with JASSAAR  [D Weld] and NUMERIAN  [JP O'Brien]. Jassaar [11th 5/1]  is a well bred 4yo gelding for owner Hamdam Al Maktoum and won well at the Curragh then runner up in a similar contest so clearly in good order and might be strong in the better even in a large field such as this. Numerian [6th 9/2] is a 3yo who ran fifth in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot latest and back off his 9lb lower mark here should be right there.

20:10  Caulfield Industrial Handicap
1m 123y  [18 Runners]

SCORPIAN BLACK   1st Reserve  [D Weld]. NON RUNNER

20:40 Caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap

7f  [16 Runners].
No selections for either trainer here.

Day Two figures -- Results will be updated tonight. then it's onwards to Wednesday and the feature race the Grade A Tote Galway Plate. 

D Weld 4pts staked today     Returns today - 1pts.
p/l for week    -5.00 after Day 2
JP O'Brien 3pts staked today    Returns today - 0pts.
p/l for week       -9.75 after Day 2
Overall week p/l to date   -14.75 after Day 2

Results to update later tonight, and Day Three featuring the Galway Plate should be ready by then, along with some info from Goodwood this week. I hope you will have a great week of quality racing.

"GLORIOUS" GOODWOOD FESTIVAL 2019 [TUES 30th JULY - SAT 3rd AUG] -- DAY ONE

TUESDAY Day One
Though it's now sponsored by Qatar it may not be officially called 'Glorious Goodwood' now, it still is for me and it's still one of the places to visit this summer. While I am also focused on the racing at Galway during this week there are plenty of good races here in Sussex to enjoy.

Since I am busy covering the meeting over in Ireland at Galway I shall only be looking at the major races here each day not the whole card, we shall look at all the Group Races and Heritage Handicaps. The meeting runs through until Saturday and we'll keep running totals of profit / loss throughout the week. 

So let us have a good look at day one, Tuesday's highlight is their newest Group 1, the Qatar Goodwood Cup has a prize fund of around £500,000. Stradivarius won this on his way to a huge bonus last year and having successfully defended his Ascot Gold Cup crown will be a short price to win another big prize today.

Going -- Good to firm.
Weather -- Generally sunny, not as hot as the past month and a little bit breezy max temperature 21C

2:25 Qatar Vintage Stakes 7f (Group 2) 
Only 7 runners declared for this Group 2 stakes, three unbeaten 2yo's will face each other and PINATUBO [WON 6/4] rattled up a hat-trick of wins including the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and should be hard to beat here. 

Having been a strong favourite in the Chesham LOPE Y FERNANDEZ it would be a surprise if that one was able to reverse the placing but looks the biggest danger in this event, Richard Hannon's MYSTERY POWER is interesting if supported in the markets but with just 7 runners the call is to back the Godolphin runner.

Selection -- PINATUBO  [WON 6/4f]. 

3:00 Qatar Lennox Stakes 7f (Group 2)
Another competitive Group 2 event, this time open to older horses but again over 7f. 10 declared and sure to be run at a decent pace throughout, the likes of Bretton Rock and Flaming Spear have been great servants to their connections but look to be up against it here with ZAAKI the one to beat. Was unfortunate to be beaten last time out in the Summer Mile at Ascot by the late Beat the Bank who sadly broke down on the line. Zaaki has Ryan Moore on board now for Sir Michael Stoute and had previously won at Ascot and Epsom so looks one to follow.

JP O'Brien has runners over in Galway later but will be interested in his SPEAK IN COLOURS and worth a go in the win/place markets.

Selections -- ZAAKI 7th 10/3    SPEAK IN COLOURS (e/w)  4th 8/1. 

3:35 GOODWOOD CUP 2m (Group 1).
Our feature race for day one is the Goodwood Cup a Group One contest for older horses over two miles. Field of nine runners declared but does include last years winner STRADIVARIUS who returns to defend his title again as well as chasing a big bonus once again arrives here in top form with wins at York and Royal Ascot so will be hard to beat and a short price to do so too. DEE EX BEE tried his best at Ascot but might have to settle for the runners up berth again. 

Aiden O'Brien runs there here and SOUTHERN FRANCE might be the best of his trio, none of them look good enough to trouble the fav, the Godolphin runner CROSS COUNTER won the Melbourne Cup so stays well but was 4th at Royal Ascot in the Gold Cup, might have to settle for a place again.

Selection -- STRADIVARIUS [WON 4/5f]. Three Goodwood Cups !!!

That's all for us on Tuesday, we'll have more top quality racing to enjoy tomorrow including the Group 1 Sussex Stakes to tackle on Wednesday. 

Staked 4 points
Returns 4.3 points (to SP)

GALWAY FESTIVAL 2019 [JULY 29th -- AUG 4th] -- DAY ONE MONDAY

DAY ONE - MONDAY
The 2019 Galway festival is a week long feast of racing, across both codes of racing and a good excuse to visit one of the great Irish venues and surrounding area, if you never been please put it on your list of places to see, it's lovely and the Irish people are second to none. 

The opening day actually doesn't start till the evening with the first race (Novice Hurdle) of the meeting due off at 5:20pm. The feature race tonight being the Connacht Hotel Handicap due off around 7:40pm. 

Once again this season we will continue to focus on the horses from trainer Dermot Weld and we will continue to track his progress this week though we might also offer one or two other selections in particular the feature races if no Weld runner is declared. And NEW for this season we intend to follow the success of JP O'Brien who often has a nice priced winner and seems to have taken well to training and has the ability to be as good as his father in time.

Going -- NH - Good             Flat - Good to Yielding.

Weather Forecast -- A high of 16C with a chance of a few showers later. Suggest you take a mac ... or stay in the bars.

DAY ONE SELECTIONS;
5:20 Galwaybayhotel.com and Galmont.com Novice Hurdle.
2m 130y [14 Runners]
WINNER TAKES ITALL [JP O'Brien]  3rd 7/1

5:55 Easyfix Handicap Hurdle.

2m 130y [23 Runners]
LINGER [JP O.Brien]   WON 9/4f

6:25 - Claregalwayhotel.ie Irish EBF Maiden (2yo).
7f [8 Runners].
SHEKHAM [D Weld].   2nd 3/1

7:05 - Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap
7f  [18 Runners]

DEIRA SURPRISE   [JP O.Brien].   13th 16/1

FANCY FOOTINGS   [JP O.Brien].   14th 8/1

SYRENA  [JP O.Brien].   2nd 7/1

7:40 - Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap (70-100) (Premier Handicap)

2m 179y  [23 Runners]

This is today's feature contest worth 59k euro and Dermot Weld has a runner tonight with DALTON HIGHWAY [2nd 20/1] a winner here in 2016 and has won his most recent start over 2m so should be ready to run a big race. JP O'Brien runs too as well and has CHESS GRAND MASTER  [19th 33/1] as well as SHAKESPEAR'SGALLERY  [10th 11/1].

8:10 - Eventus Handicap [3yo]

1m 4f 84y  [11 Runners]

SWITCH AROUND  [D Weld]   Non Runner.

A WAVE OF THE SEA  [JP O'Brien]   4th 6/1

MILLSWYN  [JP O'Brien]   2nd 6/1

8:40 - Monami Construction Flat Race
2m 130y  [13 Runners]
RISK FACTOR  [JP O'Brien].   2nd 5/4f

Racing, Guinness, Women, Great Craic ... Life is good.

Day One results and stats, will appear here during Monday night and we have plenty more to see and do yet before the week is out. Plenty of 2nds and just the one winner for JP, still it's only the opening day.

D Weld   2pts staked today    returns - Nil
p/l for week   -2pts
JP O'Brien   10pts staked today     returns - 3.25pts
p/l for week   -6.25pts
Overall   week p/l to date -8.25pts

Results will appear here on Monday evening along with 'Day Two' to be published shortly, we are also racing at 'Glorious' Goodwood too this week starting on Tuesday, so two top class meetings to enjoy all week long.

PONTEFRACT HORSE RACING SYSTEM -- 2019 SEASON -- MEETING #10

PONTEFRACT SEASON 2019.

Welcome to our tenth meeting of the season on Sunday 28th July. 

1st race 2.20pm, gates open from around midday.

Our renowned Sunday fixtures are not only feature the best racing of the year at Pontefract with over £100,000 worth of Prize Money available at each meeting, but they are also the three fixtures each season dedicated to families. As well as special events on each Sunday race day, there will also be a funfair, face-painting, circus, free sweets, activity packs and racecards for kids, pony rides, trips to the starts of races and a ‘Hunt The Golden Horseshoe’ competition on every Family Day.

Our second Family Sunday is the Lookalike Legends Family Day and we’ll have 3 fantastic acts performing throughout the afternoon. There'll be a really fun, family atmosphere. We have Classic Kylie (11.50am to 12.30pm) and TotOlly Murs (12.4pm to 1.20pm) before racing and Totally Take That (5.45pm to 6.45pm) after the last race!

It's also the 12th Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival which kicked off at Ripon on Saturday 20th July and concludes with the Pontefract Family Day on Sunday 28th July. With racing throughout the White Rose county all week, it’s a Festival to remember for racing enthusiasts. 

Jack Berry House, home of the Injured Jockeys Fund HQ -- Give Generously.

The meeting kicks off with The British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes [2.20] run over 5 furlongs and won last year by Richard Fahey’s Flawless Jewel who bolted up to win by an astonishing 16 lengths. Fahey was top trainer for last year’s Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival and will certainly have his eye on retaining the prize this year.

The ITV7 Starts Now Handicap Stakes is our second race on the card [2.50] and has been won by David Allan and Tim Easterby for the past two years, most recently with Multellie. The final race of the afternoon is The Fly High Faye Nickels Handicap Stakes and was won convincingly by Classic Pursuit to seal a four-timer for De Sousa. 

The feature on track is The Sky Bet Go-Racing-In-Yorkshire Summer Festival Pomfret Stakes [3.55] and is our third listed race of the season, and was won last year by Big Country (pictured left) for trainer Michael Appleby, who then went on to run in Group races in Norway and Sweden. That victory was the second of four on the day for Silvestre De Sousa and trainer Michael Appleby. Champion jockey, De Sousa, has already enjoyed success at Ponte this season having ridden a treble here in June. Who will win in 2019?

ALL of our results for these fixtures are recorded to a level stake at Starting Price (SP), and will also show any forecast results too in the daily results but these do not count for the profit / loss figures. We arrive here on the back of a small loss last time which does mean we are still trailing on -29.325 points to SP as we come into the tenth meeting and are now just over the half way point of our season. The forecast going is now currently reported as 'Good, Good to firm in places' and our weather for Sunday afternoon is for a generally warm day with plenty of humidity and a good chance of some light rain showers and we've a forecast maximum temperature around the 19C mark.

A link to this afternoon's race card can be found here

Here are our selections for the seven races on Sunday afternoon, remember it's a very simple selection process using stalls one and two in every race;

14.20 5f 3y Maiden Stakes (2yo).
(1) -- ZAKHER ALAIN  [6th 33/1].
(2) -- QUEEN'S ORDER  [2nd 11/4].

14:50 1m 4f 5y Handicap.
(1) -- SEMPRE PRESTO  [3rd 11/2].
(2) -- VINTAGE ROSE  [2nd 25/1].

15:20 1m 2f 5y Handicap.
(1) -- BILLY ROBERTS  [5th 15/8f].
(2) -- PETE SO HIGH  [8th 20/1].

15:55 1m 6y Pomfret Stakes (Listed).
(1) -- KHAFOO SHEMEMI  [3rd 6/4f].
(2) -- LUSH LIFE  [Non Runner].

16:30 6f Handicap.
(1) -- MAGICAL EFFECT  [3rd 11/4f].
(2) -- SOCIETY QUEEN  [5th 11/2].

17:05 1m 6y Maiden (3yo).
(1) -- JAGERBOND  [7th 100/1].
(2) -- JOYFUL MISSION  [WON 4/5f].

17:40 5f 3y Handicap.
(1) -- HIGHLY FOCUSSED  [9th 20/1].
(2) -- SUPER JULIUS  [2nd 11/4f].

Staked -- 14 points.
Returns -- 2.8 points.

Having started the 2019 season afresh, we fell behind early on and have been trying to catch up since. Currently showing a deficit of -29.325 coming into our tenth meeting today. Still six more meetings to come after this one. Just the one winner today and plenty of places but does mean we lost another -11.2 points this afternoon sadly putting us on -40.525 overall. 

Our next meeting here will be on WEDNESDAY 7th AUGUST and that's the Ladies Day so we really hope you will stick with us till the end of the season.