This is usually a meeting that I would have attended each year as it falls close to my older brother's birthday, and while there are some crowds back I am skipping this year and will follow things from home.
Going and Weather
Now here are this evenings races and my selections for tonight;
The official going is described as Soft (Heavy in places).
Hopefully the weather is good, the on course bars are well stocked and the customers can enjoy a cracking night, I'll be back there sometime soon too.
Now here are this evenings races and my selections for tonight;
5.45pm Play Coral 'racing-super-series' For Free Handicap
1 mile 2 furlongs [Class 5 12 runners].
We open with a middle distance handicap headed by BAD COMPANY who is the one to beat on latest form winner of four races towards the end of last year and returned in a slightly higher grade when runner up to HMS President at Windsor, should go very well today and acts well on soft going. Support for Noble Masquerade would be interesting as another who will act on the soft ground, but will side with BORN TO PLEASE together with the likely fav here against the field in a low key opening event.
Winner - (2) Sweet Reward @10/1 [Rob Hornby].
6:15pm Coral National Stakes (Listed Race)
(2yo only) 5 furlongs [Class 1 8 runners].
The first of the quality races, a 5f sprint down the middle of the course for 2yo's and all eight runners have at least one win already so this will be a test. CHIPOTLE won the season opening Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster and then followed that up by winning a good trial at Ascot beating The Gatekeeper in the process, looks the one to beat on form available. NAVELLO won by 6L at Chester last time to complete a hat-trick of wins and the yard is doing really well so far with it's 2yo's. Support for any of the field is significant though I'd look at the filly CHOUX as the pick of the pair from David Evans' yard.
Winner - (3) Ebro River @4/1 [James Doyle].
6:50pm Coral Henry II Stakes (Group 3)
2 mile 50 yards [Class 1 5 runners].
The first of our two Group Three's tonight, the stayers event will see just the five runners take on the two mile trip, a previous winner of the Ascot Sagaro stakes NAYEF ROAD will appreciate this contest without Stradivarius in the line up, and should make a good staying test despite the small field. OCEAN WIND was runner up in this years renewal at Ascot and another to appreciate the soft ground here should be between the pair of them. Of the three remaining horses RANCH HAND has continued to progress for the step up in trip but will need to improve again to reach the level of the front pair, Rainbow Dreamer and Lismore make up the field tonight.
Winner - (5) Lismore @14/1 [JP Spencer].
7:25pm THE BRIGADIER GERARD STAKES (Group 3)
1 miles 2 furlongs [Class 1 4 runners].
The feature race of the evening and is being dedicated to the late Joe Mercer who was of course the regular jockey of Brigadier Gerard. SANGARIUS is the top rated here and drops down a level having been runner up in a Chester Group 2 last time, Sir Michael Stoute's 5yo should be popular here and Ryan Moore on board, doesn't have much to beat as long as the small field doesn't make this too tactical. EXTRA ELUSIVE should be better for his recent third place here in the Gordon Richards stakes and is likely to give our other selection the most to think about, not a two horse race at all FOX TAL has tried G3 company last year and needs to find more but is in good hands and big owners so not discounted completely while the field is completed by Euchen Glen and Oriental Mystique (Non runner).
Winner - (1) Euchen Glen @20/1 [P Mulrennan].
8:00pm Coral Whitsun Cup Handicap
1 mile [Class 3 10 runners].
A pair of handicaps to end the meeting with, both over a mile, and we first of all look at EPIC ENDEAVOUR here if fit to go first time up this season should be good enough having won on the soft going when last seen, capable of seeing off the challenge from the likes of RANSOM who will need to switch from the all weather to soft ground but clearly in good order with the step up to the mile trip surely in his favour too.
1 mile 2 furlongs [Class 5 12 runners].
We open with a middle distance handicap headed by BAD COMPANY who is the one to beat on latest form winner of four races towards the end of last year and returned in a slightly higher grade when runner up to HMS President at Windsor, should go very well today and acts well on soft going. Support for Noble Masquerade would be interesting as another who will act on the soft ground, but will side with BORN TO PLEASE together with the likely fav here against the field in a low key opening event.
Winner - (2) Sweet Reward @10/1 [Rob Hornby].
6:15pm Coral National Stakes (Listed Race)
(2yo only) 5 furlongs [Class 1 8 runners].
The first of the quality races, a 5f sprint down the middle of the course for 2yo's and all eight runners have at least one win already so this will be a test. CHIPOTLE won the season opening Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster and then followed that up by winning a good trial at Ascot beating The Gatekeeper in the process, looks the one to beat on form available. NAVELLO won by 6L at Chester last time to complete a hat-trick of wins and the yard is doing really well so far with it's 2yo's. Support for any of the field is significant though I'd look at the filly CHOUX as the pick of the pair from David Evans' yard.
Winner - (3) Ebro River @4/1 [James Doyle].
6:50pm Coral Henry II Stakes (Group 3)
2 mile 50 yards [Class 1 5 runners].
The first of our two Group Three's tonight, the stayers event will see just the five runners take on the two mile trip, a previous winner of the Ascot Sagaro stakes NAYEF ROAD will appreciate this contest without Stradivarius in the line up, and should make a good staying test despite the small field. OCEAN WIND was runner up in this years renewal at Ascot and another to appreciate the soft ground here should be between the pair of them. Of the three remaining horses RANCH HAND has continued to progress for the step up in trip but will need to improve again to reach the level of the front pair, Rainbow Dreamer and Lismore make up the field tonight.
Winner - (5) Lismore @14/1 [JP Spencer].
7:25pm THE BRIGADIER GERARD STAKES (Group 3)
1 miles 2 furlongs [Class 1 4 runners].
The feature race of the evening and is being dedicated to the late Joe Mercer who was of course the regular jockey of Brigadier Gerard. SANGARIUS is the top rated here and drops down a level having been runner up in a Chester Group 2 last time, Sir Michael Stoute's 5yo should be popular here and Ryan Moore on board, doesn't have much to beat as long as the small field doesn't make this too tactical. EXTRA ELUSIVE should be better for his recent third place here in the Gordon Richards stakes and is likely to give our other selection the most to think about, not a two horse race at all FOX TAL has tried G3 company last year and needs to find more but is in good hands and big owners so not discounted completely while the field is completed by Euchen Glen and Oriental Mystique (Non runner).
Winner - (1) Euchen Glen @20/1 [P Mulrennan].
8:00pm Coral Whitsun Cup Handicap
1 mile [Class 3 10 runners].
A pair of handicaps to end the meeting with, both over a mile, and we first of all look at EPIC ENDEAVOUR here if fit to go first time up this season should be good enough having won on the soft going when last seen, capable of seeing off the challenge from the likes of RANSOM who will need to switch from the all weather to soft ground but clearly in good order with the step up to the mile trip surely in his favour too.
At bigger prices History Writer has been highly tried and this represents a step back in grade, and fallen to a mark of 93 now could be interesting each way.
Winner - (2) Dashing Roger @5/1 [Marco Ghiani].
8:30pm Coral 'supporting Prostate Cancer' Handicap
1 mile [Class 4 11 runners].
A winner here last week URBAN VIOLET reappears under a penalty and should still be one to side with for Mick Channon's team, won by over eight lengths so no surprise if she follows up once more. Also of interest in the finale is FINAL WATCH who won last time out at Newmarket too and with Hollie Doyle booked sure to remain popular. Roger Charlton does well with his runners here and Encourage runs in the famous colours of HM The Queen and at 12/1 another for the win/place players is stepping back in trip back to the mile which should help and certainly looks a place bet for us.
8:30pm Coral 'supporting Prostate Cancer' Handicap
1 mile [Class 4 11 runners].
A winner here last week URBAN VIOLET reappears under a penalty and should still be one to side with for Mick Channon's team, won by over eight lengths so no surprise if she follows up once more. Also of interest in the finale is FINAL WATCH who won last time out at Newmarket too and with Hollie Doyle booked sure to remain popular. Roger Charlton does well with his runners here and Encourage runs in the famous colours of HM The Queen and at 12/1 another for the win/place players is stepping back in trip back to the mile which should help and certainly looks a place bet for us.
Winner - (11) Coul Kat @9/1 [B A Curtis].
Have a fun evening and Happy Birthday to my big brother Graham, we will have to do this next year!
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