EPSOM OAKS MEETING - FRIDAY 4th JUNE 2021

The Derby Festival (now sponsored by Cazoo) includes Oaks Day, previously known as Ladies' Day, and Derby Day returning to Epsom Downs Racecourse on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th June. Delayed until July last year due to the pandemic it's good to not only see the races return to their traditional date in the calendar but also for there to be a limited attendance too. Not the 100k+ that we'd usually see descend upon the downs but it's a step forward. 

Friday is Oaks day for the fillies, a race won last year by the impressive LOVE (pictured left) trained by Aiden O'Brien, and ridden by Ryan Moore. There is a strong supporting card on both days, Friday will also see the renewal of the Group 1 Coronation Stakes [3:10pm] while the feature race itself is due off at 4:30pm, live coverage will be on ITV channel in Uk.

Going / Weather
Going report - Good [Good to firm in places].
Weather forecast for Friday, expecting some rain today but a high of 21C makes it a June to enjoy if you lucky enough to be there. 

14:00  Cazoo Woodcote Ebf Stakes
6f 3y  [Class 2  10 runners]
The meeting gets underway with a 2yo contest and a field of ten, while DUSKY PRINCE might not have won a huge event at Brighton on debut that track does display some of the downhill helter skelter nature that will be needed here at Epsom so certainly of interest under Hollie Doyle. 

OSCULA [WON @15/2] also victorious at Brighton and her trainer is having a good season so far with their 2yo's certainly should be able to handle the track so will make that our pair against the field.
Outsider - Maybury needs to settle better but plugged on at Yarmouth on debut, expected to come on for that and at 33/1 could reach a place - Yes 3rd @33/1!
Winner - (8) Oscula @15/2 [Mark Crehan].

14:35  Coral 'Beaten By A Length' Free Bet Handicap
1m 113y  [Class 2  10 runners]
Ten runners, older horses, and IRISH ADMIRAL having moved across the seas to join William Haggas still looks the one to follow. Was third recently at York and that was over a two furlong longer trip, the step back looks fine and ought to be in the finish. A lack of course experience for most here although CORAZON ESPINADO [WON @12/1] is a course and distance winner in the past, has been busy on the all weather tracks but has kept his form in general and capable around this mark so included. Mick Channon sent Storting up to win at Thirsk and although up 5lb for that should still be winning this term somewhere, but maybe a return to Yorkshire would do the trick having won at Pontefract too also unsure if the extra furlong will be suitable now on this tricky course.
Winner - (9) Corazon Espinado @12/1 [Hollie Doyle].

15:10  Coronation Cup (Group 1) (British Champions Series)
1m 4f 6y  [Class 1  7 runners]
A decent renewal of this group one although we don't see last year's Derby winner sadly, but we do have last years winner of this again AL AASY turns up and looks hard to beat having returned this season and picked up a pair of group three's at Newbury prior defending this. Japan and Mogul will not make life easy and Aiden O'Brien's runners here are always respected but I would be interested to see how the market takes to PYLEDRIVER [WON 8/1] a decent set of runs last year including a win at Royal Ascot and third in the St Leger the trip is no problem, though the only run was in last year's Derby finished 11th but the whole field disappointed that day.
Winner - (5) Pyledriver @8/1 [M Dwyer].

15:45  Cazoo Handicap
1m 2f 17y  [Class 2  11 runners]
Open handicap now headed by Sky Defender who continues to run consistently for Mark Johnston might place but finding things hard to win with off this mark. A winner here last time out Victory Chime beat the aforementioned runner but up another 4lb taking him into the 100s so a repeat might be unlikely. Johnston also runs DREAM WITH ME who is improving all the time winning three of his last four and ought to remain competitive again. Hms President won at Windsor last time beating Water's Edge in third this looks a lot tougher.
Winner - (4) Blue Cap @9/2f [Oisin Murphy].

16:30  Cazoo Oaks (Group 1)
1m 4f 6y  [Class 1  14 runners]
Friday's feature race and the fillies turn to shine, not sure there's anything of the calibre of last year's winner Love but Aiden O'Brien does send five runners in this fourteen runner line up. Of these the 1000 Guineas fourth SANTA BARBARA looks the most interesting one if capable of staying the extra trip having found the mile at Newmarket a bit too much, inexperienced but clearly is fancied by the connections the pick by Ryan Moore. Snowfall is probably the second choice of the yard and has Frankie Dettori on board.
Away from Aiden's runners Sherbert Lemon won the Oaks trial at Lingfield and this represents her first chance of a Classic while Zeyaadah ran a good race when runner up at Chester in the Cheshire Oaks although unsure if the ground conditions are ideal now that the sun has come out, her trainer Roger Varian also has Save a Forest and Teona in the field.
Winner - (10) Snowfall @11/2 [L Dettori].

17:10  Play Coral 'Racing-Super-Series' For Free Surrey Stakes (Listed)
7f 3y  [Class 1  4 runners]
The meeting concludes with a pair of 7f events, the Surrey Stakes first which is for three year olds, we'll side with RUN TO FREEDOM [N/R] (H Candy) was only lightly raced as a 2yo but managed a win at Kempton on final start so it's hard to judge their limits hence the price. Also MAMBA WAMBA (Adrian Nicholls) has had more runs, a decent third in the big 2yo race at Redcar and a winner at York, looked to keep improving and another to consider against the field.
Winner - (2) Mehmento @11/8f [Hollie Doyle].

17:40  Cazoo Derby Festival Handicap
7f 3y  [Class 2  12 runners]
Our finale is a decent handicap for older horses headed by Above who has his first turf outing for a while, we'll look at DULAS / PAWS FOR THOUGHT against the field in this fairly open affair. Dulas won a nice handicap at Goodwood and only up 2lb for that effort, while Paws for Thought a winner at Chester last time goes up 7lb for this though has shown improvement in the past and could still have a bit more while clearly in a good mood.
Winner - (11) Rhoscolyn @9/2 [James Doyle].

Results will appear here later in the afternoon while The Derby meeting should be available for tomorrow too. We've started well with a few nice winners in the opening races and a big priced advised place bet too, I hope you enjoy a great weekend.

KEMPTON PARK HORSE RACING 2021 - MEETING #14 WEDNESDAY 2nd JUNE

Welcome to Kempton Park racecourse a season of evening meetings following the events on a Wednesday night on the all weather flat track under the lights. We will continue blogging throughout 2021 till the end of the year. Started well this season pleasantly still ahead as we reach the end of May. Bit of a lull elsewhere for me, AFC Wimbledon ended their season the other week and we've sadly seen the departure of key player Joe Pigott who played a huge part in our surviving another season in League One. The Champions League was an all English affair and Chelsea beat Manchester City to lift the famous trophy for a second time. The Epsom Oaks / Derby will be held this Friday and Saturday. NFL Fixtures due out too shortly while the 2021 London games have also been confirmed for the Tottenham Stadium.

Returning to the horse racing all results here are reported to 1pt at Starting Prices (SP) we will be keeping a rolling record of profit/loss all the way through from January till the Boxing Day 'King George' fixture in December. A successful opening first quarter in 2021 means we arrive here with a +22.055 profit and will continue to keep a record to SP throughout the season.

Throughout the year we will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of anticipated short priced favourites too. Naturally we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures we had been fairly successful with our selections throughout last year managed to get plenty of favourites beat so we finished on 33/49 (67.34%). We reset the counters for 2021 and will be continuing this throughout the year again. Currently standing at 13/18 (72%) after the latest meeting and we shall see how things progress during the year ahead. 

This week will be our fourteenth Wednesday evening meeting of the year and gladly this week we have begun to see the return to spectators on the racecourse not just the few owners. Tonight's meeting we shall now be expecting a nine race card with five handicaps for us to review. Our action will now commence at 16:35 with a 12f novice event, then we should end the card around about 20:50 with our final handicap event over just under two miles. 

Here's a link to this Wednesday's race card; RACECARD

Going and Weather -- The going on the polytrack surface is described as 'standard to slow' and the current weather forecast for this Wednesday is for a somewhat warm and balmy afternoon and early evening with regular showers in the forecast but a higher temperature of around 26C tonight - hopefully by the time the next meeting arrives it will begin to stay dry for the spectators that will then be in attendance.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;

17:40 Unibet Casino Deposit 10 Get 40 Bonus Handicap
7f  [Class 5  13 runners]

Our opening handicap on this expanded nine race card is wide open and we should see how VIVENCY [9th @33/1] can go running of the same mark she won from back in January. Is available at 16/1 and looks a good selection for the place market too at the very least, I also consider the chances of DIVINE MESSENGER [7th @14/1] who was runner up here off a higher mark and in a better grade, didn't seem to be as effective over mile since then and the return to seven furlongs surely gives him another opportunity also available at 20/1.
Winner - (3) Spirited Guest @11/1 [T P Queally].

19:20 Unibet New Instant Roulette Handicap

7f  [Class 4  10 runners]

ROYAL PLEASURE [2nd @8/11f] could well be a typical Sir Mark Prescott runner here, a winner twice at 7f will surely be aimed at longer trips soon and could well run up a decent sequence of results, impressive last time at Wolverhampton and sure to give a great account in this. JOIN FORCES [5th @7/1] another filly in her first handicap so plenty of unknowns, her success at Southwell was cosy (always had plenty in hand to win a neck) and James Doyle booked, one of many to be interested in.
Potential outsider - Adelita returning to the all weather and back to seven furlongs with Laura Pearson the regular jockey claiming 5lb, available at 20/1 here. 3rd 14/1
Winner - (1) Red Mirage @7/2 [Oisin Murphy].

19:50 Try Our New Price Boosts At Unibet Fillies' Handicap (3yo)

1m  [Class 4  14 runners]

A 3yo fillies handicap over the mile where PRIORITISE [4th @7/1] returns to Kempton after two good runs away at Wolves, winner last time when racing up with the pace and really should be involved in the finish here tonight with Oisin Murphy taking over in the saddle. VELVET AND STEEL [2nd @6/1] also returning to this track and her first handicap attempt, can improve having been staying on late at Nottingham last time, this won't take a world of winning and one that might even want a little further in time.
Winner - (6) Renaissance Rose @7/4 [W Buick].

20:20 Try Our New Price Boosts At Unibet Handicap

1m 3f 219y  [Class 3  7 runners]

Small fields to end the card with, this middle distance contest has seven runners headed by Galata Bridge, a good yardstick but this is his seasonal reappearance having been down the field back in October 2020 and might need this, still 7lb higher than the last of his wins last term. More appealing are the pair of runners in the Shadwell Estate silks, TAQAREER [3rd @7/2] (John Gosden) and ALMAREEKH [6th @6/1] (Sir Michael Stoute) the former was runner up here in April while the Stoute filly is having her first run this season but both can be supported against the field.

Winner - (4) Valyrian Steel @5/4f [David Egan].

20:50 Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Handicap

1m 7f 218y  [Class 4  5 runners]

The finale is for fillies and has attracted a small field of five, two have had a recent good run of form ended Indigo Times and Murhib which might mean that the handicapper has caught up with them now so will side with two others in this small field AL KOUT [Non Runner] / MUFTAKKER [4th @4/1] against the field. The other runner in the line up is Teqany who has been busy over the obstacles and hasn't raced on the flat for about three years, looks too short for me in the forecast market at time of publishing this.
Winner - (2) Indigo Times @5/2 [Callum Shepherd].

Staked -- 10 points.       Returns -- 1 points.
Results will appear here later during Wednesday evening. All results are accurate and recorded to SP returns to a 1pt win stake only and updated each meeting. Our winning start to 2021 continues and these first few months have proved to be successful even with the last meeting being a losing one our overall profit stands at +22.055 pts after meeting #13. We will update tonight's meeting #14 during the course of this evening. A frustrating evening with some places but no winners, loss of -9 points overall tonight so the profit total now left at +13.055 pts.

Lays -- 13/18 We had a good season last year again with the lays, aiming at favourites and not afraid to take on short odds on shots too. The plan will be for at least one or two each meeting and we will keep those results separate from the handicaps. Three successful lays tonight, one odds-on fav, so we improve to 16/21 now.

Tonight's Lays;

16:35 - Goolwa [1m 3f+ Novice Stakes]  Lost 4th

18:10 - Beheld [7f 3yo Novice Stakes]  Lost 2nd 5/6f

18:45 - Roscioli [7f 3yo Novice Stakes]  Lost 5th

The next midweek floodlit meeting here will be held on Wednesday 9th June so keep well and hopefully we can have a successful 2021.

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY RACING -- 31st MAY 2021

Should have been a very busy time for horse-racing for me over the past month but as Covid continues to affect many of us I've not been out to enjoy my 52nd Birthday as that would  usually have been at Ascot for their Sagaro Stakes meeting but also missed the Sandown event last week. However another round of Bank Holiday fixtures to enjoy instead, many tracks beginning to open up to a small amount of racegoers. Might have gone out to Windsor, although it's not one of my favourite tracks it is fairly local and sure to be extremely busy. Maybe it is just that I am getting older now but I do recall that Bank Holidays used to be a feast of racing, about ten meetings and now we've only six in UK (plus an evening meeting in Ireland) which is not much different from a regular Saturday? Probably just my imagination or memory playing tricks on me now that I am older ... still a good day to be enjoyed out there.

CARTMEL BANK HOLIDAY FIXTURES ALWAYS POPULAR

National Hunt fixtures;
Cartmel (above) - The long tradition of racing at Cartmel was started by the monks from Cartmel Priory in the 12th Century. The Whit Holiday Races have been a feature of the Racing Calendar since 1856 set against the backdrop of the beautiful Lakeland fells. Their seven race card begins at 13:20 with a mares novice hurdle in which I expect Somewhat Cloudy to be hard to beat, while the feature race on Monday being the Veterans Handicap Chase due off at 15:00 for which we think William of Orange could be the one to follow up his recent win at Southwell.

Huntingdon - The other NH meeting this Bank Holiday afternoon begins at 12:30 unfortunately, due to flood damage, this fixture will not be able to have spectators. An eight race card on offer with their most valuable race is surprisingly to me the 2m Maiden Hurdle contest, the only class 4 event on the card this afternoon, which is off at 13:00 and Astroman might be the one trained by Harry Eustace to foil the pair of Gary Moore runners.

Flat fixtures;
CHELMSFORD CITY (All weather) - The Essex course hosts their Bank Holiday meeting behind closed doors on Monday. "be advised that there will be no admittance to the general public permitted and no tickets available to attend this fixture" it would seem that they won't begin to have attendances for another month yet. First race is at 13:25 with their feature event is the 7f handicap off at 16:15 top weight Shimmering Dawn is expected to go well despite the burden and won here off a 5lb higher mark in February and is one of several course and distance winners.

REDCAR - Probably the feature race meeting of the day with the renewal of the Zetland Gold Cup worth more than £16,000 to the winner, prize money being down during Covid. Racing here gets underway at 13:45 with a 7f selling event that can go to Willing to Please here the Zetland Gold Cup is off at 16:40 very competitive as always and a field of fifteen so I've have a look at both Hartswood and Highwaygrey against the field.

LEICESTER - Racing due to get underway at 13:10 with a fillies handicap for three year olds that can go to Moonlit Night. Their feature race is the Welcomm Communications Handicap another race for three year olds over 6f due off at 15:25 which can go to Twilight Calls only 2lb higher than his latest win at Doncaster for which he was sent off the 1/4f winning comfortably, could be well in here.

WINDSOR - hopefully goes ahead this week as they lost last Monday's meeting due to a waterlogged course. Racing here should commence at 13:35 while their big race of the day goes off at 15:55 and is the 1m 2f handicap. A race now dedicated to the late Barney Curley and should be a win for Faisal with Hollie Doyle riding for trainer John Gosden.

IRELAND;
PUNCHESTOWN - The first of two Irish meeting today is an additional Irish meeting this bank holiday at Punchestown, it's an eight race card and the most valuable race is the 17:30 Mares Novice Hurdle which could go to Lunar Display trained by Joseph O'Brien.

BALLINROBE - The other Irish meeting today is also an evening fixture on the flat beginning at 16:35. They have a couple of nice races but the biggest prize on offer tonight is in the 19:45 Fillies Handicap with Maud Gonne Spirit an each way selection for trainer Jessica Harrington.

Whatever you doing this Bank Holiday I hope it's sunshine and fun for you. 

Enjoy your day and back to work tomorrow.