A 7lb rise for Goodwood Crusader (3.00) is unlikely to stop him in the best betting race on the first day of Newmarket’s July meetingThere are no Group One events on the first afternoon of Newmarket’s July Festival meeting, but there is still something for pretty much everyone in the four televised events (on ITV3) including the Coventry Stakes winner Rajasinghe’s attempt to see off a fresh set of juvenile opponents in the July Stakes and a St Leger trial at the top of the card, but the race that offers the deepest, and potentially most rewarding, puzzle is the three-year-old handicap at 3.00, which is always one of the strongest of its type all season.There is a long list of...
The Newmarket trainer generally makes hay in July and August. Plus tips for all Wednesday racesWe’re getting into a Sir Mark Prescott time of the year, July and August usually being the peak months for the Newmarket trainer. Indeed, it seems to me that in years gone by he barely used to have a runner before July, though he’s had almost 100 in 2017 so far. Related: Olly Murphy riding high as Britain’s newest trainer after quick double Continue reading...
Alarming posters about the risks of self-induced vomiting will soon be pasted up where jockeys can see themMale jockeys are 12 times more likely to have reduced bone density than the general population, a study by Oxford University has discovered. The details have been published today by racing’s ruling body as part of a concerted effort to improve wellbeing among riders. Related: Yanworth injection came 20 days before Champion Hurdle Continue reading...
After just four runners, it seems pretty clear that Olly Murphy knows exactly what he’s doing with a racehorseI’ll start today by drawing to your attention the emergence of an extremely sharp new trainer, Olly Murphy; so sharp, indeed, that he managed to cut himself at Market Rasen yesterday. The 25-year-old saddled his first two runners in a jumps race, saw them finish first and second at 16-1 and 9-2 but was then fined for withdrawing three other horses he had had in the race. Related: Swift compensation for Godolphin as Thunder Snow wins Prix Jean Prat Continue reading...
The Listed Gala Stakes can go to Ayrad (3.25), who ran an excellent race to finish fifth at Royal Ascot in JuneThe British Horseracing Authority will announce by noon today whether next Friday’s meeting at Musselburgh will be scrubbed from the calendar as a result of the infighting on the racecourse’s ruling committee, having extended a deadline of 5pm on Thursday after the committee’s chairman, Willie Innes, seemed to agree to hold an independent review of the way the council-owned track is run.“A number of caveats” in Innes’s pledge are currently being examined in High Holborn before the BHA decides whether to renew the track’s licence to stage racing, but this Friday’s racing programme is a useful diversion while we...