Philip Robinson is one of the most tactically aware jockeys around and he was seen to good effect on Bertoliver at Chester yesterday. This afternoon he can make the most of a plum draw on Royalist (3.15) in the Halifax Handicap. With likely dangers Wasan and Adversity drawn wide, Royalist has strong claims off a mark of 85, which could prove lenient. The King's Best colt has only run twice and made short work of his rivals in a Doncaster maiden last month.
Doctor Fremantle (2.45) looks solid in the Chester Vase, his preparation so far running along the lines of stable-mate Papal Bull, who won this for the Stoute team two years ago.
At Newton Abbot, Rare Gold (3.45) looks set to get his act together over fences at long last. Fast ground is the key to him, and he was in the process of running a pleasing race at Ascot last time when unluckily getting rid of his jockey.
Tony Paley 1.25pm This just in. That Boy Ronaldo is a non-runner in the fifth race at Chester today. Interestingly named that one, especially with the news about the other Ronaldo (the Brazilian with AC Milan) this week because That Boy Ronaldo is a filly!
And it's ladies' day at Chester today which makes it surprising that Tommo's a non-runner on Channel 4. Maybe we should be grateful. The Racing Post are celebrating the fact by putting two gorgeous blondes on the front page. Is it just me (don't answer that) or does it look as if they are about to kiss? Whatever, that has led to some comparisons (unflattering) on the Betfair forum with the women on the front page of G2 in our organ: 'How the people of Lesbos learned to love their lesbians'.
Were you up with the dawn chorus this morning? You had to be to get the price about Royalist for which Ron has made a most convincing case. The Paley hard-earned is down and Royalist now trades at 5-2, half the price he was this morning. I would also draw your attention to Ron's bet of the day (print version) which is Blue Bajan (2.00) who runs in Saturday's Swinton Hurdle at Haydock. The 12-1 has all gone but even at 9-1 he looks worth an each-way punt as he looks primed to run a big race this weekend with so much in his favour.
John McCririck (Big Mac) has just been on on Channel 4 saying Royalist is a "serious plunge" and suggesting the handicapper could have made a "major rick". Talking of major ricks what is that on the head of Tanya Stevenson (The Femail). Big Mac has labelled it a "flowerpot". Whatever your thoughts on McCririck Channel 4 racing is going to be a more boring place without him for much of the summer.
1.50pm Mull Of Dubai mugs the favourite Escape Route nipping down the inside on the turn for home in the first at Chester, another good result for the bookie chappies. Though Mac points out there was good money late on for the winner -- as often in the past John Egan is definitely a jockey to have on your side when the money's down and he certainly got stuck into his mount in the closing stages.
2.00pm Not to be outdone in the Fashion Stakes Richard Pitman on Attheraces (henceforth ATR due to RSI) at Newton Abbot has some trousers of a salmon hue often seen on the racecourse. Not as much of an eyesore as the Femail but only because we mostly only see him from the waist up.
2.10pm Interesting maiden (race this time) opens the card at Goodwood. My colleague David Myers points out Kelowna travelling well before she gets the better of Resurge. The odds might have been 40-1 but she looks useful and this was probably an above-average race of its kind. I'm indebted to Mr Myers for pointing out Pipedreamer won the race last year. Red Icon is the one for those who follow what Racing UK (henceforth RUK) pundit Steve Mellish politely called this time those "being ridden with a view to another day".
2.15pm What's going on at Chester? The ground is getting plaudits everywhere but Majounes Song in the second race is the fourth horse pulled up in two days. King Orchisios had to be put down yesterday -- maybe the incidents aren't related but that number at a Flat meeting is virtually unheard of. The reaction to the death of Eight Belles in last Saturday's Kentucky Derby was a big warning for racing. Increasingly, the general public are going to question whether the price some Thoroughbreds pay is too high. As for the race, in contrast to the first, where they went off too fast, it appears the jockeys on early leaders Championship Point and Maraahel got the pace right. For favourite Multidimensional, who was sat way too far off the pace, this was a waste of time.
Ed Gretton, clerk of the course, has just been on RUK saying the incidents aren't connected and he is happy with the state of the course. "So no comment," says Ed. RUK presenter Lydia Hislop does a good job of eliciting from Gretton as to what measures tracks take when they get a spate of such injuries -- she did a good job there as the general public is not going to be fobbed off these days.
2.35pm This year's Royal Ascot media guide landed with a thump on the mat this morning. On page 13 we discover that this year's Fashion Show at the Royal meeting will be graced by the presence of Vivienne Westwood. On page 14 in an 'A to Z of the Do's And Don'ts In The Royal Ascot Fashion Stakes' under K for Knickers the advice is: 'A definite yes, but not on show please ladies!' Has the Ascot Authority forgotten that La Westwood has twice turned up at Buckingham Palace without her knickers on. Click here if you don't believe me. When she did the twirl after picking up her OBE in 1992, now that was uneasy on the eye -- the image is still burned on my retina.
2.50pm Excellent start for Ron's tips with Doctor Fremantle landing the odds in the Chester Vase. Cracking ride from Ryan Moore as his horse completely missed the break. Quotes for the Derby of 20-1 are coming in but he has to be supplemented and I doubt his trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, never the most forthcoming in interviews, will be giving much away. The owner's representative Teddy Grimthorpe (has a man with such a sinecure been so badly named) indicates the route is likely to be the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Irish Derby rather than Epsom so keep your money in your pocke for now if you fancy him. Personally, I don't. Not for Epsom anyway but he will surely win more good races and the breeding analysis by Jim McGrath on Channel 4 is illuminating as Doctor Fremantle will surely stay further which would bring the St Leger into play. Being by Sadler's Wells, it's also likely he will appreciate any cut in the ground at The Curragh in the Irish Derby. A lot will depend on what happens to Twice Over, who is also owned by Khlaid Abdullah, at York next week in his Derby trial.
3.05pm Extraordinary performance from 7lb claimer Amy Scott on Seamus Shindig in the 3.00 at Goodwood. This horse looks as if it has entered the race in the final furlong as the jockey sits motionless before winning by a neck on a ride that wouldn't have looked out of place in the Lester Piggott/Jamie Spencer/Richard Hughes back catalogue. It simply has to be seen to be believed.
3.20pm Royalist blows out. Leads most of the way but is soon beaten after being headed in the straight -- maybe Steve Mellish on RUK was right when he said he had worries about the son of King's Best on this sort of ground. The big eyecatcher is Alex Ferguson's horse Adversity who gets no luck from a coffin box draw. Someone will be getting the hairdryer treatment.
4.00pm Rebecca de Winter wins at Chester. Pretty uneventful but I like the name. I would rather have watched the film. Is Rebecca de Winter the most influential character never to have appeared in a movie? Discuss. By the way, what was Joan Fontaine's character's name? And was Mrs Danvers the one true love of Rebecca's life. We're back in G2 territory now.
4.40pm John Egan can certainly ride the tight bends at Chester well and wins from the front on Not My Choice. With the future in mind the 4.45 at Goodwood is much more interesting. Savarain, the winner, will be a handicapper Luca Cumani can do well with and Dalhaan, who got no luck in running, is better than this. That looks a fair maiden race and one that might prove worth following.
With tomorrow in mind at Chester I can exclusively reveal that Ron will be rowing in with Dhaular Dhar (napped by sprint-race specialiat Graham Wheldon in the Racing & Football Outlook) and Stretton in the last. Both have excellent records round here and are worthy of close scrutiny for their respective races.
5,25pm They'll be off at Great Leighs in a quarter of an hour and soon ATR will start showing the American races for the needy and greedy. As the late, great Humphrey Lyttleton put it at the end of a recording of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue at a Chester venue, rather appropriately: " . . . and so, as the vanquished charwoman of time begins to Shake'N'Vac the shagpile of eternity . . ." it's time to say goodnight.
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