Wednesday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Much as I love taking a swing at a big-priced runner, the bet that appeals to me most on the opening day of York’s Ebor meeting is Cross Counter (3.00) at 13-8 for the Great Voltigeur. This is despite the slightly upsetting experience of napping his half-sister yesterday and seeing her finish out of the frame.
The Gordon Stakes that he won at Glorious Goodwood is not always a strong race and there were only four runners this year. The runner-up, Dee Ex Bee, was also runner-up in the Derby but he has had a suspiciously hard time actually winning a race.
Still, Cross Counter put up a strong performance against the clock that day and it was not an effort that came out of a blue sky; he’d been building towards a big run all summer. I like that he coped so well with making most of the running but he doesn’t have to do that and I don’t think he will today.
When Kew Gardens won the Grand Prix de Paris, I did not expect to be taking him on the next time he ran. But Aidan O’Brien has had his problems since then, with a bug seemingly sweeping through the yard, and of course this one has to shoulder a 5lb penalty for having won a Group One. If Cross Counter is also Group One-quality, that’s asking a lot of Kew Gardens.
You’ve always got to fear a Yorkshire horse in a Yorkshire race and Wells Farhh Go looked awfully good at Newmarket last time. Front-running made a difference to him that day, so I expect we’ll see the same again but it may not work so well over a shorter trip against better rivals.
At 66-1, Zabriskie is being written off but I shall have an each-way interest. Wells Farhh Go was among those behind him when he was a running-on third in the Dante at this very course and of course he is sexily bred, as a Frankel half-brother to an Arc winner, Bago. All you have to do is put a line through his Derby run, and I can always forgive a bad run at Epsom. Mind you, Zabriskie’s effort that day was cover-your-eyes awful.
Poet’s Word (3.35) is the pick in the big race, for reasons explained here. I see there’s some fretting about where the pace is going to come from. I’m expecting Thunder Snow and maybe Benbatl to be to the fore. I don’t think they’ll go mad but it should be a respectable pace that will allow Poet’s Word to show his class in the straight. I don’t think he’s a slow horse in any case. He’s also 13-8.
Holmeswood (1.55) has attracted support at 9-1 for the opening sprint handicap. It’s not the sort of race I ever feel confident about but there’s a strong case for him running well and those odds are still fair, for me.
Be lucky!
York 1.55 Holmeswood 2.25 Watan 3.00 Cross Counter 3.35 Poet’s Word (nap) 4.15 Davy’s Dilemma (nb) 4.50 Don Armado
Carlisle 2.05 First Bombardment 2.40 Vigorito 3.15 Gloves Lynch 3.50 Bellick 4.25 Intense Romance 4.55 Markhan 5.25 Here In The Dark 5.55 Archive
Brighton 2.15 King’s Girl 2.50 Harlequin Rose 3.25 Arzaak 4.00 Final Rock 4.35 Black Caesar 5.10 Andalusite
Worcester 5.00 Drumhart 5.30 One For Billy 6.00 Melody Of Scotland 6.30 Carntop 7.00 Mizen Master 7.30 Andapa 8.00 His Dream
Kempton 5.45 Lively Lydia 6.15 Imphal 6.45 Via Delle Volte 7.15 Extra Elusive 7.45 Honey Man 8.15 Morning Has Broken 8.45 Excelleration
