Talk about famine and feast. All those days when the main action is at Brighton, Beverley, Southwell or Wolves and then suddenly we've got Ascot, Newmarket, York, Chester and Newbury on the same day. To say nothing of Chepstow.
I'm quite confident about Marchand D'Or in the July Cup, but not so confident that I could recommend a bet at 7-2. On the other hand, I really can't see why Regal Parade (2.35) is 20-1 on Betfair for the Bunbury Cup. Fresh from his career best effort when winning at Royal Ascot, he goes on soft and has a great chance.
No trainer is in better form than Richard Hannon, who has plenty of chances today and tomorrow. I make Party Cat (2.25) in the first at Ascot the pick of them - his second race came just six days after the first, which is why he didn't appear to progress. The better for a break, he's good enough for this.
Look Busy (2.45) has the form to win York's televised Group race and she'd be a lot shorter in the market if she weren't from the deeply unfashionable yard of Alan Berry.
Best bet tonight may be My Aunt Fanny (8.50) at Chester, from the Andrew Balding yard that can hardly stop sending out the winners at the moment. Vicky Haigh is also in form and her Paraguay (7.25) would be favourite at Newbury, but for the presence of an unexposed James Fanshawe runner - I'm counting on Jamie Spencer to leave it too late on that one. Phantom Whisper (8.40) has everything right for him at Chepstow.
Easy game . . .
Phantom Whisper (11-2) and My Aunt Fanny (7-2) both won to make it another day in profit for Talking Horses. Alas, Jamie Spencer timed it right at Newbury and Edward Creighton got it wrong on the fast-finishing Paraguay, who was beaten a length.
Regal Parade was placed at 12-1 but Look Busy faded out of the frame after chasing a strong pace on heavy going and Party Cat blew out completely.
In the big race of the day, Marchand D'Or proved himself the best sprinter in Europe by getting up on the line to win the July Cup. His jockey, Davy Bonilla, took him straight to the back of the field and then steered him to the stands' rail, where he overtook everything else in the last two furlongs. But he only just caught US Ranger, who had run up the middle of the track, where Marchand D'Or would have been if Bonilla hadn't taken him on such an erratic course.
I guess it worked, so I shouldn't moan, but Marchand D'Or had a fair bit more in hand over this field than the short-head verdict records.
Good luck over the weekend, people.
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