11am Moore sidelined after stalls accident at Newmarket
Greg Wood: Ryan Moore’s return to race-riding is undecided following an incident in the final race at Newmarket on Thursday when the three-times champion jockey was unseated in the stalls.
Moore stayed in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge overnight following the incident in which his mount, Newton’s Law, was briefly trapped underneath the stalls. The jockey complained of pain in his neck afterwards, and was due to have undergone a further scan on Friday morning.
“He’s just taking the weekend off and will be having another scan today,” Tony Hind, Moore’s agent, said on Friday morning. “He had a scan yesterday and they didn’t find anything, but they kept him in overnight and he will be having another precautionary scan just to make sure there’s nothing there. He’s fine in himself, he’s a very tough boy.”
Moore’s ride in the Falmouth Stakes, the feature race on the Newmarket card today, has been scratched this morning due to the prevailing fast ground, but he had been due to partner Due Diligence for Aidan O’Brien in tomorrow’s Group One July Cup.
Friday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
Lucida, the runner-up in the 1,000 Guineas, is the most likely winner of the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket today and has shortened to 5-2 from 3-1 after Integral’s withdrawal, but while she is marginally the best horse in the race on ratings, Lucida has already lined up for four Group One events in her seven-race career without managing to get her head in front.
Her price looks thin in the circumstances, and in a race where seven of the eight runners have a chance, Arabian Queen (3.15) is a much more attractive option at around 14-1. David Elsworth’s filly started the year with a much-improved performance to win the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom, and backed that up by running fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot next time. She was just over a length-and-a-quarter behind Lucida - who was third - at the line, having raced keenly in her favoured position at the head of the field.
She has course form too, having won what most punters still remember as the Cherry Hinton Stakes at this meeting last year, and while there are a couple of opponents in today’s field who race up with the pace, Arabian Queen is the only confirmed front-runner. Seven of the eight winners here on Thursday either made all or raced close to the pace, and if Silvestre de Sousa can get her to settle just a little better today, she could well steal it from the front.
Easton Angel (2.40) produced a performance good enough to win the Queen Mary Stakes in many years when second to Wesley Ward’s Acapulco last time out and should underline the point in today’s Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes. Interception (2.55) was a very impressive winner of the Wokingham Handicap last time out and should make a successful step up to Group company at York, while First Sitting (3.25) also has strong claims on the same card.
Tipping competition, day five
Our winners so far:
Monday
My Name Is Rio 9-4
Nocturn 16-1
Showstoppa 15-2
Tuesday
Nameitwhatyoulike 8-1
Alaweer 6-4
Cape Victoria 9-4
Wednesday
High Secret 13-8
Rocket Punch 9-2
Acolyte 3-1
Thursday
Shalaa 14-1
Big Orange 25-1
Resonant 12-1
And our leader is ...
William36 +19.50
... who popped up just in time to pick Resonant yesterday, a winner that no one else foumd. He’d previously had Nameitwhatyoulike, Rocket Punch and Acolyte. Slackdad38 (+14.75) was one of just two people to pick Shalaa (the other was 23skidoo). No one found Big Orange on what was one of the hardest day’s we’ve had in this competition. Other good scores: moidadem +10.63, chris1623 +3.75, 16heathermac01 +3.38, 23skidoo +3.
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.15 Newmarket, 3.45 Newmarket, 4.55 Newmarket.
This week’s prize is a copy of The Bluffers Guide to Horseracing, which none of you will exactly need, of course, but which you are all likely to find entertaining, since it has been written by David Ashforth, one of the best and funniest writers ever to grace racing’s press room. If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -12.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day (TODAY).
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
