12.15pm Shalaa still on course for the Prix Morny
Tony Paley: The Prix Morny at Deauville on 23 August is still expected to be the next port of call for Shalaa following his convincing win in the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last week.
Al Shaqab’s racing manager, Harry Herbert, told At The Races: “He [Shalaa] is special, isn’t he? He’ll go to France - he’s a [Prix] Morny horse through and through, so long as the ground’s not horrible and John Gosden is happy with him.
“He looks a very talented horse indeed. I know Frankie is immensely high on him and is hopeful he’s a genuine Group One horse in the making.”
Herbert sees Gutaifan as the “reserve” for the Prix Morny, should testing conditions prevail on August 23. He said: “He loved the soft ground in France the other day and did it really well. He’s a fantastic horse. He’s a really gutsy, game horse who loves his racing. With a bit of juice in the ground, he’s a bit special and he’s a reserve candidate for the Morny if it turned soft.”
Tuesday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
The Silly Season is well and truly underway and that’s true of racing too. This is traditionally the quietest fortnight of the racing campaign - I remember the sales of the Weekender when I was editing the paper used to nosedive in the two weeks at the beginning of August. So we can’t expect too much quality and, indeed, the most valuable meeting today is on the all-weather this evening at Chelmsford City.
For a bet, I fancy sticking to the afternoon fare and focusing on the final race at Salisbury. Wild Desert (5.35) has bounced back to form since joining Jennie Candlish and is still well treated on his old form and comes here after victory at Bath last time out. In the last event at Catterick there is plenty to like about Let’s Twist (5.45) who faces mainly exposed runners on his handicap debut.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Flyman 8-1
Stellarta 7-1
Call It On 16-1
And our leaders are …
kingklynch +14
erifder +14
… who both found Call It On and have a handy eight-point lead over the six of you who picked Flyman.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 4.30 Salisbury, 7.35 Ripon, 8.00 Cork.
This week’s prize is a pair of tickets to Newbury for Saturday 15 August, featuring the Hungerford Stakes, the Geoffrey Freer and not to mention that fact that it’s their Ladies Day with a performance from Bjorn Again among the many attractions, about which you can read 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 -3.
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.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
