Post by Old Timer on Jul 18, 2020 10:36:18 GMT
A disappointing set of cards, and even York can’t perk me up. I can tell you, today’s race is speculative at best. But it is Saturday!
York 14.30 Cl 2 Handicap 374 (90.8) 10.5f – 22 Run
Last year – 1245/100.0 gd/fm – 21 ran
Pivoine 14/1 5-9-8 (104) Dr 6 by 1 l from Setting Sail 9/2 F 4-9-4 (100) Dr 23
What’s The Story 12/1 5-9-4 (100) Dr 1 was 1.75 l 3rd
Afaak 14/1 5-9-12 (108) Dr 24 was 3.85 l 5th
Caradoc 5-9-2 (100) Dr 9 (103.2)
’19 record: 3/1/7 ’20 record: 0/0/1
04/07/20 Cl 2 Hcap (156/92.8) 10f gd Epsom 9-6 9/2 6/13 4 l off 100 – 87.0
steadied and switched left start, held up well in rear, headway on outside final furlong. too late to challenge
21/09/19 Cl 2 Hcap (436/96.0) 10f gd/fm Newb 9-0 5/1 1/13 0.5 l off 95 – 91.2
held up mid division, headway and switched right over 2f out, carried over 1f out, stayed on final furlong, led close home.
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); course (W); form run lto (14 days); down 4lbs (wt);
Minus:
Verdict: good record last season, but left with too much to do at Epsom on his return behind Sky Defender (-1) and Tinandali (+2) in 3rd; meets them on 5lbs and 4lbs better terms, respectively and likely will have come on for the first run back.
Desert Icon 4-9-7 (105) Dr 5 (103.0)
‘19 record: 2/2/7 ’20 record: 1/0/2
28/06/20 Cl 2 Hcap (97/99.8) 10f gd/fm Nwmkt 9-0 11/8 F 1/5 8.5 l off 96 – 96.0
made all, shaken up entering the final furlong, ridden clear, unchallenged
Plus: class (W); going (F); distance (W); form run lto (20 days);
Minus: course (?); up 7lbs (wt); up 9lbs (OR);
Verdict: finished behind Sky Defender (+3) and Good Birthday (+2) on his return ad then stepped up the pace to win by a large margin at Newmarket; raised 9lbs for that and will have to improve substantially to win here.
Fifth Position 4-9-6 (104) Dr 17 (100.8)
’19 record 1/0/6 ’20 record: 1/1/2
14/06/20 Cl 2 Hcap (97/93.6) 10f gd Donc 9-7 9/4 1/7 1 l off 99 – 92.8
held up in touch in mid-division, switched right over 2f out, effort 1f out, stayed on well inside final furlong, edged left and lead towards finish, won going away
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); form run lto (34 days); down 1lb (wt);
Minus: course (?); up 5lbs;
Verdict: seems to be improving this season and had Sky Defender (0) – winner since – behind him when winning at Doncaster; gave the impression that he’ll stay further in time.
Harrovian 4-9-4 (102) Dr 11 (96.8+)
’19 record: 2/3/7 ’20 record: 1/1/2
26/06/20 Cl 3 Hcap (67/90.6) 10f gd/fm Donc 9-9 11/8 F 1/7 0.1 l off 96 – 86.8
bit keen, tracked leading trio on inside, pushed along in 3rd over 2f out, ridden and went 3nd over 1f out,stayed on to lead final 100yds, bit in hand
Plus: distance (W); form run lto (22 days); down 5lbs (wt);
Minus: class; going; course; up 6lbs (OR); up in class;
Verdict: improving sort and Frankie had more in hand than he showed at Doncaster; cheekpieces retained and run better than rating suggests.
Solid Stone 4-9-3 (101) Dr 21 (96.4)
’19 record: 1/3/6 ’20 record: 1/0/1
13/06/20 Cl 2 Hcap (97/91.2) 8f gd Sand 9-6 6/4 F 1/8 2.0 l off 94 – 85.4
keen in touch, edged left over 6f out, dropped to rear over 4f out, headway 2f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); form run lto (35 days); down 3lbs (wt);
Minus: course (?); up 7lbs (OR);
Verdict: won a Cl 3 over 10f on his return last season but after two failures at the distance dropped to 8f and finished runner-up on his final 3 starts; won over 8f on his return and now steps up to 10.5f again; question will he stay any better this year?
Many that do not make the list for various reasons, the major ones being that with 16/18 being aged 5yo or younger I think we can give last year’s winner, Pivoine a miss, especially as he’s not had a run this year. I know this year’s different, but 14/18 had already had at least 3 prior runs in the season, so I think at least a season’s run; which rules out Great Example. Price seems to rule out Sky Defender and Tinandali, as there has been no move for either.
Of my shortlist I feel Desert Icon has a problem raised 9lbs. and I remain curious about Solid Stone actually staying the trip. So of the remainder, I’m going for Fifth Position from Caradoc and Harrovian.
York 14.30 Cl 2 Handicap 374 (90.8) 10.5f – 22 Run
Last year – 1245/100.0 gd/fm – 21 ran
Pivoine 14/1 5-9-8 (104) Dr 6 by 1 l from Setting Sail 9/2 F 4-9-4 (100) Dr 23
What’s The Story 12/1 5-9-4 (100) Dr 1 was 1.75 l 3rd
Afaak 14/1 5-9-12 (108) Dr 24 was 3.85 l 5th
Caradoc 5-9-2 (100) Dr 9 (103.2)
’19 record: 3/1/7 ’20 record: 0/0/1
04/07/20 Cl 2 Hcap (156/92.8) 10f gd Epsom 9-6 9/2 6/13 4 l off 100 – 87.0
steadied and switched left start, held up well in rear, headway on outside final furlong. too late to challenge
21/09/19 Cl 2 Hcap (436/96.0) 10f gd/fm Newb 9-0 5/1 1/13 0.5 l off 95 – 91.2
held up mid division, headway and switched right over 2f out, carried over 1f out, stayed on final furlong, led close home.
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); course (W); form run lto (14 days); down 4lbs (wt);
Minus:
Verdict: good record last season, but left with too much to do at Epsom on his return behind Sky Defender (-1) and Tinandali (+2) in 3rd; meets them on 5lbs and 4lbs better terms, respectively and likely will have come on for the first run back.
Desert Icon 4-9-7 (105) Dr 5 (103.0)
‘19 record: 2/2/7 ’20 record: 1/0/2
28/06/20 Cl 2 Hcap (97/99.8) 10f gd/fm Nwmkt 9-0 11/8 F 1/5 8.5 l off 96 – 96.0
made all, shaken up entering the final furlong, ridden clear, unchallenged
Plus: class (W); going (F); distance (W); form run lto (20 days);
Minus: course (?); up 7lbs (wt); up 9lbs (OR);
Verdict: finished behind Sky Defender (+3) and Good Birthday (+2) on his return ad then stepped up the pace to win by a large margin at Newmarket; raised 9lbs for that and will have to improve substantially to win here.
Fifth Position 4-9-6 (104) Dr 17 (100.8)
’19 record 1/0/6 ’20 record: 1/1/2
14/06/20 Cl 2 Hcap (97/93.6) 10f gd Donc 9-7 9/4 1/7 1 l off 99 – 92.8
held up in touch in mid-division, switched right over 2f out, effort 1f out, stayed on well inside final furlong, edged left and lead towards finish, won going away
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); form run lto (34 days); down 1lb (wt);
Minus: course (?); up 5lbs;
Verdict: seems to be improving this season and had Sky Defender (0) – winner since – behind him when winning at Doncaster; gave the impression that he’ll stay further in time.
Harrovian 4-9-4 (102) Dr 11 (96.8+)
’19 record: 2/3/7 ’20 record: 1/1/2
26/06/20 Cl 3 Hcap (67/90.6) 10f gd/fm Donc 9-9 11/8 F 1/7 0.1 l off 96 – 86.8
bit keen, tracked leading trio on inside, pushed along in 3rd over 2f out, ridden and went 3nd over 1f out,stayed on to lead final 100yds, bit in hand
Plus: distance (W); form run lto (22 days); down 5lbs (wt);
Minus: class; going; course; up 6lbs (OR); up in class;
Verdict: improving sort and Frankie had more in hand than he showed at Doncaster; cheekpieces retained and run better than rating suggests.
Solid Stone 4-9-3 (101) Dr 21 (96.4)
’19 record: 1/3/6 ’20 record: 1/0/1
13/06/20 Cl 2 Hcap (97/91.2) 8f gd Sand 9-6 6/4 F 1/8 2.0 l off 94 – 85.4
keen in touch, edged left over 6f out, dropped to rear over 4f out, headway 2f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); form run lto (35 days); down 3lbs (wt);
Minus: course (?); up 7lbs (OR);
Verdict: won a Cl 3 over 10f on his return last season but after two failures at the distance dropped to 8f and finished runner-up on his final 3 starts; won over 8f on his return and now steps up to 10.5f again; question will he stay any better this year?
Many that do not make the list for various reasons, the major ones being that with 16/18 being aged 5yo or younger I think we can give last year’s winner, Pivoine a miss, especially as he’s not had a run this year. I know this year’s different, but 14/18 had already had at least 3 prior runs in the season, so I think at least a season’s run; which rules out Great Example. Price seems to rule out Sky Defender and Tinandali, as there has been no move for either.
Of my shortlist I feel Desert Icon has a problem raised 9lbs. and I remain curious about Solid Stone actually staying the trip. So of the remainder, I’m going for Fifth Position from Caradoc and Harrovian.