Sad news to begin with ever-popular 78-year-old trainer Bill Turner passing away on Thursday. Turner took a riding fall on Monday, a day after his 78th birthday, having been knocked over by horse. The fall resulted in the handler striking his head and causing a fracture. After being rushed to hospital Turner’s condition deteriorated through the week.
The man who had so much success with speedy juveniles, especially in the season-opening Brocklesby Stakes, will be sadly missed and our best wishes are with his family.
‘Billy the Kid’ Rides First Group 1 Winner
If ever there was to be a popular first Group 1 winning ride, it was this. World favourite Rebel’s Romance, now a seven-year-old, won his eighth top-level race on Sunday as he once again took the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten, but the big story was the jockey.
Young Billy Loughnane rode his first Group 1 winner on the day, surely the first of many. While William Buick is at no age to slow down, the departure of James Doyle to Wathnan has left Charlie Appleby and Godolphin without a full-time second jockey. Could Loughnane be the man?
The top young rider has been given more and more opportunities by Appleby in recent weeks, and he could be in line to take further Group 1 rides over the coming months, perhaps even in next year’s Classics.
Newbury, Deauville or York?
On the one hand, the strength of Britain’s seven-furlong races means it’s great that one of them is finally a Group 1 event. The City of York Stakes is run next Saturday as part of the Ebor Festival, but could it be weakened by its place in the calendar?
The Group 2 Hungerford Stakes is run before that over the intermediate distance at Newbury on Saturday. Some of the contenders there were also naturally considered for York but likely cannot run in both races.
Favourite More Thunder is inching up the ranks, while Notable Speech will miss both races and go to Deauville on Sunday instead for the one-mile Prix Jacques le Marois.
Spy Chief is another who is improving but was already considered good enough for a Group 1 challenge when sent to the July Cup recently. Their potential defections still leave the likes of Rosallion, Kinross, Shadow Of Light and Audience to go to York but you can’t help feeling inaugural Group 1 City of York could have been deeper.
Incredibly Strong Ebor Festival Markets
On the Knavesmire, Derby winner Lambourn has understandably hardened for Wednesday’s Great Voltigeur Stakes. Aidan O’Brien’s colt is now as short as 4/9 although 4/6 is still available. There has also been a little bit of money for Pride Of Arras at around 12/1.
The big race on the same day is the Juddmonte International. O’Brien’s Eclipse winner Delacroix is the general 6/4 favourite, ahead of the value Ombudsman at up to 2/1. There have been nibbles for French contender Daryz at 8/1, but the market is generally stagnant given the strength in depth of the field.
Friday’s Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes is the opposite, odds changing on all sort of horses daily with no standout performer in the field. Juvenile filly Spicy Marg, a Glorious Goodwood winner, has been the one for money most recently with Michael Bell’s sprinter now into 9/1 in places.
In the aforementioned City Of York Stakes, run on Saturday, money has come in recently for Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave (4/1 and 5/1) and the French-trained Maranoa Charlie at the same price. This is potentially a tough race to call.
Saturday’s headlining Ebor Handicap offers us a similar market to the Juddmonte, at least in terms of it being almost too strong to spot real market movers. That said, there have been nibbles this week for Aidan O’Brien’s London City into 12/1 and 14/1. He is most definitely an improver.
Newmarket’s Major Autumn Juvenile Entries
Far from wishing the year away, but the major two-year-old races at Newmarket received their first entries this week.
Unbeaten Dance To The Music (Charlie Appleby) is in the Rockfel and the Fillies Mile, as is Simon and Ed Crisford’s Zanthos who made a most wonderful debut on the July Course recently.
There are 74 in the Royal Lodge including the exciting Publish (John Gosden), with True Love heading the market for Aidan O’Brien in the Cheveley Park Stakes.
The Middle Park is also dominated by Ballydoyle with Charles Darwin and Gstaad at the top but watch out for how well Wise Approach (Charlie Appleby) runs if taking his chance in next week’s Gimcrack at York.
As for the all-important Dewhurst Stakes, 52 runners are nominated including a number of hitherto unraced colts. Their upcoming debuts will be fascinating.