Former Talksport man Charlie McCann marks your card for Saturday, including the Gp1 action at Haydock and Leopardstown.
Group 1 action on both sides of the Irish Sea this weekend with Haydock’s Betfred Sprint Cup on Saturday at 3.25 ahead of the Irish Champions Stakes at Leopardstown at 5.45 and jockey-of-the-moment William Buick will attempt to ride the winners of both events given he is getting a helicopter from Haydock to Ireland immediately after the race; we are asking at BetVictor how many Gp 1 winners will Buick ride on the day and bet: note all bets void if he doesn’t take up both mounts;
How many Gp 1 winners will William Buick ride on Saturday 8th September?
0 Evens
1 11/10
2 15/2
I actually think he can ride both (as long as the helicopter allows) given I am a big fan of Ortensia (3.25) who looks sure to appreciate to return to 6f having been outpaced early at York over the minimum trip last time before making her ground on the far rail and winning a shade cosily.
Bated Breath will be a different proposition returning to 6f with the forecast fast ground a big plus but he wasn’t quite at his best at York and has over 3l to make up on Ortensia. The Roger Charlton horse deserves to dine at the top table after a series of cracking runs in Gp 1 company including in the corresponding race last year when beaten by a nose by Champion sprinter Dream Ahead. I have been Bated Breath’s biggest fan in the past but as long as the ground is not rattling fast I think Buick will get into his chopper with one Group 1 already under his belt.
Betfred Sprint: prices from BetVictor:
Ortensia 2/1
Bated Breath 3/1
Strong Suit 6/1
Society Rock 9/1
12s bar
John Gosden has had a magnificent season and his string have been in fabulous form throughout the year; the Newmarket handler put behind a quiet spell when hitting the target at Lingfield on Wednesday and Nathaniel can continue his golden summer by taking the Irish Champion Stakes.
Nathaniel (5.45) has only had two starts this season and Gosden has gone on record as suggesting that Saturday’s race is being used as a prep for the Arc on the first Sunday in October, but he made a similar statement ahead of the Coral Eclipse (which he won) and the colt will be ready to do himself justice. The ground is currently good to soft but there is little rain forecast in Dublin as September continues to be the new June and he again wouldn’t wish for the ground to be too fast.
The 4-y-old is still the horse who has finished closest to the unbeaten Frankel when he was beaten half a length when the pair both made their racecourse debuts at Newmarket last August; he is a top class animal but the same can be said of the globetrotting mare Snow Fairy who made a winning reappearance at Deauville last month.
Ed Dunlop’s stable star, arguably, ran her best race ever when runner up in the corresponding event last year behind So You Think and she remains a credit to connections; I would be surprised if she were able to cope with Nathaniel, however, who is sure to make it a real test at a trip which is probably short of his best.
If there is to be a shock Born To Sea could provide it as the colt has been crying out for 10f on fast ground all year; half brother to the great Sea The Stars who won this corresponding race back in 2009.
There is also a cracking card from Ascot including a valuable 7f handicap; Bannock (3.45) has been on the go all season but ran right up to his best over a mile last time and I like the booking of leading apprentice Michael Murphy who can still claim a valuable 7lbs.
At Kempton Sagramor (2.30) has a good record on polytrack and ran as if ready for a step up to 12f when runner up in a Deauville Group 3 last time and can go one better in the September Stakes.
For all your racing odds this weekend check out BetVictor.com – new customers can claim £100 in free bets
Be lucky
Charlie
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