 |
|
|
|
| Punter's Diary by Malcolm Heyhoe |
 |
| Updated: 28th May 2010 - GG.com |
Punter's Diary for June 2010
After the early skirmishes of April and May, the month of June signals more thrills and spills, with the arrival of two of the Flat season's notable high points in the two-day Epsom Derby meeting at the beginning of the month and five of the very best days of Flat racing to be found anywhere in the world with the start of Royal Ascot in the middle of a busy June.
The fourth of June is the starting point for the two-day Derby fixture and all eyes will be upon Henry Cecil as he bids for a record ninth success in the Epsom Oaks. Aviate and Timepiece represent the best of what Cecil has to offer for Classic glory but both fillies have drawbacks in an open-looking race with the former seeming to possess more speed than stamina and the latter looking a difficult character based on her Lingfield Oaks Trial defeat.
Looking elsewhere, Rumoush is an uneasy Oaks favourite but in the right hands for Classic success and perhaps the Aidan O'Brien-trained Remember When can boast some value at double-figure odds. This well-bred filly ran a race rich in promise when staying on into fourth in the 1,000 Guineas at Curragh last time.
On the same day Fame And Glory should be too strong for Sariska in the Coronation Cup, the latter tends to look good against her own sex but less formidable when asked to face the boys. Derby day dawns on June 5 and Aidan O'Brien seems to hold all the answers to the famous Classic with the first four horses in the ante-post market all hailing from Ballydoyle.
St Nicholas Abbey remains a ridiculously short-priced favourite on the back of his 2,000 Guineas flop and a more likely winner can be found at bigger prices in the shape of Jan Vermeer and Bullet Train, who were both impressive winners of their respective prep races for the famous Epsom Classic.
On June 6 Chantilly is the picturesque setting for the Prix du Jockey Club, or French Derby as it is more widely known and Behkabad, a recent Chantilly winner, is hard to resist and the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained colt may have most to fear from Pascal Bary's Ice Blue. The former boasts a formidable record in the Jockey Club courtesy of wins from Celtic Arms, Ragmar, Dream Well, Sulamani, and Blue Canari.
 |
Five of Britain and the world's best days of Flat racing begins on June 15 at Royal Ascot and the opening day promises fireworks with Goldikova, Paco Boy and Rip Van Winkle set to do battle royal in the Queen Anne Stakes while in the St James's Palace Stakes Canford Cliffs is a confident choice to reverse 2,000 Guineas form with French conqueror Makfi. In the King's Stand Stakes, the day's third Group 1, Sir Michael Stoute's Kingsgate Native can land this race for the second time ahead of Aussie challenger Nicconi.
On June 16 there may well be a new name on the block if Alain de Royer-Dupre's Shalanaya takes on the colts in an open-looking Prince Of Wales's Stakes while a huge field is set to go to post in the Royal Hunt Cup where Luca Cumani's Mabait will be looking to reverse Victoria Cup form with Ireland's Dandy Boy in what is always a fiendishly difficult race to solve for backers.
 |
The Ascot Gold Cup is the highlight on June 17 and all eyes will be fixed on Henry Cecil's Manifest as this strapping type bids to turn himself into a Cup horse after his runaway success in the Yorkshire Cup. Godolphin's Kite Wood is another player in an open race but Godolphin's record in the Group 1 races still leaves an awful lot to be desired.
Friday's action features the Coronation Stakes, a Group 1 race over a mile for the fillies but mixed results in the English, French and Irish Classics suggest this generation is a pretty ordinary lot and it is a case of perm any one likely winner from half-a-dozen realistic contenders.
The curtain falls on Royal Ascot on June 19 and one of the week's better bets runs on the final day in the shape of Harbinger who should be hard to beat in the Hardwicke Stakes while in the Wokingham Stakes Roger Charlton's Genki catches the eye after a hugely promising return to action at Newmarket last month.
The month's action takes a final bow with the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on June 28 and the following day the Irish Derby should see Aidan O'Brien plotting once more to keep this Group 1 prize in his native Ireland.
Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips
Archive May 2010
