[this month's diary]

Updated: 1st August 2013 - GG.com

August Gems

A lively start to August's Flat racing action sees the traditional holiday month begin with something of a bang on August 3 as Glorious Goodwood comes to a thrilling climax courtesy of the Group 1 Nassau Stakes and the hurly burly of the Stewards' Cup on the Sussex Downs.

Maputo
© Racehorse Photos

On August 10, Haydock's Rose Of Lancaster Stakes looms large as the weekend's major contest while over at Newmarket the Sweet Solera Stakes heads a somewhat downbeat day's racing. The prolific recent scorer Maputo may well head to Haydock for a tilt at the Group 3 prize.

Thankfully the pace quickens a touch on the following weekend, August 17, as Newbury stages a fine card that features the Hungerford Stakes and any challenger sporting the royal blue Godolphin silks requires close attention. The boys in blue have made a habit of running a decent horse in this race in recent seasons. On the same card Mount Athos could well complete his preparation for the Melbourne Cup by bidding to land back-to-back victories in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at the Berkshire venue.

Over at Ripon on the same Saturday there is the always competitive Great St Wilfrid Handicap, a 6f sprint handicap that is keenly contested and any horse that has run well in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot is always worth a second look at the much-vaunted garden course of north Yorkshire.

On August 21 we have the opening day of York's fabulous four-day Ebor meeting. This year's festival is keenly anticipated because the north's greatest fixture has been successfully moved along a day so that the action begins on a Wednesday, and the curtain comes down on four days of terrific racing on Saturday August 24 when the Totesport Ebor Handicap takes pride of place in its shiny new Saturday spot having been shifted in recent seasons from its previous midweek perch.

Al Kazeem
© Racehorse Photos

On the meeting's opening day the Juddmonte International Stakes is the feature race and if Al Kazeem turns up here then he will be very hard to beat. This has never been a race for wild-card outsiders and Roger Charlton's leading middle-distance colt gave a sound beating to some decent horses at Sandown last time and looks the one to beat. French raider Cirrus Des Aigles flopped again in the King George and looks to be regressing even though his trainer suggested after the race that he was still in need of the run. Before the race, the gelding was reported by his handler to be fully ready for the King George.

Telescope
© Racehorse Photos

On the same day the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes is arguably the season's most important trial for the St Leger and eight recent winners of the final classic have taken part in the York showpiece. This time around punters should pay close attention to whatever horse Sir Michael Stoute runs in the Voltigeur given his fine record in the race. Telescope, a recent winner at Leicester, looks an ideal type for the race and one to watch out for at the Ebor festival.

On August 22, day two of the Ebor festival, the Yorkshire Oaks is the key race while on August 23 the Nunthorpe is the feature race over 5f and once again this season's sprinters are a distinctly ordinary lot. I suspect Shea Shea could do best of all on the Knavesmire providing the ground rides on the fast side.

Happily for al,l the curtain comes down on the Ebor meeting with the Betfred Ebor taking centre stage on Saturday, August 24. The William Haggas-trained Stencive will hold a good chance if he makes the race.

Finally, August closes with the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on the same day and an in-form and improving miler is what is required to win this decent prize.

Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips

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