Saturday 23 July 2016 19:30, UK
Top trainer Richard Fahey guides us through another huge Saturday team, with Tatlisu one who could go well in the Sky Bet Dash.
We've runners on both days of the York Music Showcase fixture starting with Back To Bond in the Think As One Apprentice Handicap. He won at Wetherby in May but has disappointed the last twice, including at this track. He needs to bounce back.
We run two in the Best One Median Auction Maiden Stakes. Reinstorm is probably a nursery type and I'd be surprised if he could win a York maiden. Honourable is quite a nice filly who we like. She makes her debut here and while one or two could be too good on this occasion, she will win her maiden.
Stardrifter is drawn wider than ideal in ten for the Novus Handicap but is running okay at the moment, a little better than his finishing positions suggest. He's not without a chance.
Moving on to Saturday we've three in the opening Sky Bet Making Betting Better Median Auction Maiden Stakes. The same comments probably apply to both Come On Percy and Yorkshire Bounty in that their futures lie in handicaps and I'd surprised if they could win a race like this at this stage of their careers. Owner Phil Smith loves runners at York and we hope they go well for him.
Rubiesnpearls needs to step up on her first to runs but is a filly who we do think is ok so she could do that.
Gabrial's King really needs to bounce back in the Sky Bet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap. He disappointed here the last day but that was a messy race and things didn't fall right for him and I'm happy with him at home still.
Farlow is my sole runner in the Read Richard Fahey's Column At sportinglife.com Handicap. He surprised me with how well he ran in the Bunbury Cup last time as at halfway I thought he was dropping out to finish last. He'd prefer a bit more juice in the ground but if Paul Hanagan can get the best out of him he wouldn't be without a chance and the smaller field here should suit.
(Farlow) surprised me with how well he ran in the Bunbury Cup last time. He'd prefer a bit more juice in the ground but if Paul Hanagan can get the best out of him he wouldn't be without a chance.
We've three in the Sky Bet Dash Handicap. Tatlisu disappointed me at Hamilton last time but the ground was quite soft which didn't suit and he never looked comfortable on it. It was a good run at Haydock the time before and could go well.
I keep saying Arctic Feeling is badly handicapped and he keeps running well without winning so maybe I'm right. The hope here is they'll go flat out as he'll be coming back at them late.
Patrick was a horse I felt would progress this year but he needs to find some form now. He disappointed at Ascot the last day but we go back up a furlong here which should help. He's in good order.
Island Flame ran at Doncaster on Thursday so we'll see how she goes there - and how she comes out of it - before we decided whether she runs in the Sky Bet Supporting New Beginnings EBF Fillies' Handicap.
Siren's Cove is our other runner and we're very happy with her. She was entitled to need the run here the other day when she finished fifth and she's in good order. She could go well at a decent price.
Vona won a Listed race at the Dante meeting and while she's had a busy enough time of it this year, she ran ok in a nursery here last time. She wouldn't be without a chance providing there's nothing progressive in against her in the Sky Bet Supporting Yorkshire Air Ambulance Nursery.
We've a nice team heading down to Ascot.
Marie Of Lyon is a filly we like a lot and I hope she just got bogged down in the very testing ground at Newmarket last time. Paul Hanagan said she travelled very well but when he let her down she just swam around. She's by Royal Applause so should be more at home on the surface at Ascot and while she needs to step up again to be competitive in the Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes, she might just do that.
Our other runner is Kocallada. She is a good, hardy filly, who won a Class 2 race earlier in the season and finished fourth in the Queen Mary. The step up to six furlongs will help her and she'd have a chance of being placed.
We've three in the Gigaset International Stakes.
Heaven's Guest won the race last year and loves the place. I'm a fraction worried he's at his very best when there's a bit of juice in the ground but he ran a cracker in the Bunbury Cup last time and must have a chance.
Withernsea doesn't need it soft - he's fine on good ground - and has been running well so deserves a crack at a valuable prize.
Nuno Tristan is in the form of his life right now. I just wonder whether he's man enough at the moment for a test like this but he couldn't be in better order heading down there.
Chiswick Bey is an absolute star and ran a blinder at an apprentice race here last time. Something like the Longines Handicap (For Lady Amateur Riders) could really suit him although seven furlongs here on fast ground might just be sharp enough.
Boundsy ran in the Super Sprint at Newbury last week. The ground there was very quick but he came out of the race so well he runs in the Stella Artois Nursery at Chester. He showed a lot of speed at Carlisle a couple of starts back and could go well.
Sunnua won at the track last time and while she's probably at her very best with some juice in the ground, I couldn't draw a line through her in the TMT Contractors Fillies' Handicap.
Bell Heather has been a fraction disappointing but has a good draw in the Stella Artois Cidre Apprentice Handicap and is a filly who should be capable of winning races like this.
We've three in the Sebastian Artois Handicap and I really wouldn't want to split them. Powerallied is having a fantastic season and loves the track. The ground will suit him but I just worry when the handicapper is going to get him.
Ballesteros is another who has been in terrific form and he ran a cracker here last time. He's done alright with stall six and is another to consider.
So is Lexi's Hero although he's out in 12 which isn't ideal. His best hope is they go flat out up front as he'll be running on and looking to pick up the pieces late.
Comedy King has his first run for us in the Stella Artois 4% Handicap. I'm happy with what I've seen at home, he hasn't had a lot of racing, and his work would suggest he could go well.
We also run Gabrial The Duke who just seems to have lost the plot at the moment, on the track at least. He's not been showing much interest so we've removed all the headgear now to see if we spark him back into life.
We're double handed in the Adnams Broadside Handicap at Newmarket.
Mica Mika is coming back after a long lay-off and will need to be at his best as he looks badly handicapped. He probably wants softer ground too but seems in good order.
Innocent Touch has produced to solid performances back-to-back. We're pleased with him and he should go well again.
David's Duchess is running from four pounds out of the handicap in the Adnams Ease Up IPA Handicap which isn't ideal but she did go well at the track last time and has been in good form all season.
Paddy Power has been extremely disappointing. He again worked exceptionally well this week, as he always does, but just needs to get his act together on the track. At home he's a machine - but that's not what you see on the racecourse which is always very frustrating.
Paddy Power has been disappointing. He again worked exceptionally well this week, as he always does, but just needs to get his act together on the track. At home he's a machine.
Finally we have three runners at Newcastle.
In My Place is a progressive type. Nothing went right for him at Ayr last time and we're hoping he wins the Collingwood Fleet Insurance Handicap and picks up a penalty as the owner is very keen to get into a race at Glorious Goodwood.
Bayan Kasigra's form has faded away a little but we'll try again in the Collingwood Taxi Insurance/ebfstallions.com Fillies' Handicap. The hope is the return to an all-weather surface will suit her.
The Name's Bond has his first run for us in the Collingwood Convicted Driver Insurance Apprentice Handicap. You can see why he's been frustrating as he works better than an official rating of 45 would suggest but we'll see what he does on the track.
