Gm, Equinauts

However much it serves a powerful reply to beta-bettors on X who can’t handle a few L’s in a row,

we don’t keep a P&L to remind us we’re up.

We use it to look back on and analyse where we went wrong … or right.

Last night we posted the bets of July. Grim reading when it had the potential to be good. It was a losing month by only a third of a stake, but a losing one nonetheless. And we don’t like that.

The lessons learned were: less half bets — less of the speccy ones, and play the confident ones harder, whilst looking for the EW doubles.

We’ve found an EW double today.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

📈AIDAN ON TRACK?

Aidan picked up another Group 1 yesterday with SUN GODDESS landing the Curragh’s Phoenix Stakes, the yard’s 18th win in the race.

We’ll be completely honest, we only really look at Irish results (when weighing up big meetings), and we’re quite sorry we missed SUN GODDESS yesterday — despite her short price, we’d probably have backed her!

Aidan is now 15x Group 1s up, which is one win ahead of his best year in 2017 at this stage of the season, but the latter stage of the season looks tough for Aidan…

Deauville’s Prix Jacques le Marois (August 16) was Aidan’s next big opportunity, but GSTAAD is out injured.

The Prix Jean Romanet and Prix Morny are options later in the month, with PRECISE potentially stepping up to 1m2f for the Jean Romanet, while GREAT BARRIER REEF looks the standout of O’Brien’s ten Morny entries.

Ballydoyle have some ammunition for York, but CONSTITUTION RIVER has to take on OMBUDSMAN in the Juddmonte International (August 19), and for MINNIE HAUK to land back-to-back Yorkshire Oaks, she’ll have to work out how to dismantle KALPANA.

MISSION CENTRAL, BRUSSELS and CHARLES DARWIN are all entered for the Nunthorpe, but Aidan’s only had success in that twice!

September looks to be more inviting. Depending on recovery time, GSTAAD could head to the Prix du Moulin, while Derby champ CHRISTMAS DAY is the leading Ballydoyle hope for the St Leger.

The Irish Champions Festival, where O’Brien could unleash a huge team across seven Group 1s, might be all too little, too late by then.

Once Derby fave BENVENUTO CELLINI could win the Irish Champion Stakes, SCANDINAVIA should win the Irish St Leger, while TRUE LOVE, VICTORIOUS and Phoenix Stakes winner SUN GODDESS are among the potential candidates for the fillies' Group 1s.

In short, there is no shortage of opportunities, but the next month or so looks bloody tough. He needs 13 to match 2017 and 14 to break it.

We’re not doubting the Ballydoyle maestro, but we certainly wouldn’t be backing him to do it.

🏇IL EST CHEZ SKELTON

PU, PU, PU. That’s IL EST FRANCAIS’ most recent record. And although there has been something terribly amiss with the French Grade 1 winner, punters would have still have been wary to completely disregard him, owed to the fact he’d bloody good on his day.

Well, he’s getting a second go at racing life.

IL EST FRANCAIS has been moved to Dan Skelton.

His owners are looking for a revival and the switch from Tom George was described as an amicable decision, with the owners thanking George for his work.

IL EST FRANCAIS won the 2023 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase in easy fashion and finished second in 2024’s King George, but his form has been non-existent since.

He was pulled up in all three starts for Tom George last season, with his riders reporting that he “stopped quickly” twice.

The 8yo has known issues with his lungs, and the Kelvin Hugheses believe the Skelton team’s experience in show jumping and with similar horses could offer a fresh approach. They have no specific targets in mind for now — the priority is simply getting IL EST FRANCAIS enjoying racing again.

🐎BIG BUCK’S

BIG BUCK’S, one of the greatest staying hurdlers in racing history, died aged 23 last week.

The Paul Nicholls-trained star became a legend after switching back to hurdles following a fall in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup and went on to win 18 consecutive races, including a record-breaking four Stayers’ Hurdles in a row from 2009 to 2012, as well as four Liverpool Hurdles and three Long Walk Hurdles.

Insane.

His incredible run also saw him set a record of 17 consecutive jumps victories at Aintree in 2012, before extending the sequence to 18 at Newbury. That record was eventually surpassed by ALTIOR.

Nicholls believes BIG BUCK’S had enough ability to have won a Gold Cup had he been a better jumper, but the decision to return him to hurdles ultimately created one of the sport’s greatest staying stars.

He was hugely popular with owner Andy Stewart and his family, with Stewart’s son Paul saying BIG BUCK’S helped drive his recovery from serious spinal injuries. The horse became, in Stewart’s words, “the people’s horse”, rather than simply the family’s own.

After retirement, BIG BUCK’S enjoyed a quiet life in Devon, including some hunting and appearances at Cheltenham, and remained in excellent health until his final summer. His carers said the decision was made peacefully as the heat began to affect him.

A true racing icon — 18 straight wins, four Stayers’ Hurdles and countless memories. RIP BIG BUCK’S.

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