Equinties - Paul Cole retires

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PAUL COLE RETIRES

1991 Champion trainer and Derby winning Paul Cole has retired and left his yard Whatcombe in the very capable hands of his son son, Ollie.

Responsible for over 1500 British winners, the most famous being GENEROUS, winner of the 1991 Derby, Irish Derby and King George, he has been at the top of the game for three decades.

Matt Chapman broke the news yesterday when writing for the Sun, an hour before the Racing Post even got a whiff of it!

Chapman describes Paul as once ‘King’ of the 2yo’s and it appears his son Ollie is looking just as capable with them, landing winners in AMERICAN GULF and Valmont’s JEL PEPPER from only three 2yo runners this year!

Paul joins the likes of Cecil, Stoute and Charlton as another to retire from that golden era of racing.

We know it’s The Sun, but do read Chapman’s article as there are some fantastic anecdotes in there!

GROUPIE

The one horse that looked like a ‘Group horse in a handicap’ last week was MY CLOUD in the Royal Hunt Cup. Even William Haggas thought this when speaking to ITV Racing after MERCHANT’s success in the King George V Stakes:

The handicapper certainly thought this, as he raised him 9lbs in the handicap to a rating of 104. Still, with a rating of 104, he could go into another handicap if needed.
However, trainer Roger Varian is willing to see if he is this potential Group horse, as he is lining up the Group 2 Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot next month.

He said: “My Cloud has come out of Royal Ascot in great shape. He didn’t really have a hard race as he travelled on the bridle for much of the race and Silvestre de Sousa only let him down in the last furlong.

"We're looking at the Summer Mile for him next. I know it’s a jump up in grade from handicaps to a Group 2 but he loves Ascot. It’s a track that seems to suit him well and also he loves top of the ground. He’s not the sort of horse that seems to like undulations, so we’ll stick to what he does best.”

In fairness to MY CLOUD, he won the Royal Hunt Cup from the stands side. While the draw bias was on the stands’ side on days one and two, we started to see a switch towards the end of the week, and both MY CLOUD and GREEK ORDER were the only high draws to finish in the top nine.

Places 2-3-5-6-7-8-9 went to those drawn on the far side, and MY CLOUD and GREEK ORDER flashed home on the near side. They both looked good, so it’s fair to try MY CLOUD in Group company.

GOLDEN FORM

In yesterday’s newsletter, we spoke about FIELD OF GOLD and how connections have fully confirmed that he won’t be heading to the Coral-Eclipse. If he is to step up in trip, the Juddmonte will be the place to do it, and that’s fair enough.

But, what if you’re looking to back one in the Eclipse that has good form with FIELD OF GOLD?

Well, you’re in luck, as connections are aiming HOTAZHELL towards the Sandown feature.

Jessica Harrington’s Futurity Trophy winner was third to FIELD OF GOLD and COSMIC YEAR (whose form is looking better by the day) in the Irish 2000 Guineas, and that came after an interrupted prep having been a late non-runner from the French 2000 Guineas.

Considering HOTAZHELL is a Group 1 winner who has always looked like he could improve for a step up in trip, his price of 50/1 does look big. On the decision, Harrington said: "If all goes well, Hotazhell will go for the Eclipse. We don't want firm ground for him, that's all.

"We could have gone to France this weekend for a Group 2, but we said we would wait. There are plenty of lovely races in the autumn for him so why rush? We've been patient.

"I thought he ran very well in the Irish Guineas; we were delighted. That was his first run of the year, remember. All the rest of them had a run going there, but he ran really well.

"I think a mile and a quarter will be fine for him in the Eclipse and he seems to be in very good form."
Flat racing truly is spectacular at this time of year because we get to talk about potential targets and brilliant clashes. HOTAZHELL will add to the Eclipse greatly if he goes.

15.35 LISTED EMPRESS FILLIES’ STAKES

We have racing on at Newmarket today, and a Listed race to preview. Hooray!

Eight runners, £22,684 to the winner and it’s quite an open field with six of these girls being last time out winners!

Ryan Moore has been jock’d up on Richard Hughes’ BELLA LYRA after her nice Windsor win earlier this month - that’s a bullish booking and could be on for a double should he win the first as expected.

She fairly bolted up in the end, and she was doing her best work at the line. She could be anything.

Rod Millman knows how to train and is brilliant at plotting their horses correctly, he’s decided to pull the trigger here by sending their unbeaten filly, ANTHELIA, to this race. We know her well as she beat our strong bet on debut at Bath. Now, she is already a Listed winner from Sandown, with the girls she beat in FIRST LEGION and CLEAR FORCE Royal Ascot horses, albeit well beaten ones.

She has to show she can handle six furlongs, but she did a lot wrong at Sandown and still won. Six shouldn’t be an issue and she’s got to be a player here.

AMBERIA is coming into this after a Leicester win earlier this month where she bolted up by six lengths. She’s coming down in trip, which is interesting, and the form of her last win is alright. The fourth has won since, the second went on to finish second in a decent Haydock maiden, and the third placed again next time. Not out of this.

Ed Walker knows the family of MIDNIGHT TANGO well as her dam, NINA BAILARINA, is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner MAKAROVA. She took her time to get past, but she was well-backed to win at Hamilton, which should be noted. She was very, very green that day.

ARGENTINE TANGO has four runs already under the belt, so she is not lacking for experience. She beat MEELAF, a horse who reappears here, by a neck las time out, so the form can be questioned slightly, though she was second to VENETIAN SUN (Albany winner) at Carlisle in May. That is arguably the best form line in here, considering just how much Karl Burke rates VENETIAN SUN.

GAME STRIKER got her head in front at the second time of asking lto, though she won the race in a bunched finish. One can question the bare form of that race, and even her third at Wetherby at the start of this month wasn’t a great race.

MISS PIGGLE and AWRAAD complete the field. Both of them need to step up from their last runs, as they were both soundly beaten last time although MISS PIGGLE was fourth behind Karl’s ‘best ever’ in VENETIAN SUN.

Verdict: Without a doubt, on both collateral form and visuals, the fave in BELLA LYRA is the one to beat. At 6/4 she’s short but this isn’t the strongest Listed race as she’s so unexposed. If you don’t like shorties then the ew against her is Walkers MIDNIGHT TANGO. Walkers yard is going very well and he won this race last year. She’s superbly bred and did every thing wrong last time but still won the bridle. 6/4 fave win and saver on MIDNIGHT TANGO at 5/1. With so many below Listed level fillies in this line up it’s really a watching race for us.

RISK ON

If ARMY BUGLER was trained by anyone else but Greatrex then he’d be a bet so we’re leaving him and playing an ew on a filly at Hamilton:

18.15 GOLDIE BEAR

Ran well on debut behind a well regarded one for Ed Walker. Kevin Ryan’s lot couldn’t have theirs beat in that and was second. That could prove smart form in time. The step back to 5f for GOLDIE BEAR is questionable but she didn’t look short of speed so changing her. Jockey needs to get a better start than last time. 5/1 looks a great ew against the hot pot fave!

The only bet on a quiet day.