Equinties - York day 3

Gm Equinauts

BIG EVS’ come back win, ECONOMICS demolition job and BLUESTOCKING’s day in the sun…York was a treat yesterday. Let’s hope for more of that today.

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Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

RAMBLER RETIRED

In what was a fairly surprising piece of news, Lucinda Russell confirmed that CORACH RAMBLER had been retired.

The 10yo had 17 rules starts for Russell and his owners The Ramblers, though the most notable ones include his two Cheltenham Festival victories, his third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and (of course) his victory in the 2023 Grand National.

Having put in a career-best effort in the Gold Cup less than two months ago, this decision does come as a bit of a shock, though the rumour is that he had lost a bit of love for the game. Russell and connections have also said they’d be understandably sad if anything happened to him, so they have decided to send him off into retirement.

In a statement on Russell’s website, she said: “His run in the Grand National in April did not work out as we all hoped. He unseated Derek at the first fence and then was unfortunately knocked over at the next fence when running loose.

"Maybe that frightened him a bit. We said all along that he is one of the most intelligent horses we have ever trained and he never looked happy when we ran him at Punchestown last month.

"The big steeplechases next season will be contested by younger up-and-coming horses and we are not inclined to make Corach carry big weights in handicaps.

"Quite simply, we could not forgive ourselves if something happened to him."

TO DERBY OR NOT TO DERBY

Every single person who likes horse racing would have either seen or heard about ECONOMICS yesterday. A monster was born.

He sat in behind horses, bided his time, and then kicked clear when the moment was right.

Admittedly, the strength of the race wasn’t extensive, but all he could do was beat what was in front of him and to do that in the manner he did was very, very exciting.

The 3yo by NIGHT OF THUNDER holds no Derby entry, and although connections supplementing him for the race would be the obvious choice, William and Maureen Haggas are not overly sold on a trip to Epsom yet.

William Haggas said: "The whole point of taking him out was I didn't think it was the right track and the right race for him at this stage of his career. He's a great big, immature horse. And I stick by that.

"I haven't spoken on the subject to Sheikh Isa and his advisers so that might change. We discussed it at length when we talked about the Derby. Winning the Derby is of course everyone's dream, we all want to win it, but it takes a type.

"Maybe we're wrong and maybe after I've talked to His Highness he'll say I'd like him to run in the Derby, in which case we'll run him. But we'll see."

So, at this stage, it seems unlikely ECONOMICS will go but Haggas’ hand could be forced by ambitious owners who would be well within their right to want to go for it because the Derby is shaping up to be on of the worst in recent years now ARABIAN CROWN is out.

BIG RACE PREVIEWS

14.15 LISTED MARYGATE FILLIES’ STAKES

RUNNING QUEEN is by KINGMAN and o/o a mare who was bought off Shadwell for 500,000gns in 2021 carrying this filly. Won well lto and is a key player.

IT AIN’T TWO by CALYX who was a precocious son of KINGMAN has a nice filly here, the form of her win has worked out very well with the 4th and 6th winning nto and the 7th coming 2nd nto. 3rd and 4th reoppose today. Draw is a worry

SERAPHIM ANGEL won the Lily Agnes lto 9 days ago. 4th on debut behind It Ain’t Two and Magic Mild. Form is rock solid and her experience will stand her in good stead today. Player

MAGIC MILD 3rd on debut behind It Ain’t Two, ran with the choke out a bit but showed loads of speed and should improve nicely from it. Speedy pedigree by HAVANA GREY. Good-ish draw.

RUBY’S PROFIT is by PROFITABLE, her value reduced from 19k as a foal to 16k as a yearling. Trained by the newly formed partnership of Dr Dicky Newland and Jamie Insole. They have hit the post a few times but are enjoying some success. Each way claims, lack of experience a worry.

KAADI is from the mighty Karl Burke yard who has harvested this race in recent times. Twice raced, won once, clearly has ability.

BETTY CLOVER by TIME TEST, she’s owned, bred and trained by Eve Johnson Houghton. The yard has just started to get into gear. but she looks held by RUNNING QUEEN. Each way claims at best.

MISS LAMAI has a nice pedigree being by MEHMAS from the family of CAPE CROSS and IFFRAAJ. She cost 115k at Bk1, so she wasn’t missed. But she comes here off a 3 length win at Thirsk on soft ground, maybe the drying ground will bring about more improvement.

Karl Burke and Nick Bradley normally find a good one. INVINCIBLE ANNICE is from the family of MUHARAAR and cost 25k as a foal, spun into 50k as a yearling. She was second on debut and the winner of her race was second at York this week, Francisco’s Piece. More is needed today.

Holly Doyle rides CALL ME HARSWELL, a 5k yearling. By SOLDIERS CALL who was a good 2yo himself, and her dam is a sister to Gr1 winner River Boyne. There is substance to her pedigree, wonder what she looks like as she was very cheap, but she is a winner.

Verdict: As you would expect it’s a really competitive 2yo race and a good pointer to Royal Ascot. MAGIC MILD and SERAPHIM ANGEL stand out as two really solid each way plays if you’re betting the race.

15.15 LISTED FILLIES’ STAKES

The second pattern race of the day is a Listed race for fillies over a mile and DEVOTED QUEEN heads the market.

She was sent off 1/2 to win at Kempton on her last start and she just held on by a neck having comfortably won at Newmarket in October.

Connections have decided to put a hood on her as she was a bit keen lto, so that should help and that Kempton race was a nice enough contest on paper. The fourth, LES BLEUS, had form with FALLEN ANGEL, the second, MARCELLA, was fifth to AL MUSMAK in a Listed race, and the third, AHLAIN, won a handicap off 81 prior to that engagement.

TRUE CYAN is a NO NAY NEVER out of the DARK ANGEL mare REALTRA (Group 3 winner) and her win at Newmarket in September was promising. If she comes on for her first run of the season, she could be interesting.

Speaking of good pedigrees, BOLSENA is out of the wonderful broodmare REEM THREE who has produced the likes of TRIPLE TIME, CAPE BYRON, OSTILIO, and THIRD REALM. She was slow to come to hand, but TRIPLE TIME and CAPE BYRON did their best work in their latter years and she should continue to improve.

SPIRITUAL is an interesting horse here. She ran at Newmarket on both of her last starts, though she found herself unbalanced on both occasions. The first of which was the most prominent of the two, though she still managed to finish fourth behind CARLA’S WAY, SHUWARI, and YLANG YLANG. That form is strong, so she could go well here.

At the bigger prices, CAROLINA REAPER was a highly-tried two-year-old and she has pieces of form that are interesting, notably when fifth in the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes. She showed ability and she won at Newmarket in July and she has race fitness on her side.

Verdict: We found SOUNDS OF HEAVEN last year at a huge price but we won’t be doing that today. We have no strong view here as several can have cases made for them - TRUE CYAN’s form lto is strong, BOLSENA is well related and BRIGHT THUNDER could be absolutely anything. BRIGHT THUNDER the speccy swing!

15.45 YORKSHIRE CUP 

Ireland have never won the Yorkshire Cup. TOWER OF LONDON might have a different say about that today as he is the short priced favourite. He has already amassed £1.6million in prize money this year with wins in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.

GREGORY is closely matched with the favourite from their run in the St Leger, yet he is 6/1 and TOWER OF LONDON 5/4. Some useful form in the Great Voltigeur at the track and Gosden knows how to produce one for this race highlighted by STRADIVARIUS winning it 3x.

GIAVELLOTTO is looking to replicate Stradivarius in winning back to back renewals. Tower Of London beat him in Riyadh by a length but he was carrying 6lbs more, now the fave has his 3lbs penalty. Another smart bit of form is the Lonsdale Cup at the track when beaten by COLTRANE and COURAGE MON AMI, two quality horses.

VAUBAN has been off for 192 days. Last seen finishing a distant 14th in the Melbourne Cup. He’s a lively character. He smashed up the Ebor winner, and Cheltenham Festival winner ABSURDE at Ascot. Difficult to assess.

AL QAREEM had a useless time of it in Meydan and Saudi. But he’s a tough horse on home soil. He has a win at York on his cv and he will appreciate the 1m6f today.

NAQEEB is a brother to BAAEED and HUKUM. 20/1 today suggests he is best watched but there should be an engine in there somewhere. If he enjoys the track maybe he is one for the Ebor later in the year.

Verdict: Mullins and O’Brien head to head, or Irish heavyweights trying to win the race for the first time for their home country. If you like TOWER OF LONDON, you’ve got to like GREGORY as well assuming he has made the same progress. But GIAVELLETTO has good form at the track, the Lonsdale Cup form is proper Gr1 form for instance.

RISK ON

15.00 DEFENCE MISSILE

This is a mega hot novice race full of completely unexposed 2yo’s. DILIGENTLY likely winner and the Cole’s horse KING OF BEARS is supposed to be nice but we know DEFENCE MISSILE is useful and ready to go and the price is juicy. 14/1 ew.

16.15 UNDER SIEGE

Obvious form boost yesterday albeit the Haggas horse improved drastically. The winner will come from the top 3 in the market and we’re siding with Baldings lad.

19.30 KINONDO KWETU

We tipped him lto for our ‘A Look Ahead’ feature where he ran well. Aintree will be more to his liking and he won this race last year. 2/1 a good bet with the ground perfect for him (needs good or better).