Chelmsford City Resurfaces, De Sousa Hits The Front and All Eyes On The Oaks
In this week’s Friday round up we report on the return of the most troubled racetrack in the land, two jockeys who have had starkly contrasting weeks and look ahead to the season’s latest Classic race, the Irish Oaks!
Chelmsford Back On Track
To say this Essex venue hasn’t exactly flown out of the gates in its fledgling career as a racetrack would be something of an understatement. Initially opened in the guise of Great Leigh’s back in 2009, the course lasted just nine months before going into administration.
All appeared to be well with the return of the track under its new moniker at the beginning of 2015. It wasn’t long however before complaints regarding the surface started to arrive from trainers, jockeys and owners alike. Presumably if horses could talk they would have complained too as the kickback generated from the all-weather surface was deemed to be unacceptable by many. Credit must go to the track for acting on this feedback and they have used their summer break as an opportunity to re-wax the entire track. £200,000 has been spent in all and initial reports are encouraging. Fingers crossed the only way is up for this Essex venue from here on in.
Jockey Highs, Jockey Lows
We have a new favourite in the race for the jockey’s title. Brazilian Silvestre De Sousa has hit the front courtesy of a midweek treble at Leicester. The fact that De Sousa is now odds on across the board is largely down to the misfortune suffered by Ryan Moore, who now looks set for a lengthy spell on the side-lines due to his neck injury. Moore had been viewed as something of a formality for the title but is now out at odds of 14/1 in the betting.
Another Portuguese speaking jockey hasn’t had quite as good a week as De Sousa. Vitor Santos won’t be seen at the track for a while, having been slapped with a 70 day ban by the BHA. Not riding a horse to its true merits was the charge, and having viewed that race at, funnily enough, Chelmsford City, it is difficult to mount much of a case for Santos in what was at best a rather bizarre piece of riding.
Curvy To Figure In Irish Oaks
Saturdays domestic racing is not to too shabby with four Listed contests and the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes as Newbury. The big Group 1 of the weekend though comes over at the Curragh in Ireland with the Irish Oaks. Aiden O’Brien saddles 40% of the field, with English Oaks winner Qualify and the unexposed Words looking his chief threats. There is also a strong English challenge from the likes of Covert Love and Gretchen. Hugo Palmer must quite fancy Covert Love as connections have stumped up the £40,000 required in order to supplement this late entry. Will they all be looking at Curvy’s behind come the line though? David Wachman’s Galileo filly has shown remarkable improvement throughout this season and took her first attempt at Group 2 level in her stride at Royal Ascot last time out. This looks sure to be a fascinating race, whatever the result.
