Saturday served up a fascinating day at York and Newcastle, and if there was one theme it was pace. On York's fast ground and over Newcastle's marathon trips, being handy was a huge advantage, so the horses who travelled into these races from off the pace and could not quite get home are the ones to take out of the day. Here is our race-by-race review.
13:20 York: a smart Sirocco Sands, but note Mezzo Forte
David Marnane brought this one over and Sirocco Sands travelled and won like a really smart novice. The one for the notebook, though, is Mezzo Forte. Weak in the market and a little lost early, he was outpaced before staying on well into fifth, just behind the best of the newcomers, Washington Royale. The front three all had experience, so for a horse this raw to run on like that is well worth remembering. Let's see where they go with him next time.
13:55 York: two to take out, Andesite and Frankies Dream
Cadarn made all and kept finding to hold on, and the bare result can mislead. When the winner dictates and holds on, it often means they have not gone a strong gallop up front, and the horses who picked up from behind have done well. Andesite looked the winner for a long way before just being worn down into second, and Frankies Dream ran on into third. That was a really good race from the pair, and they are the two to take out of it. Andesite may disappoint once or twice first, but a return to York in August or September could be ideal.
14:10 Newcastle, Chipchase Stakes: Diligent Harry and Poet Master to bounce back
Our selection Diligent Harry was well backed but very disappointing, trailing home eighth of eleven. The winner, Paborus, was clearly tuned up to do it on his first run in nearly a year. The key, though, is that two of the top three on our ratings, Diligent Harry and Poet Master, were both ridden prominently and took each other on too early. Both faded badly and both looked out on their feet at the line, which is not their true running. I would not be surprised to see both go off bigger prices than they should next time. With a more patient ride from the likes of Saffie Osborne or Sam James, both can bounce back. Diligent Harry is much better on the all-weather, while Poet Master can also mix it on turf.
14:15 The Curragh, Anglesey Stakes: Confucius wants dropping to 5f
Confucius was sent off odds-on, just eleven days after Royal Ascot, and was beaten by two rivals he really should not be losing to. The simple read is that he does not stay 6f. He looks a sharp speedster who will surely be dropped back to 5f next time, and that is where to catch him. A disappointing run on the day, but very much one to forgive and follow back at the minimum trip.
14:25 York, Dash Handicap: more evidence of the pace bias
This race only reinforced what we had seen: there was a strong pace bias and you wanted to be handy. So when I said Andesite and Frankies Dream deserved marking up for running on in the 13:55, I feel that even more strongly now. It was frustrating that David Marnane's strike came in the earlier maiden with Sirocco Sands rather than here with Allsortz, while once again it was those ridden prominently who dominated. On this fast ground at York, you simply had to be up with the pace.
14:40 Newcastle, Northumberland Vase: top-rated wins, Alphonse Le Grande flies late
A great result for the ratings: our top-rated Believitanducan won it, which gives the form a really solid look. The eyecatcher, though, is Alphonse Le Grande. Fifth was a huge effort after a tricky passage. Drawn wide, Sam Coen dived for the inside when, to my eye, he should have stayed wide and come down the near side where the bulk of the field had congregated. This was another strong showing from a horse with smart staying-handicap form, and with the top-rated winning, the whole race has a strong feel to it. I will be very interested in him in the near future, perhaps at something like the Cesarewitch in October. One for the NagMe.
15:15 Newcastle, Northumberland Plate: Zanndabad for a staying-handicap plot
Once again you needed to be near the front. The winner, Align The Stars, was always prominent and sat in about second for most of the way, and Bahadur, who finished fifth, was also right up with the pace. So, as before, I want to find one who travelled sweetly in behind and just could not get there, and that is the ever-frustrating Zanndabad. He is notoriously hard to win with, but he has smart staying form, including sixth in the Irish Cesarewitch in 2024 off a mark of 94. He ran here off 90, having been at Chester off 91, and after being beaten around five and a half lengths into eighth, the handicapper should drop him. Back down to something like 88, six pounds lower than when running so well in that Irish Cesarewitch, he could be very interesting. Tony Martin is as good as anyone at plotting these staying handicaps, and the Irish Cesarewitch could well be the plan. Tricky, yes, but one to keep a very close eye on.
15:45 Newcastle: Tuco Salamanca, a progressive all-weather horse
The performance of the day for me. Tuco Salamanca did the complete opposite of everything else we had seen at Newcastle, coming from a long way back and finishing strongly down the middle of the track to win, when the front-runners had been holding on all day. He was beaten last time on turf, but this was a third consecutive win on the all-weather, and I think he could be really good. He looks a potential group horse on the surface. Next season I would not be surprised to see him stepping up for something like the Chipchase, the Group 3 rather than a handicap, on the all-weather card. I have marked this right up. I would be less keen if he heads back to turf, but if he stays on the all-weather, even in group company, he could be very smart indeed.
If there is one takeaway from the day, it is to respect the pace. The winners who made the running or raced prominently were often flattered, and the eyecatchers above, the horses who ran on into the bias, are the ones to follow.