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| Punter's Diary by Malcolm Heyhoe |
[this month's diary] 282b15
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| Updated: 1st July 2013 - GG.com |
July's Summer Feast of Racing
It's a case of seconds out and round two as the first three home in last month's Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on July 6. The mile and a quarter contest signals the start of July's feast of top-class Flat racing, and is famous for the traditional clash between the older and younger generations, with the latter age group receiving a hefty 10lb weight for allowance yet despite this traditional advantage, honours are even between the generations.
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This time around the Classic class of 2013 seems likely to be thin on the ground and the Coral Eclipse should be won by an older horse. At Royal Ascot, Al Kazeem got up close home to grab Mukhadram by the slimmest of margins with The Fugue looking ring-rusty on her belated return as she motored home into third after getting outpaced. It promises to be another thriller played out on the Esher slopes and as things stand, Al Kazeem looks a worthy favourite.
On the same day as the Coral Eclipse, Haydock hosts the Oaks but who showed when successful at Chester previously that she possesses the talent to land this Group 2 contest.
In the Old Newton Cup at Haydock on the same day, backers should look out for any runners from Luca Cumani's yard. The stable's Franciscan, a winner at York last season, bounced back to form at Carlisle the other day and could be the ideal type for this good handicap prize. He has dropped temptingly in the weights.
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Newmarket's three-day July meeting takes pride of place in the middle of the month and the opening day of July 11 should see a good field assembled for the Group 2 Diamond Jubilee Stakes do battle on the July course's hallowed turf. James Fanshawe's Society Rock conceded valuable ground when going sideways before moving forwards in the Diamond Jubilee and he might be the one to benefit at Newmarket.
York's John Smith's Cup on the same day remains easily the season's best mile and a quarter handicap, and the battle for the beer money will be as competitive as ever. Newmarket trainer Sir Michael Stoute might put punters in clover with Rye House, a course and distance winner from the Dante meeting, who should stand a cracking chance of lifting this valuable pot.
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The June 2013
