A profitable day yesterday thanks to JUAN LES PINs winning at 11/1 and watching a rerun of his cracking race will set you up nicely for the rest of the day. Jeepers, that Tom Marquand is good.
Over in the increasingly tense world of Formula 1, we saw the departure of Sir Frank Williams and his daughter Clare from the control of his eponymous team. These past few years have been brutal for the pair of them and you realise the depth of their problems when one reads that Mercedes spent over £330m in 2019 to become champions. As you will all be aware, there is going to be a cap introduced on F1 teams next year, by the FIA, with a maximum ceiling of $145m (call it £110m). Admittedly that doesn’t include drivers, management salaries, and marketing, but for Clare and Dad, I suspect even that “capped” sum wasn’t available from potential sponsors. Another thing that is no longer available is Party Mode.
When I first read of this, I had visions of Monaco private swimming pools, hundreds of babes, tons of Columbian marching powder, and a figure dressed entirely in white, handing out life-changing amounts of money, to people like me. Apparently that is something else entirely.
It is in fact a switch that means your car performs differently between Qualifying Laps and the actual race. This was dubbed the “party mode” – the top setting used for extra power at the end of qualifying and they are now outlawed. The difference has been intense and astonishing… Not. In practice yesterday, Mercedes looked so much better than anything else and unless something astonishing happens Hamilton wins.
I also suspect Ferrari’s team boss, Mattia Binotto, will not be there much longer. When an Italian tells you that he has been reassured by his boss, that he is not alone, you can be sure that he will soon “sleep with the fishes.”
I am now running desperately late, after a long telephone call from my man in Liverpool Docks, who hears things from Baltic seamen who have an interest in UK horseracing. so just the tips now….
1:45 HAYDOCK Betfair Superior Mile Stakes (G3) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m
KHALOOSY wins
2:00 KEMPTON (AW) Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Sirenia Stakes (G3) Cl1 (2yo) 6f
MYSTERY SMILES wins
2:15 HAYDOCK Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Cl2 (3yo) 1m6f
ARTHURIAN FABLE win
2:35 KEMPTON (AW) Unibet September Stakes (G3) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m4f
ENABLE – Thank You
2:50 HAYDOCK Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup Handicap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 1m6f
DARK JEDI e/w
3:05 ASCOT Lavazza Stakes (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo) 1m4f
AL QAQAA e/w – NOBLE MASQUERADE e/w
3:25 HAYDOCK Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes (G1) (British Champions Series) Cl1 (3yo+) 6f
ART POWER wins – SUMMERGHAND e/w
3:40 ASCOT Tweenhills Follow The Foals Handicap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 6f
GULLIVER e/w
4:00 HAYDOCK Betfair Each Way Edge Be Friendly Handicap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 5f
DAVE DEXTER e/w
4:15 ASCOT Porsche Handicap Cl2 (3yo+) 7f 16 runners
AL MUFTI e/w
KENTUCKY – CHURCHILL DOWNS
7:55 American Turf Stakes presented by Smithfield (G2) (3yo) (Turf) (3yo) 1m½f
AMERICAN BUTTERFLY e/w
8:35 Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG and E and KU (G2) (3yo) (Dirt) (3yo) 1m
TAP IT TO WIN wins – NO PAROLE e/w – DIGITAL e/w
9:07 Iroquois Stakes presented by Ford (G3) (2yo) (Dirt) (2yo) 1m
THERIDEOFALIFETIME wins
9:39 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2) (4yo+ Fillies & Mares) (Turf) (4yo+) 1m
NEWSPAPEROFRECORD wins
10:17 Derby City Distaff Stakes presented by Derby City Gaming (G1) (4yo+ Fillies/Mares) (4yo+) 7f
CE CE win – CRAZY SEXY MUNNY e/w (Love the name – William Munny was the anti-hero in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven)
10:50 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1) (4yo+) (Turf) (4yo+) 1m1f
ROCKEMPEROR wins
12:01 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) (3yo) (Dirt) (3yo) 1m2f
TIZ THE LAW wins – NY TRAFFIC e/w – AUTHENTIC e/w – Winner beats the other tw