Saturday 12th July 2014

Ascot, Chester, York, Newmarket, Hamilton & Salisbury, billed as super Saturday or in other words total madness. Four of the best and most attended racecourses all holding meetings on the same day is crazy, we go from dross racing midweek to now knowing where to start come the weekend.

It gives the public plenty of choice but for owners & trainers it’s a nightmare. Getting the jockey you want is very difficult as it’s likely he / she will be at another meeting whilst trainers have runners scatted everywhere, how does the trainer decide what course to go too and what owners to disappoint?

Jockey Ryan Moore wrote an excellent article about it yesterday on his Betfair column, the below is spot on:

“It is pretty disappointing when a racing nation like ours continually dresses up its shop window for the weekend, then proceeds to stick as many market stalls as it can in front of it on Saturday, and then move it down an alleyway on Sunday.

Because that is what racing at Newmarket, Ascot, York (where I'm headed) and Chester on Saturday - and, with all due respect, then moving on to Southwell, Stratford and Perth the following day - effectively achieves.

It certainly wouldn't happen in Australia, France or Japan, to name just three other countries.

Do you think that if Sky had four live Premier League football matches to show this weekend, they would let the football clubs and venues dictate to them that they would all have the same kick-off time on the Saturday, and then leave their viewers watching a Championship "Super Sunday" double-header?

Of course they wouldn't.

Some heads would be knocked together, compromises made, agreements reached, maybe compensation paid, and a proper schedule would result for the benefit of all.

But because the racecourses are seemingly calling racing's tune, we have another ridiculous situation this weekend. And there will be one again next year, too, if nothing is done about it.

Trainers are scrambling around for jockeys this weekend, and not even declaring horses that they want to run because no-one suitable is available to ride them”

The going at Newmarket is still soft so the meeting is maybe best left, however I would have been keen on Aljamaaheer in the July Cup 3:50. The horse finished 3^rd at Royal Ascot behind couple of today’s rivals but the stiff uphill finish should play to the Roger Varian trained runner strengths. The soft ground is a total unknown for Aljamaaheer, priced at 11-1 I’ve had a very small EW bet and just hope he might cope with it.

The step up in trip of two furlongs looks ideal for Waila, she was staying on well last time out at Pontefract over one mile four and looks fairly treated, 2:20 York.

I’ll be waiting for the team line ups for the 3^rd /4^th place World Cup match this evening between Brazil & Holland. If both sides play their strongest eleven Holland are taken to pile the misery on the host nation who are average at best. If plenty of changes are made from both sides it will be a watching brief, both teams to score could be a fair shout.