Authorized did fantastically and I’m thrilled for Pete. I backed him but I was a bit cowardly and I should have had more on. It was nearly a very good day as Oasis Wind came close – the unlucky horse in that race was Hitchens, who ran behind Effingham and backs up that form.
Day 2 of York brings the Ebor and the Gimcrack. The favourites today look genuine enough and may all run well. In the first Heaven Knows is a very interesting prospect and has every right to be a clear fav. Swiss Franc has rock solid form in the Gimcrack and is an obvious choice, but Sir Gerry and the unraced O’Brien horse make it tough to put any money down. Peeping Fawn feels like a classic banker bet – it’s hard to come up with a reason why she will not win. Captain Gerrard is a horse I have followed and liked all year – his form is rock solid and he should be able to win at this grade, although he may have a fight on his hands with Sailor at Sea.
I doubt I’ll back any of the above though – I may stick with my two value plays;
Wing Collar seems to be making unlikely progress late on in his career, and could run a very big race in the Ebor. 26 feels like a very big price and I’ll be having a go. Giant Love sold well enough in the breeze ups, and I suspect he would have sold a lot better had he not been a 13th foal – Johnstone has waited to bring him out and he could run better than expected. He may be value at the current price of 36, although I’ll only have a small bet there.
Baldovina was originally declared today but has been taken out because of the ground.