York Day 1

Duke Of Marmalade will be given a positive ride I would think (as he was in the Prince Of Wales's), as he seems to take a while to hit top gear over 10 furlongs especially. I would imagine Manning will also ride New Approach prominently as well. Obviously the key will be whether New Approach settles or not.
 
the 3/1 still available about NA is surely great value? Im still surpised they arent closer in the betting

Agree about the settling Trackside but this race is going to be a lot less complicated than Epsom
 
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it's not really heavy ground though Galileo..it's a slippy slidey mess caused by years of overwatering

it's not even nice to watch when it goes like that

fingers xed it stays dry

mind you..if it don't rain daft sods are likely to water it :eek:
 
I get what your talking about, York ground is a bit of a disaster in recent years. But if all that rain arrives it will be so testing that it wont be border line false or slippery.
 
1
(10)
Championship Point (IRE)
M. R. Channon
9st 5lb
Darryll Holland
2
(5)
Duke of Marmalade (IRE)
A. P. O'Brien, Ireland
9st 5lb
J. Murtagh
3
(6)
Halicarnassus (IRE)
M. R. Channon
9st 5lb
Sam Hitchcott
4
(8)
Linngari (IRE)
Sir Michael Stoute
9st 5lb
L. Dettori
5
(9)
Multidimensional (IRE)
H. R. A. Cecil
9st 5lb
T. P. Queally
6
(1)
Phoenix Tower (USA)
H. R. A. Cecil
9st 5lb
Ted Durcan
7
(11)
Pipedreamer
J. H. M. Gosden
9st 5lb
Jimmy Fortune
8
(4)
Red Rock Canyon (IRE)
A. P. O'Brien, Ireland
9st 5lb
J. A. Heffernan
9
(3)
Rob Roy (USA)
Sir Michael Stoute
9st 5lb
Ryan Moore
10
(7)
New Approach (IRE)
J. S. Bolger, Ireland
8st 11lb
K. J. Manning
11
(2)
Stubbs Art (IRE)
D. R. C. Elsworth
8st 11lb
Jamie Spencer
 
Interesting to note a few of the big bookies have not re-opened their market on this (including Ladbrokes and Corals) after the final declarations.
 
Seems they are running scared. Duke of Marmalade seemed to handle soft ground just fine in last year's QE2, which was the equal of his other performances last season.
 
Yes a softish ground at Ascot’s rapidly dry course compared to York’s description of heavy going. Seriously Andrew you can come up with better than that!
 
Murtagh didn't see why he couldn't run, saying he believed great horses go on all sorts of ground, and he should handle it fine.

I think with soft (not heavy) ground, New Approach would win by a street. Heavy ground could produce any result.
 
Andrew Hurley said:
Murtagh didn't see why he couldn't run, saying he believed great horses go on all sorts of ground, and he should handle it fine.

I think with soft (not heavy) ground, New Approach would win by a street. Heavy ground could produce any result.
Click to expand...

If the ground was firm would New Approach be running? I think not.

Murtagh can say what he is likes.....he can go on soft (proved that before) but heavy ground is a worrying unknown particularly just 18 days before the biggest 1m2f race on turf in the world and other top class end of year events. I would prefer him not to run with those future races in mind.
 
Not necessarily. I think New Approach is best on a sound surface, just not lightning fast like the Irish Guineas, which for me, was almost too quick. I don't like to see horses run on that ground as it can really leave a mark, although thankfully it didn't have any repercussions on the first 2 that day.
 
His runs at two suggest that New Approach should handle the going fine, as his trainer states. If he cannot thump DOM in this sort of going, he has no chance on a sounder surface.
 
I don't see any reason as to why they won't both handle the ground fine, based on previous performances.
 
Duke Of Marmalade's form in softish (hard to trust Ascot or French going reports) is below his best form on fast ground. Everything about the horse suggests fast ground is ideal, can tolerate softish going but severe doubts about him handling heavy deep going.

New Approach showed he relished it when he beat Henrythenavigator last season in extrodinary circumstances (the early pace was hard to believe yet he kept it up).
 
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