Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Tatty a good quality bet in Yorkshire Oaks
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck casts his expert eye over Day Two of York’s Ebor Festival.
STAR OF STATE is a strong fancy to make her presence felt in the Lowther on Thursday (1.50). The trainer has held all before him at the Summer Festivals and this filly – by a most promising stallion that he trained – looked to have real star quality when bolting up at Leopardstown. She has speed and power to burn, and comes from a super family that is replete with pattern race juveniles.
WHERE LOVE LIVES is a sporting each way alternative to the front of the market in the Harry’s Half Million by Goffs (2.25). Although Sun Goddess will be mighty hard to beat given she’s a recent Group One winner with only a tiny penalty in a sales race, the selection isn’t too far off a very good level, and ran with credit despite getting quite coltish at Goodwood. The weather might just put a spanner in the works for a few of the fancied ones here, but he’s from a fine sprinting family of Kyllachy and Borders, many of whom really appreciated cut in the ground.
CENTIGRADE can start making up for lost time in the Grand Finale handicap (3.00). He was considered a genuine classic prospect at the back of his juvenile season only to miss his entire three year old year. His comeback was only in a small race, but it nonetheless allowed him to flash that very bright talent, and softened ground will be an advantage judged on what he did at two.
TATTYCORAM can continue a good day for Ralph Beckett as a live each way play in the Yorkshire Oaks (3.35). She needs to do better still to rough up an on-song Kalpana, but she absolutely demolished a subsequent Group One winner at Newmarket last time, and did so with a demonstration of power and real stamina. Connections have the Vermeille and Arc in mind for her, and she is improving at a rate in keeping with her striking physical progression.
VAUNTINGLY looks another Joseph O’Brien improver capable of making a significant mark, this time in the Galtres (4.10). She has edged forward each time the stamina test has been that little bit greater, and she has impressed with her attitude, pushing a better fancied colt stablemate all the way at Gowran. Ground won’t be an issue, and she gets the stable jockey this time, who will be confident in her staying power.
MIA FANTASIA ought to run another big race in the nursery (4.45). He would have finished a good bit closer to the seriously smart Dr Rascal at Ascot had he not been caught slightly out of his ground, and endured a really wretched passage at Goodwood, when pretty well finishing on the bridle. Ground is an unknown if the rains come, but Make Believe’s progeny stats get better with cut.
CAIM is a sporting choice to win the finale at big odds (5.20). She didn’t offer much on her only start this year, but presumably something was amiss as she has had the pause that refreshes. On last year’s form, however, she’ll love any rain that falls, and looks quite well treated on her Newbury run, where she impressed with how strongly she travelled. There’s plenty to like about the jockey booking for her much respected stable.
