Rest of today´s racing

Another ridiculous overkill today, with 6 meetings in the U.K. and two in Ireland; quite apart from York, there is a strong card at Newmarket, as well as group races at Goodwood, Windsor and the Curragh. With Deauville added to the mix, this means that there are group races at 5 different W. European tracks today - crazy!

This makes it difficult for trainers and jockeys too, and it is noticeable that champion Richard Hughes and William Buick are both riding at Goodwood rather than at York. Main Event there is the Group Two Celebration Mile at 16.30 CET. Captain Cat (Roger Charlton/ James Doyle) was an easy winner of a similar race at Salisbury 9 days ago from Producer (Richard Hannon/ Hughes) and in theory should repeat the dose today, but we shall take a chance on Chil the KIte (Hughie Morrison/ Buick). Buick´s main reason for being here is probably John Gosden´s St.Leger hope Forever Now in the listed race at 17.40, However he faces strong opposition from another Doncaster fancy, Sir Michael Stoute´s Kings Fete (Doyle).

The highest-rated horse running today is Al Kazeem (Charlton/ George Baker) in the Winter Hill Stakes at 19.45 at Windsor. He was Europe´s top performer over middle distances last season, winning 3 summer Group Ones, and was then retired to stud, but proved infertile. Now back in training, he was beaten on his comeback but clearly needed the race and it will be a surprise if he is beaten today. True Story (Saeed bin Suroor/ Silvestre de Sousa) is the obvious one for the forecast.

The top event at the Curragh is the Renaissance Stakes over 6 furlongs at 16.10. Russian Soul (Mike Halford/ Shane Foley) won this last year and Maarek (Evanna McCutcheon/ Declan McDonogh) in 2012, but this is a stronger field than last year while Maarek surely wants much softer ground. Gordon Lord Byron (Tom Hogan/ Joseph O´Brien) is a class act over this trip and can concede weight all round. O´Brien can also take the listed race flor 2yo´s at 17.20 on his father´s The Great War, who runs here in preference to York and faces much weaker opposition than in the Gimcrack.