York Ebor / Geoffrey Riddle / 20 August 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

It's Ladies day at York! Sariska, Lady Of The Desert and Flame Of Gibraltar are all on show on the Knavesmire this afternoon. Join Geoffrey Riddle trackside for all the latest news, interviews and price movements from the Knavesmire. Send in your hints tips and questions by e-mail to him at: theriddleratbetfair@gmail.com

5pm
There's some real flesh on display now. There are some women here whose beetroot red skin clashes markedly with their fuchsia outfits. Not a good look. Didn't their mother's tell them that you can still burn badly under cloudy skies? Obviously not. And they don't seem to care either. they've probably had a great day out.

It's been a good day on the punting front, not such a good one for connections of Sariska. Trainer John Gosden was quick to remind everyone that it was the first time that Sariska had met older opposition, and he credited Sariska's defeat to the 10lbs weight-for-age allowance. It's a big call. He is a genius though.

Anyway, join me tomorrow for the final day of the Ebor meeting and Kingsgate Native's bid to replicate his 2007 victory in the Nunthorpe.

4.40pm
1: Noble Storm
2: Rain Delayed
3: Jargelle
4: Mattamia
Few got into that, did they? You've really got to race prominently here. It's the only way to win. Bare that in mind tomorrow ahead of the Nunthorpe.

Well the dust has settled on Sariska's defeat. Jockey Jamie Spencer was pretty phlegmatic afterwards, saying: "We got beat, she wasn't fast enough on the day, no excuses. You come here, you do your best, but she ran into a good horse."

In public, the mild-mannered Bell was philosophical. "It's not the end of the world," he said. "Obviously we hoped she would win by three lengths and be favourite for the Arc but all credit to the winner.

Paddy Power scratched Sariska from their Longchamp betting, and on Betfair she is out to [13.5] to back and [18.0] to lay. But for those who have backed her - she has traded at as short as [7.2] - Bell didn't rule out a tilt at the Arc, which often is run on soft.

"Jamie said there were no excuses really but on easier ground, she could play to her strengths more and when conditions are right for her, she's a beast."

4.25pm
Right guys. It's been a pretty decent punting day. The betting gods would make it just that bit better if Fault could go and win the lucky last. Trainer Stef Liddard has her string in fine fettle at the moment with two wins, one place form four runners in the last fortnight.

I think her run behind Anglezarke and Rievaulx World here in May is a serious bit of form, and she's a massive price.

Jargelle is now ridden by Ryan Moore, by the way. We wouldn't want Neil Callan to fall off again, now would we? Poor dear.

There is a glut of pace horses in this contest, so it may pay to settle for something that might press behind. I can't back an out-and-out hold up horse though, because hardly anything has come form the back over the last three days.

4.05pm result
1: Tanoura
2: Leocorno
3: Flame Of Gibraltar
John Oxx keeps those punters who like stats in the pink! She outbattled the heavily-fancied Leocorno by half a length. The pair pulled well clear of Flame Of Gibraltar though, by three and a half lengths. Uvinza was miles back in eighth. Easy come, easy go, as they say.

3.50pm
The fallout to Sariska's defeat continues. I'll tease that out for you guys in a second.

Meanwhile, Ladies Day continues with the Galtres Stakes, up next.
There are two trainers to latch on to here. John Oxx has won four races at York from just seven runners since 2005. He doesn't do things by halves. He relies on Tanoura this time.

The other is John Dunlop, who has sent out two winners and two placed horses from just six attempts in the last decade. He relies on Fallen In Love.

I don't think Uvinza can win, but she may be place material, as she is likely to force the pace here, with not much competition. Jamie Spencer needs to pick up the pieces, too. Uvinza has just gone to the start early. At least she'll be the first down there. It remains to be seen whether she can finish first at the other end...

3.25 result - Yorkshire Oaks
1: Dar Re Mi
2: Sariska
There was good reason why Sariska drifted there wasn't there? She was certainly backable mid-race, but once Dar Re Mi hit the front, Jimmy Fortune was never going to be denied.
Sariska looked beat up, to be honest, and Spencer was pretty uncomunicative afterwards.

3.10pm
Sariska drifts. She's out to [1.39] having hit a low of [1.3]. I really can't see how she can get beat. I have utmost respect for both Barshiba and Dar Re Mi, but both of those like to be ridden prominently, if not force the pace, and they could easily go off too quickly.

The wind has now changed direction and is now a cross wind coming into the stands, which takes the advantage of front-running away from Barshiba and Dar Re Mi. It's a no brainer to my mind, but I don't think she'll win by far due to the nature of how she races. Jamie Spencer is likely to hold her up, and trot past in the final furlong so it may be worth waiting to bet her in-running.

2.50pm result
1: Roaring Forte
2: Alazeyab
3: Acrostic
Time: 1.36.65
Roaring Forte strikes! Jonny Murtagh kept plugging away and it all looked rather easy really. But what happened just after the finish line? Murtagh fell off! Just like Neil Callan earlier. And just like the proverbial horse, who 'could go round again' Roaring Forte tried to do just that and ran around York's horse-shoe.

2.49pm
Trainer Brian Meehan wasn't very diplomatic with his post-race comments about Lady Of The Desert. "She looked like she was toying with them up the rail," he said in the winners' enclosure. "She then quickened up really well. She's exciting."

That's not very nice for the other trainers' to hear, is it?

Most of the high street firms have Lady Of the Desert at around 10-1 for next year's 1,000 Guineas and the biting point on Betfair is 12.5-14.5, but there is little liquidity.
Meehan continued: "Six furlongs is her trip, but she'll get better over further so plans next year would be obvious."

2.40pm
The wind is back up again, and as such, I'm going in on Roaring Forte in the next. I've narrowed down the field to four in my opinion, but I can't really split them. Acrostic, Mirrored, Docofthebay and Roaring Forte.

Roaring Forte should really get a soft lead and I think that is too hard to resist. I'll chuck them all in a combination Tricast. Things are so easy when you're winning aren't they?

2.15pm result - Lowther Stakes
1: Lady Of The Desert
2: Beyond Desire
3: Dubawi Heights
What a sensational performance it was from Lady Of The Desert. She was away from the pace in the centre of the track, but she quickened really well on the stands' side rail to win comfortably.
It was a record time, too, 1m09.34, which suggests that the watering and rain have not had too much effect, or that Lady Of the Desert is a sensational filly.

2.14pm
As far as how the track is riding, Showcasing, yesterday's impressive winner of the Gimcrack, broke the 6f track record for juveniles in a time of 1m9.28. The Racing Post standard time for juveniles over 6f is 1m10.60.

Midnight Martini won the opener today in a time of 1.10.90, which is not bad considering William Derby sprinkled 5mm on the course last night and it has endured several squalls this afternoon.

The rains have gone now, however, and the wind has died down. For what it is worth, the ground felt remarkably firm when I strode confidently over and filled my boots of the 2-1 on offer about Lady Of The Desert with the on-course layers

2.10pm
I cannot see how Lady Of The Desert can be beaten here. The Queen Mary at Royal Ascot is one of the strongest races for juveniles this season. Four horses have subsequently gone on to win from it, and four more have placed.

Her breeding suggests she'll win it as her dam, Queen's Logic won this in 2001. From a trends perspective some of her rivals look up against it, too. Paul Cole's Nimue has to defy the fact that only four maidens have won this in the last 30 years.

I think this filly is bombproof and she trades shorter on Betfair than she does on course.

1.45pm result:
1: Midnight Martini
2: Carnaby Street
3: Sole Power
Well it was only fitting that on Ladies Day a filly scoops the first race. Punters on the favourite lost their jockey Neil Callan at the finishing line. The crowd looked on as he lay motionless, but he soon got back up. Tough characters these jockeys.

There's just been a heavy squall here, and everyone has dived for cover. The race commentator didn't read out the race times but I'll get an idea of how the ground is riding in a minute for you.

1.35pm
Alrasm is the most expensive piece of horse flesh in the paddock right now. Sheikh Hamdan's colt cost £150,000, with Kingdom Of Light next in the monetary pecking order at £100,000.

Alrasm beat Big Audio, who won at Royal Ascot next time out, and there was no disgrace in struggling against Canford Cliffs and Xtension during the Royal Meeting.

"Ghostwing has some brilliant form," says Jamie. "He came fifth behind Arcano, and fifth behind Dick Turpin at Goodwood. Why is he such a big price?"

I'm not sure Jamie, to be honest. A glance at the Racing Post though suggests that his best form is way short of the likes of Di Steffano and Rodrigo De Torres according to their ratings. May be that's the reason why he's trading at [18.0].

1.20pm
A little word with jockey Dale Gibson. Or a word with little jockey, Dale Gibson. Whatever. Gibson hasn't got a ride today, so he was up to dish out tips. "I think Lovelace will take a lot of beating in the Goddard," he said. If he gets the breaks, he's got a real chance, but the one to look out for is Mick Kinane's mount, Wise Dennis. He looks massively over-priced."

Gibson was also keen on Fallen In Love, in the Galtres Stakes at 4.05pm. "John Dunlop had a winner here earlier in the week and you've got to look at the official ratings in this race. She's the highest rated on 102, which clearly means she's the best horse in the race. You have to take that into consideration, really, as it's based on her previous form."

1pm:
Acrostic has been the big mover in the Goddard Stakes. Luca Cumani's six-year-old was matched at as big as [12.0] and is now trading at as low as [6.6]. It's a hell of an indication. Acrostic was very unlucky to be drawn low at Goodwood, and this time we should see his true colours.

Docofthebay was equally unlucky to be drawn in stall 3 in the same race at Goodwood, and Jamie Osborne's horse finished third. It is no surprise that all four of Docothebay's wins have come in fields boasting double-figure entries, as he loves the hurly-burly of a big handicap. His last run at the Shergar Cup was pretty poor, but that run can probably be discounted, despite their being ten runners. The races from that event rarely work out. He is plummeting in the weights, too, and it may be worth fishing around for something bigger than the [5.0] on offer in Betfair's place market.

12.30pm
It's just started raining. All those poor women who come here for their big day once a year and it rains on their parade. Such a shame. It's not heavy rain mind you, and with clerk of the course William Derby putting on 5mm of water on the course last night after racing, there can be no excuses from any trainer this afternoon. If you don't like the ground, take your horse out.

Some stats to grease the wheels. The St Leger Yearling Stakes has been won by the favourite in four out of the last ten runnings. That seems quite a lot for a contest of this nature. Brian Meehan has an excellent record in this, having won it three times, had a horse placed, and from just 14 runners. Meehan's Butch and Sundance is not fancied much though. Martin Dwyer's mount is trading at [30.0]. The gamble of the race is Rodrigo Torres, who was matched at [7.4], and is now [4.4]. All the high street firms have mentioned interest in the once-raced colt, too.

Midday
Remember that fierce tailwind that was blowing down the course yesterday? Well it's back. But this time it is more temperamental. It blows hard, and then gently. But it is there. It should aid Roaring Forte's chances significantly in the Goddard Stakes. There are few pacemakers in today's big handicap, but Roaring Forte loves to force the pace, and if the wind blows as it did yesterday, it may be all over by halfway.

The wind is playing havoc with the ladies as well. Hats are being grasped and hemlines are being held tightly against legs. It's also playing havoc with the elderly, slightly portly gentlemen, who sit behind the Grandstand trying in vain to catch a glimpse of something they may not have seen for a very long time...

11.30am
It's Ladies Day on the Knavesmire this afternoon everyone, (apologies for Andy Williams's appalling choice of sweater there by the way).

Yep, stretched limousines have been crawling into the car parks, the hemlines have been ratcheted up a few inches, and the lovelies of York are flocking to the third day of York's Ebor meeting.

The action on the track is not too bad either. I'm on the tail of two particular fillies today; Sariska and Lady Of The Desert. I can't see either getting beat. The double on Betfair is currently trading at below the odds that you can get elsewhere, but watch this space as the afternoon unfolds. I'm hoping it'll pay for the week.

Elswhere, we cannot forget the Ashes. Keep tabs on what is going on down at The Oval with Ed Hawkins' blog elsewhere on this site. With Andrew Strauss still holding things together at the crease, would it be a surprise to see Captain Brilliance hit his rivals for six in the Goddard Stakes at 2.50pm? No groans please. Or what about Rain Delayed in the 4.40pm. Boom Boom!

Tags: York, York Ebor Meeting, Yorkshire Oaks