Pantera Negra
Another overcast morning here at HQ, the times last night suggested the ground is pretty fast at The July Course but there was a small amount of watering after racing and a little rain too so it will be slightly slower today. We had a fantastic time at Goodwood during the week and it was fantastic to get a winner there with Sagaciously. Sadly we do not have a runner there today but it is great to see a filly as good as Minding lining up in the Nassau, unfortunately she has scared off a lot of the opposition.
Ripper Street saw too much daylight last night here in the 6f Maiden and got warm before the race, he was keen early and did not get home in the latter part of the race as a consequence.
We have four runners today at Doncaster and Newmarket. Pantera Negra runs in the 7f Median Auction at Doncaster at 2:20 and has a low weight of 8:8 minus Callum Shepherd’s claim of 5lbs. The favourite looked to run to a very good mark last time and will be hard to beat but I hope this good ground will suit her better than the quick ground at Ascot and that she will run well. Scrutinise returned to form last time at Sandown when going down by the smallest of margins, this will be the quickest ground he has encountered on turf but I am hoping yesterday’s rain will have taken the sting out of the ground and that he will be able to run. Michael’s Mount would not want fast ground so I am hoping that the rain has taken the sting out of the ground for him too, he ran better last time and ran into a very well handicapped horse. He is trying cheek pieces for the first time today to help him concentrate. Carol shaped with promise last time and I would expect her to improve from her debut but there are a lot of well-bred types in opposition and the only other filly to have run Blending shaped with a lot of promise on her first start at Newmarket.
It was amazing to see Rory McIlroy struggle so much in the US PGA and he missed the cut there for the first time in his career. Henrik Stenson is again playing well and is only three shots off the lead on six under and looking full of confidence with Jason Day ominously two shots off the lead on seven under. Jimmy Walker knows how to win on the US Tour but himself and fellow leader Robert Streb are yet to win a major and it promises to be a fascinating weekend with patchy greens making putting difficult.