07:37 It has been dry overnight and the going is Good to Soft, Soft in Places
The six race card gets underway at 14:10 and there is, currently, just the one non-runner.
10:27 There are now two non-runners.
12:25 Good afternoon from a misty, muggy York for the first day of their final meeting of the season.
We currently have three non-runners and we all hope (especially commentator John Hunt) the mist does not close in to spoil the visibility.
13:23 There is a moderate wind, slightly behind in the home straight.
13:39 Going is definately on the soft side, especially the final three furlongs. Some Good to Soft patches on the turn into the home straight.
13:55 Our opening contest is the TSG Nursery with 14 going to post for the 6f contest.
Breezolini carries 3lbs overweight.
Lady Paris is being very Gallic in her temperament, fly kicking and pulling hard. Serena’s Pride is on her toes, as is Breezolini and Hortensis.
Top weight Alben Star looks a cut above the remainder.
14:02 Two Feet Of Snow very reluctant to go to start
14:22 Yep the conditions here at York are dire, with the opening race being run seven seconds slow and very few of the runners looking to have any chance.
Having said that the three who contested the finish were closely bunched, with judge Di Clarke being called into early action as Indian Ballard and Breezolini fought out a bob finish, with the advantage going to Indian Ballard by a petite nose.
Maggie Mey, swathed in sweat was a head back in third.
Lady Paris led briefly around two out and was still in with every chance inside the final furlong, only to fade, paying perhaps for her paddock exertions.
Favourite Alben star was disappointing, looking unhappy in the ground.
14:36 Up to 10 furlongs for our second contest, the Garbutt & Elliott Conditions Stakes, with seven going to post.
Kirklees is the class act in the field and certainly the best looking in the parade ring and he should come on for his belated seasonal debut.
Waseet was beginning to get a little bit on his toes and, to a lesser extent, so was Chock A Block.
14:58 I think this is one of those afternoons where the form book is going to be thrown out of the window, unless it happens to highlight any mudlarks.
Demolition set out to demolish the field, leading for the first half of the race before ceding the advantage to Kings Gambit who had been settled on his quarters
Frankie Dettori had settled Kirklees behind the leaders, whilst Richard Hills had put Waseet to sleep in rear.
By two out Kirklees had joined Kings Gambit in front and the pair set out to battle to the line well clear of the remainder, who were headed by Waseet who had made progress into third but well behind the front duo.
The front pair looked to be running in slow motion but no matter how hard he tried Dettori could not get Kirklees in front and Jamie Spencer stole a lead on the favourite.
Now Spencer may have been concentrating on Dettori on his left had side, had he looked over his shoulder to his right he would have seen Hills making a final charge on Waseet and it proved to be a decisive charge, coming home by three-parts of a length, with Kirklees a further length and a half in arrears.
15:08 A nice little 19 runner, 7f handicap to keep us amused – to give the race its full name the Acorn Web Ofset Handiap.
Nothing really stood out in the parade ring, slight negatives for Kaptain Kirkup, Docofthebay, Mastership and Justonefortheroad.
15:32 Well another messy race in the glue with the result going in the bookies favour.
Joint favourite Eton Rifles set off for home inside the final furlong, having been prominent throughout.
It looked like joy for the backers but he ended up being attacked on both sides, with Justonefortheroad on his right and Zomerlust on his left.
It was Justonefiortheroad who came off best in the end, coming home ¾ of a length clear of Etion Rifles, with Zomerlust a further length in arrears.
The front trio were clear of the remainder who were headed by Joseph Henry, who just got the call over Docofthebay in a photograph for fourth.
One of the joint owners of the winner is Alan Shearer, who was here to collect the prize.
The other joint-favourite, Desert Creek, missed the break, was never in contention and came home a distant last, virtually pulled up.
15:46 Race four is the EBF Read Paul Nicholls Exclusively On Betfair Maiden Stakes, a six furlong contest for two-year-olds with eight going to post.
There is a big screen beside the parade ring, it is always here but it seems to be upsetting some horses here this afternoon – particularly in this contest.
Iceblast, Cat Island and Shirataki are all reacting really badly, especially Iceblast.
Iceblast and Shirataki are also whinnying their way around the parade ring.
16:07 This turned out to be a nice little maiden as Rudegirl made all, battling well, to take the prize money.
In the closing stages it looked as though the favourite Commended was going to overhaul her but she battled bravely to win my ½ a length.
Iceblast, who was upset most of all by the big screen in the parade ring, was green in the early stages on debut but when the penny dropped late on he ran on well.
If he settles better next time he will come on for the run.
Big disappointment of the race was Shirataki, always in rear and just not wanting to play ball, very unusual for a Mark Johnston runner, then again he was another upset by the big screen.
16:19 Another big field handicap, this time 17 go to post for the Parsonage County House Hotel Handicap over 5f.
Oldjoesaid is getting a little warm in the parade ring, where common sense has prevailed and the big screen has been turned off.
Discanti is getting on his toes, and both Magical Macey and Floor Show were pulling their handlers about.
16:43 Despite the testing conditions this sprint was run at a rattling pace and the field were well bunched throughout.
Strike Up the Band, Russian Spirit, Niran and Mango Music were all to the fore but as they reached the business end there were oonly a few in with chances.
The front running Russian Spirit was still there but coming late from the pack with a wet sail was Haajes and Paul Pickard produced him perfectly to record a head victory.
Mango Music came home third, with the running on Walvis Bay running on into fourth.
16:52 The afternoon concludes with a 1m 2f apprentice handicap, the Future Cleaning Services “Hands and Heels” Apprentice Handicap with ten going to post.
King Zeal was getting a little warm.
17:14 Turning for home you could probably have had any money you wanted on Veiled Applause repeating last year’s victory in this contest as he was stone last.
Shane Kelly, his rider, seemed to be the only one to be unperturbed, justifiably so as he came with a perfectly timed late run to grab a half-length victory on the line.
Before the late charge punters were enjoying a battle royal between King Zeal, who had made all and the favourite Red Jade. Red Jade briefly headed King Zeal, who then battled back to claim the runners-up spot by a neck.
There was drama at the start as Desert Vision attempted to duck out of the stalls, his rider David Simmonson managing to bail out …. the horse was withdrawn resulting in a 5p rule four deduction.
17:17 That’s it from the Knavesmire, a relatively quiet day crowd wise – tomorrow is their final day of the season and there is bound to be a bumper crowd.
Conditions here this afternoon have certainly been testing.
Tomorrow we are back down south and Ascot’s final flat meeting of the season.
Return to race archive:
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Non-Runners
The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.
SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate
Non-runners
15:20
18 Malcheek (going - 14:21)
16:30
6 Silaah (going - 10:59)
12 Go Go Green (cast in box - SC 19:49 Thu)
10 Equuleus Pictor (coughing - SC 09:53)
Results
14:10 Nursery 6f
| 1st |
4 Indian Ballad |
8/1 |
| 2nd |
11 Breezolini |
16/1 |
| 3rd |
13 Maggie Mey |
9/1 |
| Tote Win £9.30 |
|
| Places £2.90, £3.80, £2.50 |
| Exacta £147.90 |
|
| CSF £115.15 |
|
| Tricast £1204.97 |
|
| Distances Nose, head |
|
| Alben Star 7/4 fav (5th) |
|
| 14 ran |
|
| Time 1' 17.66" (slow 7.06") |
14:45 Conditions Stakes 1m 2f 88yds
| 1st |
7 Waseet |
18/1 |
| 2nd |
1 Kings Gambit |
10/3 |
| Tote Win £20.70 |
|
| Places £5.40, £1.50 |
|
| Exacta £99.60 |
|
| CSF £69.88 |
|
| Distances 3/4l |
|
| Kirklees 6/5 fav (3rd) |
|
| 7 ran |
|
| Time 2' 15.26" (slow 7.76") |
15:20 Handicap 7f
| 1st |
19 Justonefortheroad |
25/1 |
| 2nd |
11 Eton Rifles |
5/1 jf |
| 3rd |
16 Zomerlust |
16/1 |
| 4th |
10 Joseph Henry |
25/1 |
| Tote Win £36.50 |
|
| Places £5.80, £1.70, £2.80, £7.00 |
| Exacta £194.60 |
|
| CSF £133.63 |
|
| Tricast £2135.61 |
|
| Distances 3/4l, 1l |
|
| Desert Creek 5/1 jf (last) |
|
| 19 ran |
|
| Non runners 18 |
|
| Time 1' 29.44" (slow 5.94") |
|
15:55 Maiden Stakes 6f
| 1st |
8 Rudegirl |
4/1 |
| 2nd |
1 Commended |
11/4 fav |
| 3rd |
2 Iceblast |
40/1 |
| Tote Win £4.20 |
|
| Places £1.70, £1.30, £5.10 |
|
| Exacta £19.10 |
|
| CSF £14.96 |
|
| Distances 1/2l, 1l |
|
| 8 ran |
|
| Time 1' 18.18" (slow 7.58") |
16:30 Handicap 5f
| 1st |
4 Haajes |
7/1 |
| 2nd |
5 Russian Spirit |
8/1 |
| 3rd |
15 Mango Music |
6/1 |
| 4th |
3 Walvis Bay |
25/1 |
| Tote Win £9.00 |
|
| Places £2.20, £2.30, £1.80, £6.10 |
| Exacta £38.90 |
|
| CSF £57.92 |
|
| Tricast £379.80 |
|
| Distances hd, 1 1/4l, 1l |
|
| Oldjoesaid 5-1 fav |
|
| 17 ran |
|
| Non runners 6, 12, 20 |
|
| Time 1' 03.02" (slow 5.12") |
17:05 Handicap 1m 2f 88yds
| 1st |
4 Veiled Applause |
7/2 |
| 2nd |
6 King Zeal |
5/1 |
| 3rd |
1 Red Jade |
3/1 fav |
| Tote Win £4.70 |
|
| Places £1.80, £1.60, £1.30 |
| Exacta £17.20 |
|
| CSF £18.45 |
|
| Tricast £48.90 |
|
| Distances 1/2l, neck |
|
| 9 ran |
|
| Non runners 3 |
|
| 3 Desert Vision w/d R4 5p in £ |
| Time 2' 15.65" (slow 8.15") |
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