Ante-Post

    My season seems back on track after a good end to July's punting month and although I'm still down overall I am in front backing my tracker horses and that's a nice confidence booster for the weeks ahead. I get more of a buzz from an under the radar winner of a humdrum race, especially when most eyes are elsewhere on a big racing day, than I do from winners of the bigger group races these days. I think there's an element in backing big race winners of being the beneficiary of layers re-distributing some of the cash they have won off of favourite backers whereas a win like last Saturday's on Putting Green I see as more a punishment for lazy bookmaking.

    Speaking of big races, the Juddmonte at York in a week or so looks a mouth watering event with Golden Horn set to re-appear after being taken out of the King George. He's won over course and distance and is almost impossible to oppose but I've backed The Grey Gatsby anyway. Last year's Dante winner, who also ran a great race in defeat in this very races twelve months ago loves York and it's long straight and 9/1 is simply too big a price about him. As I write this he's twice the price of Gleneagles and Time Test and much as I respect both those animals that just can't be right. Gleneagles might stay but it's far from certain, as is his participation in the race, and Time Test despite looking incredibly impressive in his runs this campaign faces a massive step up in class and 4/1 is silly. The Grey Gatsby was bested relatively easily by Golden Horn in the Eclipse but it did take the Derby winner a while to assert and it must be said that a small field race with a steady gallop at a track like Sandown are far from the selection's ideal conditions and once again York will see the best of him - I find it incredibly hard to see him out of the frame and he's a decent each way bet at this stage.

Juddmonte International:

The Grey Gatsby £15ew @ 9/1

Ebor:
Oasis Fantasy £15ew @ 25/1

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe:
Jack Hobbs £15w @ 10/1

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Champion Hurdle:
Peace and Co £10w @ 12/1

World Hurdle:
Whisper £10w @ 156/10