Best bets for the horse racing at Saratoga the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

I spoke at the beginning of the week about how a lot of my attention would be on foreign shores this week and so it begins on Thursday with the first of my fancies out in the United States over the coming days at Saratoga. It is the first ever Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga the meeting temporarily moving from Belmont Park because of ongoing construction and renovations; the Festival runs from Thursday to Sunday. I have jumped on four horses for the meeting and the details of all four follow as I have been able to get prices I quite like Wednesday evening on all bar one.

Best bet for the horse racing at Saratoga Thursday 6th June 2024

William Buick is out in New York for the next few days to ride for boss Charlie Appleby suggesting all the raiders from Moulton Paddocks have big chances as he is missing plenty of opportunities in the Jockeys Championship back home to be out here for five rides; that said there’s a fair amount of prize money up for grabs! First to run at Sartoga this week is Siskany in the Grade Two two-mile Belmont Gold Cup Stakes at 10.50pm our time. Winner of this race last year the six-year-old began his 2024 campaign with a couple of victories out at Meydan before finishing a fair fourth in the G.2 2m Dubai Gold Cup. He looks to have every chance of retaining his crown here I am on at ?-1. With most of the home team not used to trips beyond 1m4f, second last year the Grey Wizard may again give him most to think about. Charlie Appleby said earlier this week “Siskany won this race at Belmont last year and returns to the US in great order. He is drawn very wide, but it’s a two-mile race so should have plenty of time to find a decent pitch. He’s coming into this on the back of another consistent campaign in Dubai and we are very confident that he can be a big player again.” No-one has priced up yet so get the best price you can when they do.

Best bets for the horse racing at Saratoga Friday 7th June 2024

Coppice is a name you will likely recognise from her time with the Gosden's in the UK. Now four-year-old she is still in the ownership of Juddmonte but now based in the States with Chad Brown and runs in the mile Grade One Just A Game Stakes at 10.30pm here in the UK. Second on her American debut in the G.2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes she was only beaten a neck and on her best form has every chance here especially getting the weight she does from her opposition under race conditions. I have 9-4 that I took on Wednesday evening.

The Grade One 1m1½f New York Stakes presented by Rivers Casino is due off at 11.05 our time and we have another Godolphin raider here in the shape of English Rose. I have tipped her before and she has certainly looked capableof winning a race such as this. Second in the mile G.2 Cape Verdi at Meydan on her seasonal reappearance in January she then won the G.2 1m1f Balanchine Presented By Longines in February before shipping to the USA. She made her debut out here in the 1m½f G.1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland in April where she was second in a slowly run race in which she was pulling too early. Charlie Appleby said afterwards “I’m very pleased with English Rose, who has gained valuable experience today. They were going so slow on the front. There was a little traffic in the stretch, but that did not affect us. The winner was gone.” Jockey William Buick added “I followed the winner, and the pace was slow. I think this experience will stand her in good stead. I thought I had a good spot, but Frankie [Dettori on Beaute Cachee] was able to maintain the pace. I was very happy with my filly, and I think she will improve and learn from this experience.” I think she’ll come on for the race and can gain a well-deserved Grade One victory in this and I am on at 9-4. Charlie Appleby appears confident in the build-up saying on Tuesday “We were delighted with English Rose in the Jenny Wiley and stepping up a furlong here should suit. She has a good draw in two and should be very competitive in a race that looks to have plenty of strength in depth.”

Best bet for the horse racing at Saratoga Saturday 8th June 2024

Dirty Dozen member Measured Time goes in the Grade One 1m1½f  Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at 10.36pm making his US debut for Charlie Appleby having swerved October’s Jockey Club Derby after it was taken off the turf. I said at the start of the season something like the G.2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot could be an aim but here we are out in the good old US of A. Having won the G.1 Jebel Hatta Presented by Longines at Meydna in January he was then fourth in the G.1 1m1f Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World in March before shipping out here. Buick sticks with the four-year-old which looks significant and he can add another G.1 to his CV. I am on at 3-1. Stablemate Nations Pride was no match for another Appleby raider Silver Knott in the 1m3f G.2 Man O War Stakes last time (I tipped the winner) and he is better over further than this in my mind. Charlie Appleby said this week “Measured Time hasn’t raced in the US before but has been training out there and has experience of a similar track in Dubai. He has an outside draw to contend with but I feel that he is going to be very competitive against a strong field. This should give us an indication of where we are heading for the rest of the season. Nations Pride has sharpened up since the Man o’ War Stakes and dropping back in trip will hopefully suit.”

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