The horse racing week ahead and a look back at the weekend action

Following a busy few days, and a weekend on which there was almost too much horse racing and top-class action, it's a relatively quiet few days ahead. We have a handful of Listed races midweek and Friday plus three Group races come the weekend the G.3 Trophy Stakes and G.2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury and the G.3 Firth of Clyde at Ayr. I have a few potential bets up my sleeve for the week but nothing for Monday. Following a mini disaster of a weekend for Triple G betting wise I will be licking the wounds Monday!

As for the action over the last few days a bubble or two were burst but one confirmed the promise he had shown previously. Economics proved he is top-class out in Ireland beating Auguste Rodin, and a field consisting of several proven G.1 performers, in the Irish Champions Stakes and that was possibly the highlight of the weekend for me; it was also a great race. It will be interesting to see where connections go next, trainer William Haggas suggested the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot after the race. Hopefully as he has been brought along slowly this season we will get to see him on the track in 2025 as well and I would really like to see him and City Of Troy go head to head at some point....

Look De Vega finishing third in the G.2  Qatar Prix Niel was a kick in the teeth, I am on ante-post for the Arc, and I really don't know what to make of the race. I was surprised he front-run and the finishing kick he showed in the Prix du Jockey Club  simply wasn't there. He wasn't knocked about, and perhaps it was a simple case of he didn't stay, but I would expect to see stalking tactics being reverted to come October. He is still second favourite behind Sosie who beat him over the weekend.

Treasure Time finishing fourth at Doncaster on Saturday was a disappointment and I doubt Cieren Fallon will be uploading the ride to his highlight reel. It wasn't a terrible ride, and I am not knocking him as I think he is a good jockey, but he and Treasure Time were stuck behind a wall of horses ducking left and right before finally finding a gap all too late. It was a fair run, hopefully the handicapper can't mess with his mark of 94 too much, and we live to fight another day, but it was a disappointment nonetheless as I really thought the gelding had a chance to win that race.  Rob from the Somerville Lodge team was in touch on Monday 16th with a little update “He’s come out of the race sound and trotted up great today. He lost 12 kilos and ran another fantastic race! He will be back into his normal ridden routine tomorrow following a few easy days post-race.”