IT’S a Saturday race day tomorrow at Les Landes with a 4.30pm first race. This is a new venture for The Jersey Race Club in an attempt to introduce wider enjoyment of the Island’s most popular spectator sport.
Saturday racing has been tried before without a great deal of success whereas family days were very well supported in the past.
At that time the late Neville Ahier would be the ringmaster providing a variety attractions, many specially chosen to appeal to families with young children.
The encroachment of unreasonably restrictive health and safety regulation made the events unviable and they came to an end.
This fresh initiative by the Race Club has taken considerable time and money to put on and it is to be hoped it will be well supported.
It’s almost as if the racing is an additional attraction, but for the third time this season there will be a competitive racecard without any runners from the UK. However, there will be new-to-Jersey horses.
The feature race is the Warwick Vase, a mile and a quarter handicap sponsored by Lisa and Alfie Smith. Celine De La Haye will introduce Expelliarmus, recently arrived from Ben Haslam’s Middleham stable.
The mare, owned by J P McManus and bred by his wife, initially went into training with Joseph O’Brien for whom she was placed on the flat and over hurdles.
Placed again for Haslam, she failed to win, but still carries quite a high BHA rating of 75. It will be interesting to watch how she shapes in her new environment.
Cueros, surprisingly beaten by Mc’Ted last time, will be favourite to get his revenge with a 7lb weight turn around. James Moon introduced Joyful Voice, a 7-year-old French bred mare with experience in both disciplines, in April and she ran promisingly 6.5 lengths behind Cueros at level weights. Here she gets 18lb and can’t be dismissed.
Grecian Jewel and Between the Covers complete the field and both have realistic chances. The former is up 7lb for romping away with a mile and a half handicap whereas Between the Covers, who she beat that day, may be better at this shorter trip. In an intriguing heat, Between the Covers is just preferred.
The Brighter Futures Sprint is sponsored by Martin & Kristina Jensen in aid of this excellent local family support charity. It’s a 5-furlong handicap and will see Bank on Kent attempt the hat trick.
It seems the handicapper thought he might have been too lenient after the gelding’s first win and reacted with a 12lb hike after his runaway victory last time when jockey Alice Bond got a flyer. That’s going to make it tough.
Profit and Loss from the same yard and runner up then, seems likely to turn the tables. Timetodock ran no sort of race that day, but a sharper trip will suit and it would come as no surprise were he to run a big race. Karl Kukk runs the other four runners, of which Al Farabi seems best.
The Meriel Edwards Memorial Race is sponsored by Peter, Charles and Giles Edwards and is a handicap for stayers over a mile and 5 furlongs.
Jonchere carries automatic top weight; she made no show when last seen at Pornichet and is best watched.
Roi Du Monde is the other at the head of the weights and was perhaps a shade disappointing when beaten 15 lengths by Caustic in April.
The winner went up 11lb for that, but was eased back 2lb last time and it should be close between them. Karl Kukk also runs Strobelight seen over a much shorter trip last time.
Allegro Jete hasn’t run since last August and not won since July 2024, so may need the outing. Bigz Belief seems most effective if making the running; he is a winner and could surprise if getting an easy lead.
The La Verte Rue Associates Hurdle is enlivened by a fourth runner in the shape of Danseuse Du Sud albeit with automatic top weight. James Moon’s 6-year-old grey mare, has had one UK run, at Newmarket last September, when slowly away.
As for the other three, well whose turn is it between Diplomatie, George Bancroft and Bigup? As they say, you pays your money and you takes your choice. Perhaps it’s George Bancroft’s turn in the winner’s enclosure.
As is so often the case, the last race on the card has the biggest field and it provides a tough challenge to end the roll-over jackpot. It’s The David Adams Memorial Race, sponsored by Atelier & Grove and run over the extended mile.
It looks a good opportunity for Never Said Nothing to open his seasonal account despite top weight. He has earned that rating by consistently running well and is one of no less than five from Team Malzard in the line up.
It is interesting that Fred Tett is aboard Countess Ciara. Twice third this year, only .75 of a length behind Mc’Ted last time and in front of Never Said Nothing, she looks a danger to all.
Vicence is no stranger to Les Landes having beaten Princess T and finished runner up in The Clarendon in 2021 and it will be interesting to see how the now 10-year-old shapes.
Casaruan will probably give it his usual good go, but is 8lb out of the handicap.
Celine De La Haye runs both Birkie Boy, mugged close home by She’s a Mirage in April, and Spring, now trying a longer trip.
Karl Kukk’s On Song was last in the Jersey Guineas, but beaten just 4.5 lengths and this is a much easier task; he seems sure to be in the shake up and could provide a turn up.
Selections
George Bancroft
Profit and Loss
Between the Covers
Roi Du Monde
On Song
