A Proper Summer's Day at Folkestone

My old dad used to say that if you can't enjoy a day's racing in July, you're probably watching the wrong sport. He had a point. There's something about a warm Thursday afternoon at a British track — the smell of cut grass, a cold drink in hand, the card folded in your back pocket — that makes the whole world feel a little more generous. And Folkestone in late July? That's as good as it gets.

The ground is riding Good to Firm, Good in places — a reading of 34 on the GoingStick — which is about as fair and honest a surface as you'll find anywhere in the country at this time of year. It rewards horses with a bit of zip about them, suits those who like to travel through their races, and generally sorts the wheat from the chaff. If you've been waiting for conditions to come right for a favourite, today could well be your day.

There are eight races on the Folkestone racecard, kicking off at 13:50 and running through to 17:55. We've got a £600,000 Group 1 as the centrepiece, a Group 2 for the juveniles, a pair of valuable handicaps, and a lovely maiden fillies' stakes to close the afternoon out. Plenty to get stuck into, so let's not hang about.

The Feature Race: Qatar Nassau Stakes (15:35, Group 1, £600k)

Right, here's where the serious money is. The Nassau Stakes — £600,000 in prize money, five runners, and a field that would turn heads at any track in Europe. This is a race for fillies and mares over a mile and nearly two furlongs, and the going today suits the very best. No hiding places on ground this quick.

Diamond Necklace (Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien) is the one they've all got to beat. Rated 115, she's the highest-rated runner in the race and Moore doesn't take these bookings lightly. O'Brien's string have been in fine fettle all summer and this filly looks tailor-made for conditions. The concern, if there is one, is whether the trip fully brings out the best in her — but at this level, class usually finds a way.

See The Fire (Oisin Murphy, Andrew Balding) is rated 114 and has course and distance form to her name — that [D] marker is worth its weight in gold on a day like today. She's a five-year-old who knows her job inside out, and Murphy will have her travelling sweetly from the off. Don't be surprised if she's the one who makes Diamond Necklace work hardest for it.

Friendly Soul (William Buick, John & Thady Gosden) also brings course and distance experience to the table and at 113 is very much in the mix. The Gosden yard have been quietly excellent this season and Buick rarely wastes a trip to a track like this. She's one to keep on the right side of.

Young Botagoz (Ray Dawson, Roger Varian) is the three-year-old to respect. Rated 111 and with distance form already banked, Varian's filly could outrun her age if the pace is genuinely strong. Moments of Joy, the other O'Brien runner, is rated just 98 and looks to have her work cut out here, though you'd never entirely dismiss anything carrying the Ballydoyle colours.

The Richmond Stakes: Two-Year-Old Stars in the Making (14:25, Group 2, £200k)

I always have a soft spot for the Richmond. It's one of those races where you're watching the future unfold in real time — some of these two-year-olds will be Guineas horses, Breeders' Cup horses, maybe even Classic winners. Or they'll be modest handicappers. That's the beauty of it.

Adaay of Scarlett (Oisin Murphy, Hugo Palmer) tops the ratings at 105 and looks a serious contender. Palmer has been in cracking form and Murphy is the kind of jockey who elevates a performance on quick ground. Watch him closely.

Cut A Dash (Sean Levey, Richard Hannon) is rated 103 and Hannon's juveniles are almost always ready to run on quick ground — the yard has a knack for having their two-year-olds spot-on for big summer targets. Night In Vegas (Charles Bishop, Eve Johnson Houghton) brings both course and distance form — a [C,D] double — and at 102 is absolutely live. Course winners at this level deserve enormous respect.

Then there's Man's Best Friend (Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien), who has no official rating listed but carries the most famous silks in the sport. When O'Brien sends an unrated juvenile to a Group 2 with Ryan Moore aboard, you take notice. He's the wildcard, but potentially the most exciting runner in the race.

Ones to Watch in the Handicaps

The opening race, the Coral Kincsem Heritage Handicap (13:50, Class 2, £120k), is a proper puzzle over a mile and nearly two furlongs. Evanesco (David Egan, Charlie Johnston) has distance form and is rated 99 — Egan has been riding with real confidence lately and Johnston's horses tend to run well fresh. Harmonics (Shane Foley, John & Thady Gosden) also brings distance experience and at 97 is weighted to run a big race. The Gosden team rarely miss with a horse prepped for a race like this.

Don't overlook Gonna Fly (Hector Crouch, Ralph Beckett) either — rated 95 with distance form, and Crouch is having one of the best seasons of his career. He's the kind of jockey who makes his own luck in a big field.

In the Buccellati Handicap (16:10, Class 3, five furlongs), the going is going to be crucial over the minimum trip. Schrodinger's Cat and Baker Blue share top weight at 95 and both have distance form. In an eighteen-runner sprint on quick ground, early position is everything — keep an eye on the draw.

The Whispering Angel Nursery Handicap (16:45, Class 2, £60k) over seven furlongs is a fascinating contest for two-year-olds. Cilician (Tom Marquand, Brian Meehan) is top-rated at 86 and The Bookkeeper (Billy Loughnane is not riding here, but Ryan Moore takes the ride for Richard Hughes) brings course and distance form. Loughnane, who rides My A'Ali Baba in this one, has been electric all summer — he's the kind of young talent my dad would have called a "natural." Worth keeping him onside wherever he pops up today.

And the closing maiden fillies' stakes (17:20) sees So Lovely (Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien) arrive with enormous expectation. Unrated, but Moore and O'Brien in a fillies' maiden is a combination that tends to end one way. Beguiled (William Buick, John & Thady Gosden) is another with serious connections and no rating to anchor her price. Both could be anything.

How the Going Shapes the Day

Good to Firm, Good in places — that 34 reading tells you everything you need to know. This is fast ground that will stretch the legs of anything with a touch of class. Horses who want soft, giving ground to get into their stride simply won't be at their best today. The ones who thrive on quick footing — your course and distance specialists, your sharp movers, your horses with a clean action — are the ones to be on.

Across the card, those [D] markers are your friends. Distance winners at this track on similar going have a built-in edge that the handicapper can't always fully account for. And with a GoingStick reading this consistent, there shouldn't be too much variation between the stands rail and the far side — though in big-field sprints, always worth checking where the draw has been kind.

Roger's Best Bets: Ones to Watch

  • Diamond Necklace (15:35) — Class tells in a small field. Moore and O'Brien in a Group 1 is reason enough.
  • See The Fire (15:35) — Course and distance form on today's going. Each-way at the very least.
  • Night In Vegas (14:25) — Course and distance winner in the Richmond. Don't let the price put you off.
  • Harmonics (13:50) — Gosden and Foley, distance form, and a horse that looks well treated at 97.
  • So Lovely (17:20) — Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien, a fillies' maiden. You know the drill.

It's shaping up to be a wonderful afternoon's sport at one of England's most characterful tracks. Grab the Folkestone racecard, pick your races, and enjoy it. My dad always said the best days at the races aren't always the ones where you win — they're the ones where you're glad you went. Today looks like one of those days.

Good luck, and enjoy the racing.