AK Latest, Horse Racing

By Tony Calvin - 17 August 2026

TONY CALVIN: SATURDAY ITV DETAILS

STATS/INFO SECTION

1.COURSE DETAILS

YORK

GOING STICK: 5.9, Thu 8.30am

Home Straight readings; Far Side – 5.8 Centre – 5,8; Stands Side – 5.7

Moisture Meter reading : 42%

Wind speed and direction at 2pm Thursday: Northerly headwind 8mph, gusting to 26mph

Rails: Planned rail positions from 9f to the entrance to the Home Straight: Thursday – 3m out from innermost. Friday – 6m out. Saturday – 10m out

Stalls: 5f, 6f and 1m4f – Centre. Remainder – Inside

THURSDAY COURSE UPDATE: 2.8mm rain from 2am to 6.45am Thursday on top of the 5.4mm daily total on Wednesday making 17.8mm since Sunday. Current conditions at 6.45am Thursday – dry, cloud with a bit of sun. Met Office forecast: Thursday – continuing rain possible, turning drier and brighter in afternoon, 16 degrees. Friday – mainly dry and fresh with sunny intervals with a chance of passing showers, 17 degrees. Saturday – dry with sunny intervals, 18 degrees. For live links to our Weather Station and the Met Office forecast, please visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk and click through for Going Details on the home page.

WATERING: Last irrigation of 2mms applied Friday 14th August overnight making 9mms in the last 7 days

Weather (Yr.no – 6.22am, Thursday) – Thursday 9.5mm; Friday 1mm; Saturday dry

 

CHESTER

GOING: Good to soft

GOING STICK: 6.3,  Thu 7am

Rails: Rail will be out approximately 6 yards from 6f-1.5f and out 3 yards from 1.5f-6f.

  • 2:05pm: Race distance is now +26y to 7f 153y

  • 2:40pm: Race distance is now +58y to 1m 6f 145y

  • 3:15pm: Race distance is now +24y to 6f 41y

  • 3:50pm: Race distance is now +20y to 5f 35y

  • 4:25pm: Race distance is now +20y to 5f 35y

  • 5:00pm: Race distance is now +24y to 6f 41y

  • 5:35pm: Race distance is now +59y to 2m 35y

Stalls: 1m2f – Outside. Remainder – Inside.

THURSDAY COURSE UPDATE: 9.8mm rain over the last 24 hours. 20.6mm over last 7 days. Chance throughout the day of thundery showers today. Tomorrow and Saturday looking dry and bright at this stage with highs of 18’C and a 10mph North Westerly breeze.

WATERING: Water applied over the weekend.

Weather (Yr.no ; 6.24am Thursday): 14mm Thursday; 1.8mm Friday; 0.8mm Saturday (storm warnings Wed-Thu)

 

2.BALLOTED OUT RUNNERS (get your money back on these)

2.05pm Chester: Hungarian, Monoceros, Crazee Icon

3.35pm – Reserves: Enemy, Dancing In Paris

Balloted out: Duraji, Valedictory, Kirchner, Team Player, Westminster Moon, Goblet Of Fire, Sirius, Shadow Dance, Zanndabad, Alfred Boucher, Magico, Tribal Star, Majestic, Truth Be Told, Aqwaam, Alophonse Le Grande, Altareq, Oneforthegutter, Night Moon, Pole Star

4.10pm – Lakers, Toyotomi, Dark Cloud Rising, Purosangue, Bolo Neighs, Strike Red, Commanche Falls, Indian Run, Air Force One, Topwarrior, Rappers Delight, Veblen One, Manatee Mehmas, Musical Touch, Zoulu Chief, We Never Stop, Tricky Tel, Beaujolais Nouveau, Marcellinus, Fortification, Stanley Spencer

 

3.FIRST-TIME HEADGEAR STATS

John and Thady Gosden cheekpieces; Damysus, 1.50pm; 16-150 (since 2021)

Willie Mullins cheekpieces; Sharkeyboy, 2.25pm; 15-67 (2016)

Aidan O’Brien cheekpieces; Expanded, 1.50pm & Puerto Rico 3pm; 15-132 (2016)

Kevin Ryan cheekpieces; Henlein, 1.50pm Chester & Hammer The Hammer, 4.10pm York 16-185 (2016)

Ger Lyons cheekpieces; Poetic Sound, 3.35pm; 1-30 (2016)

Andrew Balding cheekpieces; Furthur, 3.35pm; 21-141 (2016)

 

 

4.FIVE-DAY PACE MAPS (manually assessed)

 

1.50pm York : Archivist (drawn 9), Expanded? (1), Naqeeb, (13) Point Lynas (4), Hankelow (11)

2.05pm Chester:  Asuka (12), Aqpan (2), Goldmoyne (3), Yanifer (7), Vixey? (6)

2.25pm York: Limestone (6), Infraad (4), Mythical Bay (3), Who’s Lope (7)

2.40pm Chester: Lazy Griff (3),  Duraji (8), Fantasy World (5), Midak? (2), Lady Vivian (4), Orchard Keeper (6)

3pm York: Satono Reve (4), Lifeplan (14), Puerto Rico? (11)

3.35pm York : Furthur (16), Spinning Wheel (24), Tarriance (12), Align The Stars (17),  Square Necker (23)

4.10pm York : Pocklington (10), Toca Madera (14), Flash Harry (17), Hammer The Hammer (18), Desert Falcon (8)

 

5.TRAINERFORM (manually assessed; form going into Thursday; ITV races only)

 

Good: John and Thady Gosden, Ed Bethell (superb form), Robert Cowell (fair/good – small sample, and had been on a poor run), Richard and Peter Fahey,  Aidan O’Brien, Ralph Beckett,  George Scott, James Owen, Karl Burke,  Roger Varian,  Adrian Keatley (small sample), George Boughey,  Clive Cox,  Jennie Candlish,  Willie Mullins (great form), Charlie Appleby, Harry Charlton, Adrian McGuinness, Geoff Oldroyd (very small sample), Simon and Ed Crisford, Andrew Balding

Fair: Ian Williams (fair/moderate), William Haggas, Jim Goldie, Ed Walker, Joseph O’Brien, Richard Spencer, David O’Meara, Charlie Johnston, Hugo Palmer, Ben Haslam, Mick Appleby,  Michael and David Easterby, Richard Hughes, Stuart Williams, O M Grassick, Ger Lyons, Dermot Weld,  Emmet Mullins, Brian Ellison, Declan Carroll, Robson De Aguiar, Eve Johnson Houghton, Alan King, Iain Jardine, Henry De Bromhead, Jamie Osborne, Harriet Bethell, David Evans , Tom Dascombe

Moderate:  Kevin Ryan, Kevin Phillipart De Foy (Wednesday York winner though),  Tim Easterby (fair/moderate), Richard Hannon,  Jonathan Portman, Rebecca Menzies, Julie Camacho

Don’t know:  Dr Richard Newland,  Hamad Al Jehani, N Hori,  Tony Martin, Nicky Henderson,  Simon West