The Flat season is now getting in full swing and already two of the classics have been run, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.

We have the Derby (June 5th), Epsom Oaks (for fillies) and the St Ledger to come.

The above are what they call the Group 1 ‘Classics’. However there are many Group 1 flat races from now until October and these races always remind me of a chap in my betting shop days many decades ago called Samuel. Now Samuel was a betting shop regular I had the utmost respect for and so when Samuel spoke I was all ears.

Samuel had a complete monopoly on the payout counter at my local Corals so much so just for a laugh the staff hand wrote a card and stuck it above the payout sign to read ‘Bank Of Samuel’.

Anyway, every year he would operate a 1-2-3 staking points system on the returned favourite in each of the top flat races, or the ‘reliables’ as he would call them.

Put simply, he would ‘Back’ the favourite in all Flat Group 1 races and reset to stake ‘1’ when hitting a winner. He became very popular as a result of his little system, and this year I am going to see whether it still has legs, or not.

As mentioned above we’ve already had the running of the 1000 and 2000 Guineas and the favourites in those races were well beaten so now maybe an idea time to intercept and start this little system.

So here is the list of Group 1 Flat races for this season still to run.

June
Coronation Cup

Epsom

1m 4f 10y 4yo+
Oaks Stakes Epsom 1m 4f 10y 3yo f
Derby Stakes Epsom 1m 4f 10y 3yo c/f
King’s Stand Stakes Ascot 5f 3yo+
St. James’ Palace Stakes Ascot 1m 3yo c
Queen Anne Stakes Ascot 1m 4yo +
Prince of Wales’ Stakes Ascot 1m 2f 4yo+
Gold Cup Ascot 2m 4f 4yo+
Coronation Stakes Ascot 1m 3yo f
Golden Jubilee Stakes Ascot 6f 3yo+

July
Eclipse Stakes Sandown 1m 2f 7y 3yo+
Falmouth Stakes Newmarket 1m 3you+ f
July Cup Newmarket 6f 3yo+
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot 1m 4f 3yo+

July / August
Sussex Stakes Goodwood 1m 3yo+
Nassau Stakes Goodwood 1m 1f 192y 3yo+ f

August
International Stakes York 1m 2f 88y 3yo+
Yorkshire Oaks York 1m 4f 3yo+ f
Nunthorpe Stakes York 5f 2yo+

September
Sprint Cup Haydock 6f 3yo+
St. Leger Stakes Doncaster 1m 6f 132y 3yo c/f
Fillies’ Mile Ascot 1m 3yo+
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Ascot 1m 3yo+

September / October
Cheveley Park Stakes Newmarket 6f 2yo f
Middle Park Stakes Newmarket 6f 2yo c
Sun Chariot Stakes Newmarket 1m 3yo+ f

October
Dewhurst Stakes Newmarket 7f 2yo c/f
Champion Stakes Newmarket 1m 2f 3yo+
Racing Post Trophy Doncaster 1m 2y

 

Quite an extensive list and for me it’s a trial to small stakes this year using Samuel’s methodology. So it’s worth keeping an eye on this.

Especially as these are the crème de la crème of the thoroughbred world and so should hold reliable form lines.