June ‘26 Yankee courtesy @knockando

[Danman]

Re Arkle, Kabral targeting the race. Still double figures in places.

For me he's just got that touch of class, I've backed old park star and him for the race.

 

[Eggs]

Re Arkle, Kabral targeting the race. Still double figures in places.

….looks a popular suggestion, King Rasko Grey mentioned last month is another Arkle consideration. Apparently David Casey has talked about him for the race, the general 16-1 won’t last if he’s headed in that direction.

 

[Lobos]

….looks a popular suggestion, King Rasko Grey mentioned last month is another Arkle consideration. Apparently David Casey has talked about him for the race, the general 16-1 won’t last if he’s headed in that direction.

One I've been meaning to add

 

[Quevega]

Il etait temps seems a sensible option
And arkle wise sticking old park star in again would make sense to me.
Not many including old park star have confirmed chasing and arkle though as far as I’m aware
Kabral maybe but it’s Dan Skelton and kabral so he has form for not knowing the horses best trip
Could easily see him spouting about him being a specialist 2 and a half miler at some point especially if beaten over 2 miles earlier in season.
I’d go arkle with him all day long as long as he’s not trounced by old park star or the Hobbs horse - if he goes chasing

 

[knockando]

Any more for any more? I’ll post my final selections tomorrow. Cheers all!

 

[Danman]

I agree with il Etait Temps and old park star, I've got 3 backed for the stayers, the new lion being one, any thoughts on him ? The other 2 are already in earlier ones, jimmy and zeus.

 

[Eggs]

….i’m currently on holiday in Cyprus but will hopefully get my own bet on, start the July discussion and update the main thread later when @knockando posts his selections.

 

[Benjy23]

I agree - it's hard to look past them.

The one I like most to add as second leg is Lossiemouth... more so than Gaelic, as it's a harder feat and race to achieve, for all that he is obviously immense and so hugely impressive.

He's on Fire - Leg 1
Lossie - Leg 2

How about looking at the Arkle? We have Old Park Star in Q's March yankee - there was some debate around Mighty Park too. Thoughts?

You're on the verge of a Willie Mullins Yankee here. If He's on Fire and Lossie are already in then two of:

Gaelic or Il Etait Temps as a second solid option.

Old Park Star / King Rasko Grey for the Arkle if that's the race you wanted to look at.

I still like Jimmy for the Stayers but I see he was included in last month's, so I can see why you may avoid.

 

[BigChaang]

Looking forward to your selections Knockando , sorry , i've been of no use to the yankee , difficult month to be picking one , with what's available and the football going on ...

 

[knockando]

Right - here we go. Let's open by saying, this isn't going to be the most rapturously exciting yankee - but as has been discussed, at this point in the season - we are better to just pin our hopes down on horses with consistent profiles, and to avoid wild swings in handicaps just yet...which Q eloquently covered in his post in the March yankee.

The other overriding thing that came out of the post was that, throughout this season, we shouldn't worry about having the same horses in multiple yankees and leaving solid selections in until they're not. Another way of putting it - we shouldn't overthink these things and stretch our chances thinly in some heroic feat to find a longer odds shot - and so many might think my selections could be slightly dull potentially.

Leg 1 - it was essentially locked in from Day 1, given the talk in the May yankee and it not quite making the cut (missed out to Air of Entitlement). He's on Fire - BANC. There was a bit of debate about this being the right race but on balance it's more likely he'll be aimed here.

Leg 2 - Lossiemouth CH - for all of the reasons above, for me - she's just the most solid and consistent. I debated over GDC in the GC but reasoning above, it's just a much harder feat to achieve - for all he oozes class and is so dominant in that division.

Leg 3 - Il Etait Temps - CC - Q has picked Kargese in the March yankee, but Il Etait Temps fits the bill as a potential new solid one to take forward again in the July yankee or others. It would be wild to not have him in at least one of the yankees between now and the Fez, and now seems like a good time to do it prior to the handicap selections coming in later.

Unsurprisingly, the CC is where festival form is paramount, and it would not be surprising to see IET emulate Energumene, Altior and going back a bit further, Master Minded in the double header.

Leg 4 - The one I struggled with the most. I wanted to avoid the Stayers really, I myself have backed a few in that and so would kick myself by nominating one in here and then seeing another horse win it on the day, especially if the other three have landed (one can but dream!)....

For me the most sensible race to look at was the Arkle.... and whilst it didn't come down to a coin toss, I have been going back and forth between King Rasko and Old Park Star, and have opted for Old Park Star purely because at this stage, it's more of a certainty and that's what we want at this earlier stage of our AP journey in summer. I'm happier nominating a horse whose target is more certain - and then we've got him covered in two yankees as a solid selection.

Potentially, much like He's on Fire which just missed the cut this yankee, King Rasko Grey could form Leg 1 of the July yankee - but up to the next captain.

So - for those who can't be arsed (and wouldn't blame you) to read the sheer mundanity above:

1. He's on Fire -BANC
2. Lossiemouth - CH
3. Il Etait Temps - CC
4. Old Park Star - Arkle

Best price - Powers and Sky 692/1 by the looks, 365 is 689/1

I'd class that as a safe, reliable and solid yankee. It's like George Graham's version of Arsenal, slightly dull but hopefully gets the job done. Hope you all like it.

 

[BuckingThe Trend]

Solid selections. Thanks for taking the time to explain your choices. It's tough this time of year to pick a Yankee so I think your strategy and selections are sound. I'm in. Cheers.

 

[Eggs]

….terrific effort @knockando. Well done all contributors, 5 pages of discussion is decent especially with a World Cup taking place

Managed to get my bet on.

I’ll update the main thread and start the July discussion for @Runragged.