Hi all,
It’s Day 1 of the two-day Newmarket Future Champions Festival. The juveniles take centre stage with the Group 1 Fillies Mile today’s feature race and the Dewhurst Stakes tomorrow. There’s are strong supporting races over the two days with Old Rowley Cup and the historic Cesarewitch handicap two of the biggest betting races of the meeting.
ITV are covering eight races from Newmarket, York & Chepstow, who host the first big jumps meeting of the winter campaign, this afternoon. The going is being described as soft at York & Newmarket and at Chepstow.
Newmarket
1:50 – Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes (Group 3) – 5f
Eleven 2-year -old’s are set to meet the starter for what looks an interesting renewal of the race. The market is headed by Method who was well fancied for the Middle Park Stakes here 13-days ago. Very keen in the early stages, his saddle slipped and he couldn’t run his race. He drops back a furlong in trip today. First run on soft ground but looks the one to beat. Acklam Express is real speedster. He won a nursery at Goodwood before following up in Listed company at York on his next start and was disgraced when 4th of 8 against the older sprinters in the Scarborough Stakes at Doncaster last month. Bahrain Pride won his first two starts both on soft ground before finding the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes (good) to hot last time. He’s interesting back on rain softened ground. First Edition finished one place in front of Bahrain Pride at Newbury. The drop back to 5f looks a positive but soft ground is an unknown. The filly Royal Address has improved with each of her five starts winning nursery’s at Goodwood & Sandown before winning a Chantilly Listed race on heavy 11-days ago. This is hotter but she’s going the right way and will be suited by underfoot conditions.
2:25 – Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) – 7f
Saffron Beach certainly knew what was asked of her when winning on her racecourse debut over C&D. Always in a nice position. She took it up a furlong out and stayed onto strongly for her 14 rivals. It was an impressive success and although she steps up from maiden company, the daughter of New Bay looks a useful prospect.
3:00 – Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards Challenge Stakes (Group 2) – 7f
Glorious Journey can be a bit in and out performer. But the former Group 2 winner was on a going day when winning a Listed race at Newbury 21-days ago. Khaloosy so impressive when winning the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot on his seasonal return. Has been a beaten favourite on his last two starts in Group 3 company. The drop back to 7f could suit the keen going 3-year-old and he’s very a much player on going that should suit. Happy Power bids for a hat trick after wins at Salisbury and Goodwood (Group 3) and can’t be discounted for a trainer who won this race in 2014. German colt Namos has yet to win Group 2 company but wasn’t disgraced when 8th of 12 in the Group 1 July Stakes. The soft ground will suit and he’s got each way claims in open race with Ryan Moore booked for the ride.
3:35 – bet365 Fillies’ Mile (Group 1) – 1m
A fascinating race and there are a few questions to be answered. Shale and Pretty Gorgeous are very closely matched on recent running. The former beat the latter in the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes on good ground. However, the latter had beaten Shale in a Group 2 on soft the time before. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pretty Gorgeous turned the tables on her old rival on today’s ground. However, does he want a stiff mile just yet? No stamina issues for Indigo Girl could well turn out to be the best of these as a 3-year-old. She’s won both starts and came from behind to win the Group 2 Mill Hill Stakes at Doncaster. Looked a bit of a tricky ride at Doncaster which could have been down too inexperience. Can jockey Rab Havlin produce her at the right moment on a track that can be difficult for hold up horses? Isabella Giles won the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes here last time. This is tougher and there is question mark about a stiff mile for her at this stage of her career. On the plus she handles the track and soft going and looks a very useful prospect going forward. Dubai Fountain and Zabeel Queen were second & third behind Indigo Girl in the May Hill. There’s no reason why the former should reverse form with the winner. However, Zabeel Queen came into the race on the back of one career start a win in an Ascot maiden (good to firm). Sent off the 6/5 favourite she got no cover on the outside that day and is probably better than the bare result suggests. Soft ground is an unknown but the daughter of Frankel is certainly bred to win Group 1’s. Possibly hasn’t been favoured with draw again out wide in 11 but has each way claims again. A tough race and maybe one to sit out and enjoy.
4:10 – bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 1m 4f
It looks a strong renewal of what is normally competitive handicap for 3-year-olds. There are plenty of unexposed types in the 17 strong field.
Luncies has shown the benefit of a summer gelding operation winning a soft ground Haydock handicap before going onto win at Kempton last month. Has a 6lb penalty to carry for that success but is improving and should find 1m 4f well within his compass.
Tritonic runner-up in valuable handicap at Royal Ascot (1m 2f) on his seasonal return. Hasn’t been seen to best advantage in small field races on his last three starts. The 1m 4f trip poses a few questions but he looks worth another go over it. No issues with the ground for the colt and a suspicion that he will be suited by a return to big field handicap. Trainer Alan King saddled last years winner
Sir Michael Stoute saddled the 2015 winner and his runner Galata Bridge is 3-3 since going handicapping. All three wins have come on the tapeta though so he needs to show his effectiveness on grass but even off 9lb higher can’t be ruled out.
1pt each way – Luncies – 14/1 @ Bet365 (paying 4 places ¼ odds)
York
2:05 – Richard Fahey has a strong hand in this 1m handicap with Crownthorpe, last year’s easy winner off 1lb lower. His claims are obvious but less so are those of his stablemate the unexposed Baronial Pride. A decent juvenile he missed the whole of last season but returned from 452-day break to be an unlucky 4th of 9 at Newcastle back in January. He also didn’t get the best of passages back at the same venue a month later. Goes well fresh, won on his juvenile racecourse debut, so another 233-day absence doesn’t put me off and has won on soft ground. Shapes like he will stay a mile and is my idea of the winner. Shelir is a solid enough handicapper won at Thirsk two starts back and wasn’t disgraced when a close-up third behind two improving 3-year-old’s at Ayr last time. Off the same mark here and shouldn’t be far away again.
1pt each way – Baronial Pride – 16/1 @ Bet365 (paying 4 places ¼ odds)
1pt each way – Shelir – 10/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 5 places 1/5 odds)
2:40 – Favourite Moon has a favourites chance after his easy Haydock win over the distance and on soft ground, However, he did disappoint on his last start her two starts back. way. Strawberry Rock, trained by Hugo Palmer, is a middle-distance handicapper going the right way The 3-year-old still looked inexperienced and didn’t seem to handle the bend to well when making a winning handicap debut at Ripon 13-days ago. There was plenty to like about how he picked up for pressure two furlongs out and finished his race off. Up 8lb for a 4-length success but he’s going the right way and is open to plenty more improvement for the step up to 1m 6f. Prince Alex has been well placed to win his last four starts. He’s up in class here but he goes well on soft ground and can’t be ruled out. Just a short head separated Zeeband and Ispahan at Thirsk last time. There shouldn’t be much between the pair again. Both are unexposed handicappers and can go well although I just prefer the claims of Zeeband.
1pt win – Zeeband – 13/2 @ Bet365
1pt win – Strawberry Rock – 5/1 @ Bet365
Chepstow
3:15 – Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) – 2m 3 ½ f
The first Graded hurdle of the new jumps season. The claims of favourite McFabulous are obvious and trainer Paul Nicholls has saddled the winner of race four times in the past ten years. Philip Hobbs had trained two winners of the race since 2010 and both were making their hurdles debut as Everglow is today. The 5-year-old looked useful on his two bumper starts last season and is clearly highly regarded by connections to be making his hurdle debut in such a tough race. Getaround has won his last two start when making all at Perth 32-days ago. He will be fitter today and the slightly easier going should suit. Up in class here but is going the right way and doesn’t have too much to find with the favourite on official ratings.
Cheers
John