I don’t know what is going on at the Race Planning Committee these days? We’ve had a couple of weekends recently where there has been very little racing to get excited about, then suddenly we get Newmarket, York and Ascot all on the same day? I did not even get time to give serious attention to the York and Ascot cards on Friday and it will be the same tomorrow.
The rain continued to hang over Newmarket’s July meeting on Friday, leaving the going soft and sweeping away my selections. Having said that, I think that Ryan Moore’s riding probably had more to do with it than the weather. He stole the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes on Arabian Queen while Monsieur Guyon was holding up the odds-on favourite High Celebrity. Newmarket is a deceptively difficult course to peg back the leaders, only becoming clear when you realise the steep rise at the finish. Asking horses to make up ground on horses that are still quickening is a recipe for disaster.
I then felt like ripping up my ticket for Rizeena in the Falmouth Stakes after they had travelled a furlong. She wasn’t settled for Olivier Peslier and he gave up the ghost and sent her to the front before halfway. This, after I had written in detail about her tendency to idle in front. Needless to say, Ryan Moore was in the right place on Integral and picked her off in the closing stages.
The opening handicap at Newmarket on Saturday can go the way of You’re Fired who overcame trouble in running to win last time and is still nicely weighted. Unlike many of these, he handles a bit of cut and should give us a run for our money.
Abseil never settled in the Hunt Cup and should be suited by the faster pace in the Bunbury Cup. I am concerned about the draw, not least because jockeys never do what you expect them to! James Doyle should be looking to bring him down the middle on today’s evidence because horses drawn high were doomed if they tacked over to the far rail.
My old friends Aljamaaheer and Gregorian look out of place in the July Cup and conditions seem to favour Slade Power. The Spanish horse ran well in the Guineas but now looks short enough at around 5-1.
The feature race at York is the Magnet Cup and Her Majesty The Queen could lift this prize with Bold Sniper. The half furlong extra should suit him better than Ascot and Moore will have him handy enough. I thought that Farraaj was very impressive at Epsom but I’m worried by a 9lbs weights rise. He probably deserves it so each-way is the advice.
You’re Fired 2.05 Newmarket at 7-1 Paddy Power
Abseil 3.15 Newmarket at 8-1 Ladbrokes, Totesport
Slade Power 3.50 Newmarket at 5-2 Bet365
Farraaj 2.55 York at 12-1 Bet Victor (each-way)
Bold Sniper 2.55 York at 5-1 Betfair
