Tag: Newmarket

Newmarket Thursday Preview

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The Cambridgeshire meeting gets under way on Thursday with the Somerville Tattersall Stakes being the main event at 3.40.

Although there are only eight runners, this looks quite an open contest. My regular readers will know that William Haggas has done us several favours this season and he sets a poser here with two runners. Mubtaghaa won a big sales race at York and had stable companion Valley Of Fire just under three lengths behind in third.

The pair meet again over a furlong further here and it’s not easy to see which will come out on top. Valley Of Fire was having only his second race and became the meat in the sandwich in the closing stages. Make It Up made all to win at Goodwood last time and looks the obvious choice to lead again here. I am going to take a chance on Azraff who impressed me with the style of his last two victories.

Marco Botti’s colt was always going best at Newmarket when accounting for Persun by two lengths and then stepped up to a mile at Newcastle. Martin Harley found himself in front far sooner than intended, simply because the horse took him there. Admittedly he did idle in the closing stages but I think a strongly run seven furlongs could see him improve again.

The opening maiden race can go to Mohatem, trained by Barry Hills and ridden by Paul Hanagan. He made his debut in the Doncaster race won by Commemorative and I like the way he stayed on that day. He clashes again with Game Pie (fourth) and Secateur (eighth) but I think he will beat them both. Hanagan was only pushing him out inside the final furlong but he stayed on nicely in fifth and should take this with normal improvement.

Sir Mark Prescott looks to have found a winning opportunity for Pallasator in the Rose Bowl at 4.15. The five-year-old is now owned by Qatar Racing but disappointed in the Irish St Leger last time. It was a muddling race and Brown Panther stole a march on his rivals in the home straight. If we ignore that run, Pallasator has major claims on his run in the Ebor when fourth under a big weight. Flying Officer could be dangerous for John Gosden but Times Up was very disappointing in the Doncaster Cup last time.

Mohatem 2.00 Newmarket @6-4 Betfair

Azraff 3.40 Newmarket @7-1 Paddy Power

Pallasator 4.15 Newmarket @13-8 BetVictor

Racing Preview Saturday 12th July

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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

Newmarket Friday Preview

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I was quite surprised to discover that the rain had changed the going to good to soft at Newmarket on Thursday. I had spent the day in sweltering heat in Scotland and had not even given a thought to the possibility of a going change.

There is more rain forecast for the south on Friday so it may well be worth noting down some soft ground specialists just in case. I had reviewed the Falmouth Stakes yesterday and gone for Rizeena to follow up her Royal Ascot victory. She has run on soft ground before without a problem, although it may test her stamina. If the rain continues to fall, you could easily see Purr putting in a good performance for Johnny Murtagh’s stable.

I’m keeping faith with hat-trick seeking Etaab in the opener. She looks like a filly who does just enough to win and could be up to defying a 6lbs rise. William Haggas seems to have mastered the knack of placing his horses correctly and she should give us a good run for our money. I could not see any particular preference for soft going among her rivals so it could become something of a lottery if it is genuinely soft.

Andre Fabre pays one of his rare visits to these shores for the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at 2.10. I have no idea why there is such a poor turnout for this Group 2 race, especially when there were 21 runners in the Queen Mary. We have had some odd turnouts this season with some extremely poor Group races and a mockery of an Irish Derby at the Curragh. I can only assume that Fabre’s High Celebrity has frightened them all away.

She bolted up over seven furlongs on her debut, winning with embarrassing ease. This could possibly be an early sighter from Fabre to see if she could be a Cheveley Park/Guineas filly in the making. Aidan O’Brien’s I Am Beautiful only scrambled home last time and High Celebrity has to be the selection.

The six furlong handicap looks virtually impossible, even more so when you factor in the state of the ground. I am more interested in the maiden race featuring Obsidian and Razor Wind. Obsidian chased home the smart Kings Fete at Sandown but those that finished behind look moderate. Almerzem ran a shocking race earlier in the week while Karraar has had numerous opportunities.

I am therefore siding with Razor Wind who was an eye-catching third at Windsor behind Igider. Kleo (second) and Wakea (fourth) have both won nicely since and it was clearly an above average maiden.

1.40 Etaab at 5-1 Paddy Power

2.10 High Celebrity at 5-6 Bet365

2.40 Rizeena at 5-1 William Hill

4.25 Razor Wind

Falmouth Stakes Preview

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The Group 1 Falmouth Stakes may only have attracted seven runners but it is not short on quality with two Royal Ascot winners and last year’s 1000 Guineas winner in attendance.

The market leader is Integral who was one of four Royal winners for Sir Michael Stoute last month. She was heavily backed to win the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes and ran out a comfortable winner from L’Amour De Ma Vie and Purr Along. The third horse re-opposes along with fifth placed Sky Lantern.

I had tipped Sky Lantern but feared the worst when she began to drift in the betting. Clearly there was no stable confidence behind her so it was a creditable run to finish only five lengths off the winner. She never appeared with a chance that day and will be seeking justice for her unlucky run in this race 12 months ago.

You may recall that she was carried half-way across Newmarket Heath by Elusive Katie who was allowed to keep the race. I am all for letting the best horse keep the race but it does sometimes seem that your jockey would have to drag his rival off his horse to have the race taken off him these days!

As much as I admire both Integral and Sky Lantern, I am puzzled by the opposition to Coronation Stakes winner Rizeena in the betting. Clive Brittain’s filly didn’t manage to get into the frame in the 1000 Guineas but plenty of good fillies have done that in the past. She then won at Ascot despite being in front for a long time under Ryan Moore.

It was a muddling race but she showed that she was back to her best and has Olivier Peslier aboard on Friday. The Frenchman will be well advised on Rizeena’s quirks and I can see him shadowing Moore on Integral waiting to pounce late on. Hughes will probably do the same on Sky Lantern but I just wonder if she still has the same speed as a year ago.

Certify missed her classic season after the shenanigans at Godolphin and won first time out in Dubai. She has disappointed twice since and she does not look good enough. Kiyoshi looks a difficult ride while only the bookies will be cheering for Purr Along and Peace Burg.

Rizeena at 9-2 Paddy Power

Newmarket Thursday Preview

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The Newmarket July meeting always provides the first real test of the Royal Ascot form and that is very much the theme on Thursday.

I have previewed the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes separately and expect Arab Spring to continue his progression. The card opens at 1.40 with the Bahrain Trophy which, if the current trend continues, they will be renaming the John Gosden Bahrain Trophy.

Mr G has won the last three runnings and has opted to run impressive Doncaster winner Forever Now in preference to Epsom third Romsdal. The Epsom form is starting to get that sinking feeling already with only Australia’s win in the egg and spoon version of the Irish Derby so far. No doubt there will be better tests to come but I am not jumping on the hype wagon just yet.

Forever Now should go close but I am worried about Hartnell who battled on well to win the Queen’s Vase at Ascot. I am utterly useless at predicting how the Mark Johnston horses will run but you’d think this one would be in the first two.

The juvenile form gets a test in the July Stakes with Jungle Cat, The Great War and Mind Of Madness among those coming on from the Royal meeting. I am going to bypass all of them in favour of the once-raced Belardo. Roger Varian seems to have his team ticking over nicely and this looked a very nice horse in the making when easily winning at Yarmouth. Hopefully he can cope with these more battle-hardened types.

Another yard that is sweeping into form is that of Luca Cumani. He has had four winners in the last four days and has taken the trouble to enter Mount Logan in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. If he’s that good, he should be able to win the mile and a quarter handicap off a mark of 95. He seemed to win with plenty in hand at Sandown.

The one that worries me here is the William Haggas colt Mange All. He beat nothing last time at Beverley but was a promising third in a hot Newbury maiden before that. He is available at an each-way price so we can cover ourselves with a small wager.

Forever Now 1.40 Newmarket at 4-1 William Hill

Belardo 2.10 Newmarket at 13-2 Paddy Power

Arab Spring 2.40 Newmarket at 7-4 William Hill

Mount Logan 3.15 Newmarket at 3-1 Paddy Power

Mange All (each-way) at 7-1 Paddy Power

Princess Of Wales’s Stakes Preview

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Sir Michael Stoute has farmed the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes over the years and seeks a remarkable tenth victory with Arab Spring and Hillstar on Thursday.

For those of us with long memories, his first winner was with the Aga Khan’s Shardari back in 1986. Rock Hopper and Saddler’s Hall followed up in the early 90’s with Little Rock winning in 2000. His most recent winners have been Gamut, Papal Bull, Doctor Fremantle, Crystal Capella and Fiorente.

Of course, Fiorente went on to win the Melbourne Cup last year for Gai Waterhouse and it is not impossible that Arab Spring could one day line up in the great race. He has done nothing but improve all season, starting off in a lowly maiden at Kempton on the all-weather and progressing through the handicap.

Victories at Doncaster and York followed and he then defied an 8lbs rise to win at Royal Ascot last month. The race panned out perfectly for Ryan Moore as he sat handy before kicking for home in the straight. Unlike some jockeys who shall remain nameless, Moore invariably seems to have his horse in the right position. It is very rare that you find him trapped at the rear of the field.

Havana Cooler (third) and Dashing Star (fifth) at Ascot did not run badly at Haydock in the Old Newton Cup on Saturday but this still represents a rise in class for Arab Spring. His winning mark of 104 still gives him a few pounds to find to win this.

Frankie Dettori rides Hillstar who plugged on to take a remote second to stable companion Telescope in the Hardwicke Stakes. Some pundits will have you believe that Telescope is a champion racehorse but the bare form suggests he has some way to go yet. Just behind Hillstar were Pether’s Moon and Forgotten Voice, admirable horses but rated around 110.

My regular readers will know that Dandino was a long range fancy for the Melbourne Cup in which he came an honourable fifth. He finished only sixth at Ascot and you get the feeling that he is being brought along steadily for a return trip down under. Gatewood has been to Australia and lost his way completely but has gradually picked up the pieces. He lost out to Sheikhzayedroad here last time and this looks a better race.

I cannot pretend that 7-4 is a great price for Arab Spring but he is the logical choice to continue the great run of Stoute in this race.

Arab Spring at 7-4 Paddy Power, William Hill