Good morning all,
Plenty to look forward to at the end of the week. On Friday it’s the start of two days of Group 1 juvenile action at Newmarket with the highlight being the bet365 Fillies' Mile, and the Old Rowley Cup. It’s also the first big jumps meeting of the autumn/winter campaign at Chepstow with the feature race being Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle. To add to the fun there’s also a good-looking flat card at York.
On Saturday it’s Europe’s premier juvenile race the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket and the second leg of the “Autumn Double” Cesarewitch Handicap. There’s also the Coral Sprint Trophy at York and another competitive day’s jumping at Chepstow.
The big handicap action doesn’t end on Saturday either. It just switches over to Ireland with the Paddy Power Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh and T McNamara Ladbrokes Munster National at Limerick.
Inside today’s main piece, I have had a look ahead at four horses that are worth looking out for at the weekend. Plus, I have a couple of each way fancies from Ludlow and Navan.
Four for the weekend
Newmarket – Friday
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 on too strongly for her 14 rivals. It was an impressive performance and although she steps up from maiden company, the daughter of New Bay looks a useful prospect.
bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap) – 1m 4f
It looks a strong renewal of what is normally a competitive handicap for 3-year-olds.
Luncies has shown the benefit of a summer gelding operation by winning a soft ground Haydock handicap before going onto win at Kempton (1m 3f) last month. Has a 6lb penalty to carry for that latter success but is improving and should find 1m 4f well within his compass.
York – Friday
Betsafe Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 1m 6f
Strawberry Rock, trained by Hugo Palmer, is another middle-distance handicapper going the right way. He still looked inexperienced and didn’t seem to handle the bend too well, when making a winning handicap debut at Ripon 13-days ago. However, there was plenty to like about how the 3-year-old 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.
Newmarket – Saturday
Newmarket Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes (Group 3) – 1m 2f
Lady Hayes overcame greenness to win a Salisbury maiden (7f) on her racecourse debut in a good time. Not as impressive when winning at Haydock (1m) next time but she wasn’t suited by the slow gallop that day and will be seen to better effect when getting more of a stamina test. Looks a useful prospect for middle distances next year.
If you want my other selections for the weekend. You can get them here.
Wednesday racing
Yesterday was a big let-down but we move on and there’s some good jumps action at Ludlow with a couple of competitive handicap chases the highlights of a seven race card.
Ludlow
3:20
Tintern Theatre returns from a 684-day layoff but he’s well handicapped, 12lb below his last winning mark, if ready to roll. Two from two at Ludlow but may prefer the ground easier than good.
Bigmartre is also down to his last winning mark. No issues with good ground for the top weight as he’s 4-8 +34 on good ground. A 229-day lay off also shouldn’t be an issue either, as he’s 3-5 + 29.63 when returning from a 121+day absence. Stamina for 3m to be proven although this track will be helpful and the yard is among the winners.
Relentless Dreamer’s form figures around here are 521, including a C&D success back in December 2017. The 11-year-old has just had the three starts since winning at Cheltenham in October 2018, off 1lb lower. A dour stayer he may find 3m around here a bit sharp on good ground. However, a 325-day absence isn’t necessarily negative as he’s 2-5 – 3 places when returning from a 121 to 356-day break.
4:30
Morning Vicar was still travelling strongly when falling four out at Newbury on his chase debut last December. A winner here over hurdles. He looks capable of winning races over fences off his present mark.
Canelo is one of the most experienced of these over fences and won at the fourth attempt at Huntingdon in March. That success came on heavy but he’s also won on a sound surface. Now 6lb higher and faces some unexposed chasing debutants types.
Including:
Ruthless Article was well suited to good ground over hurdles 3-9 – 6 places and looks the type to make up into a chaser.
Back On the Lash ticks the vital course and going boxes being 2-2+9 at Ludlow and 3-7 +17 on good ground. It’s the 6-year-old’s first run for 256-days. But he should be ready to roll as he’s 2-3 +16 when returning from a 121+day break.
Now Look At Me is another who goes well on a sound surface. It’s the 6-year-old’s first run since falling over hurdles at Newbury back in December. He’s another who goes well fresh and has scope for improvement for going chasing.
Demachine shaped with plenty of promise on his four starts over hurdle last season. He’s the type to do a lot better over the larger obstacles and trainer Kerry Lee is 6-20 30% +21.45 with her runners over fences at the track.
Navan
3:50 – Illetas won a soft ground C&D maiden before never travelling in a big field handicap at the Curragh when stepped up to 6f. Has been gelded since and although the 3-year-old looks high enough in the weights. He has been dropped 5lb and a better run can be expected.
Wednesday selections:
Ludlow
3:20 – Bigmartre – 17/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 3 places 1/5 odds).
Navan
3:50 – Illetas – 9/1 @ Paddy Power (paying 3 places 1/5 odds).
Good luck with your bets
John