Hi all,
In today’s main piece, I’ll be covering the best of Friday’s action.
It’s a fantastic day of racing, but the headlines will be grabbed by Southwell, where no races are taking place. Aidan O’Brien is sending City Of Troy to work on the Tapeta surface as preparation for a Breeders’ Cup Classic bid on dirt. Reports suggest his training partners will help set a fast gallop, simulating the hectic early pace expected at Del Mar. O’Brien is leaving nothing to chance, even using American style starting stalls. While Tapeta and dirt have similarities, they’re far from identical but it will be interesting to see how he goes.
Now, onto the racing. Day 2 of Ayr’s Western Meeting features seven races, with the highlights being the Listed Harry Rosebery Stakes (3.05) and the Listed Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies' Stakes (3.40). The first of the Ayr Gold Cup consolation races, the Bronze Cup (4:15), also takes place.
It’s also the first of two days of racing at Newbury. The most valuable race on Friday is the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes (4.05), which has £28,355 on offer to the winner and has attracted a quality field.
For today’s big race preview, I’m focusing on Newbury.
Newbury: Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes (4:05) – Listed Race, 7f
Lake Forest has been runner-up in his last two starts, including the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes here in July. He missed a race at Doncaster last week due to soft ground. He looks ready for the step up to 7f and the one to beat but needs the ground to dry out. Yard has won this race three times in the last ten years.
Nostrum returned to form after a gelding operation, finishing ¾-length second to Noble Dynasty in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket 83 days ago. He’s had wind surgery since and is a big contender, especially with his stable in winning form over the last two weeks. Connections will be hoping the thunderstorms stay away.
English Oak, winner of the Buckingham Palace Handicap at Royal Ascot, hasn’t quite matched that form in Group company since. He was only a 5 length sixth in the Hungerford Stakes over C&D last month but remains a player if he can return to his Ascot best.
Witch Hunter won last year’s Hungerford Stakes over this course and distance and narrowly missed out in this year’s renewal. You can watch his run in this year’s Hungerford Stakes here. He was third in the Group Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock 13 days ago, set too much to do after a slow start. If he breaks evenly, he has a good chance.
Jumby, another Hungerford Stakes winner from 2022, found his form again when third in this year’s race. However, he disappointed just five days later at Newcastle, possibly due to the surface or quick turnaround. There are stronger win contenders here, but he can’t be totally dismissed back at a C&D he enjoys.
Richard Fahey
A couple of nice winners for Jim Goldie that I identified in yesterday’s column. The second of them Eternal Sunshine could well run in Friday’s Bronze Cup. Twice a C&D winner, her form figures at Ayr are now 1121 she seems set for another big run even under an 8lb penalty.
Today’s trainer to note is Richard Fahey albeit he’s hardly banging in the winners in the past 14 days.
Richard Fahey has won the Class 2 nursery handicap (2:33) four times since 2015. He looks to have a good chance of a fifth win in the race with nursery debutant Bonnie’s Boy. Only one bookie Bet365 had priced up the race at the time of writing and had her the 5/2 favourite.
Can Richard Fahey gain a fifth success in the race?
Good luck with your Friday bets.
John