A frustrating day on Thursday with some well fancied runners underperforming. Friday is the day we strike back.
14:30, Albany Stakes
Fitzella 5/1, 3pts win
Signora 15/8 2pts win (saver)
Ballydoyle filly Signora was 3rd on her sole run but was slow away that day and shaped well. Reports are that she is very good so must be in the reckoning. Richard Spencer has made no bones about the fact he rates Gold Digger very highly and she looked good at Yarmouth but preference is for Hugo Palmer's speedy daughter of Starspangledbanner, Fitzella. I was at Ascot to see her make her debut on Victoria Cup day. She shaped encouragingly that day to finish a close second to a short priced favourite over 5 furlongs and looked as though a step up in trip would bring about improvement. On her sole run since she was duly stepped up to this trip at Haydock and won with consummate ease. The Coolmore filly may be top class but she will need to be to outgun Fitzella.
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15:05, Commonwealth Cup
Shadow Of Light 15/8, 4pts win
Rayevka 25/1, 1pt each-way (4 places)
This is probably one of the best renewals of the Commonwealth Cup run to date. Shisospicy brings in form from America and has looked good over the Atlantic but a stiff 6 furlongs will ask a big question of her and she could be poorly drawn in stall 2. Big Mojo is likeable and sure to run his race but seems exposed at this level, as does Ides Of March although his run at Newbury last time can be marked up as he had poor track position and rates an each-way possible here. Reyevka bounced back to form last time out and flies the flag for France. She shouldn't be underestimated given she's been supplemented for this. Whistlejacket will have his supporters and is game as a penny but has ground to make up with Babouche from last time out. The Ger Lyon's filly beat him fair and square at Naas and has always looked a quality sprinter. She just needs to put it all together and it's notable that she underperformed on her only start in England to date. Jonquil has looked a top notcher this season after winning the Greenham well on seasonal debut over 7 furlongs he improved on that form to finish 2nd in the French Guineas over a mile last time out. He hasn't looked to be crying out for a drop in trip though and the suspicion is he has been sent here to avoid the owner-mate Field Of Gold. Field Of Gold hacked up on Tuesday but back at Newmarket in May he finished alongside Godolphin's dual Group 1 winning juvenile, Shadow Of Light. Charlie Appleby's colt was a shining light last year and swept all before him in the Autumn. It's difficult to forget how well he won the Middle Park in September but he improved his form to finish 3rd in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket over a mile, a trip that stretched him. That was a huge run considering he raced on the wrong side of the track and the move he made at the 2 pole was impressive. He has all the credentials to take the sprinting world by storm this summer and it could start right here.
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15:40, Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes
Stressfree 16/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
Auld Toon Loon 20/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
One of the less prestigious handicaps of the week but another competitive one. Last year's beaten favourite Ethical Diamond goes again and looks likely to be the market pick all over again. He ran a mighty race considering he was drawn wide and was keen throughout. He's drawn better here but that keenness hasn't been forgotten and he's 2 pounds higher 12 months on. Mount Atlas brings in good course form and looked progressive last year and most have a chance for all he has looked a bit weak at the finish so far this year. Hand Of God would be interesting if coming on for a below par seasonal debut and Almosh'her is well thought off and looks game as a pebble. He won a good race at York last time and must hold every chance of following up but he only just touched off Stressfree that day and although he is now worse off at the weights with Almosh'her he looks just as progressive and has been drawn a little bit better and will probably benefit more from the likely fast pace. David O'Meara's charge likes to be played late and at 16/1 he looks a nice each-way bet. As does Tom Dascombe's Auld Toon Loun. Not on many peoples' lips as a lively one for this but the 6 year old son of Belardo bounced back well from a poor hurdling campaign last year to bolt up by half the track at Bath in the Autumn before finishing a creditable 4th in the November Handicap over this trip at Doncaster despite being poorly positioned up the straight. He ran well in graded company at Lingfield in December but it is what he did on his only run since that makes him interesting. Over 2 furlongs shorter than today he finished 2nd at Chester after coming from miles off the pace turning for home only to just fail on the line. He showed he handles fast ground that day and shaped as though a well run 12 furlong handicap would be right up his street. He's been drawn well in stall 4 and although has a bit to find on bare form, he wouldn't be 20/1 if trained by a bigger stable.
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16:20, Coronation Stakes
Falekayah 11/4, 5pts win
Zarigana 9/4, 2pts win (saver)
The highlight of the week for fillies is the Coronation Stakes and although it is missing the headline act that is Lake Victoria, it is still a very good renewal. 1000 Guineas runner-up Flight will find this track more to her liking than the Curragh but looks exposed enough whilst Ballydoyle turn to January in the absence of Lake Victoria. This well bred daughter of Kingman brings in good form from last year but needs to improve for her 8th placed finish in the Irish 1000 Guineas on her sole run this year so far. Kon Tikki is unbeaten in 3 starts and looks sure to run her race but this is a big step up in class now and wouldn't be the pick on trends. French 1000 Guineas winner, Zarigana, looks set to go off favourite for this race and she has looked very classy in her short career so far. She is the only classic winner in the race but it is worth noting that she was given the French Guineas in the steward's room after finishing 2nd past the post and the form of the race hasn't exactly been franked since too well. Preference is for Shadwell's exciting unbeaten daughter of New Bay, Falekayah. I was fortunate enough to be at Newmarket on 1000 Guineas day to see Owen Burrow's filly run in the Pretty Polly. It looked a fair race on paper beforehand but it was over before the stalls had opened in all honesty as Jim Crowley's mount towered over her competition in stature and has to be just about the most impressive specimen of a filly to be seen on a racecourse this year. She dominated the looks department and duly did the same in the race, winning by a mile over 10 furlongs. The Oaks at Epsom was talked about immediately afterwards but connections felt that after just 2 runs and with such natural speed she has showed in her short career that it wasn't the wisest move and she was then being aimed at the French Oaks only to be drawn away from that late on to be diverted here. This drop in trip didn't look likely after winning the Pretty Polly so well but she has clearly shown so much at home that connections think she will win no matter the distance. It's go big or go home time.
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17:00, Sandringham Stakes
Miss Nightfall 6/1, 2pts win
Silver Ghost 11/1, 1.5pts win
It has been a very long time since I managed to find the winner of this race. A 30 runner handicap for 3 year old fillies is not the easiest but I think the form from the Harroway's Handicap at Goodwood last month could be key. Silver Ghost bolted up that day after doing something similar at Newmarket on Guineas weekend. She is mightily progressive and this step up in trip should bring about even more improvement. Miss Nightfall finished 2nd to her that day and is now 6 pounds better off but didn't enjoy much luck in the run and the jockey booking of Oisin Murphy takes the ride. They should both have big chances in an open race.
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17:35, King Edward VII Stakes
Puppet Master 5/1, 3pts each-way (3 places)
This looks a 3 horse race for the 'Ascot Derby' and most punters will be siding with unbeaten Amiloc. Ralph Beckett hasn't had a great week however and there must be doubts about the ground for this son of Postponed. He is progressive and brings in decent form but takes a while to get going and won't want this to turn tactical. Johnny Murtagh's Zahrann must have a big chance but at slightly bigger odds, so too does Aidan O'Brien's Puppet Master. I saw him run at Newmarket in the Autumn when he was slightly disappointing but I remember leaving thinking he would make into a nice 3 year old and he has done just that by taking the Lingfield Derby trial after a nice seasonal opener in a Derby Trial in Ireland where he finished only a few lengths behind Derby winner Lambourn. He will love this trip and ground and the stable couldn't be in better form.
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18:10, Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes
Zayer 7/1, 2pts win
Brossay 20/1, 1pt each-way
A wide open cavalry charge to end the day here and the huge market gamble on Archie Watson's Zayer could be telling. Sure the price may have gone but he must have a huge chance. He's shaped so well on his 2 starts this season when nothing has really gone right for him, he must be well handicapped if he can put it all together and I'm sure he'll have been trained for this. He's well drawn. Also well drawn at bigger odds is Brossay who actually finished in front of Zayer when 2nd at Sandown in April over this trip. Not a lot went right for Brossay that day but he finished 2nd to a potentially classy filly and it's telling that he's been kept away for this since, presumably to protect what could be a mightily lenient handicap mark of just 88. Could run well at a big price.
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