0.2pts profit after Wednesday
14:30, Norfolk Stakes
Charles Darwin 4/5, 2.5pts win
The Norfolk Stakes is usually one of the hottest juvenile races of the week but this year there is a big standout and that is Charles Darwin. This big, powerful brother to 2 year old Group 1 winner Blackbeard has looked very forward on his 3 runs to date and should really be doing the business here.
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15:05, King George V Stakes
Sing Us A Song 9/2, 2pts win
This is a typically fiendish renewal of the King George V Stakes and any amount of runners could be ahead of the handicapper. Merchant won well over this trip at York last time out and looks set to have his fair share of supporters whilst Daiquiri Bay could run well at bigger odds now stepped up to a trip that should suit, albeit both a drawn poorly. Gunship is progressive and has a nice profile for the race but will need luck in running given his hold up style and Ammes has been progressing nicely and has shaped well over this trip the last twice. Aidan O'Brien fields 3 in search of his second win in the race and leading hopes seem to lie with Serious Contender who still looks well weighted after winning over a shorter trip in a handicap at Leopardstown in March and it's telling that he hasn't run since. Preference however, is for Wathan's new recruit from the Ralph Beckett yard Sing Us A Song. I was at Sandown to see him lead all the way in a 10 furlong handicap. He looked big that day and the fact he won should be marked up as he definitely had more to come. He powered away from his rivals in the final furlong to suggest this step up in trip could bring about even more improvement and given that it was a strong race for the level, a 7 pound rise in the weights isn't unjust. He's been kept back for this race and although he's drawn out wide in stall 17, I suspect he'll prove better than a handicapper in time.
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15:40, Ribblesdale Stakes
Serenity Prayer 10/3, 6pts win
A fair, if not red hot, renewal of the Ribblesdale Stakes sees 11 fillies go to post. Andrew Balding's Serenity Prayer went into many notebooks after winning a decent maiden on debut at Newbury in April, lengthening to the line. She impressed with her stature in the prelims and this incredibly well bred daughter of Dubawi improved on that form to finish a game 2nd to subsequent Oaks runner-up Whirl in the Musidora. She's open to any amount of improvement on just her 3rd career start and now stepping up in distance. She looks one of the bets of the week.
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16:20, Gold Cup
Illinois 7/4, 4pts win
The highlight of the week for most and the linchpin of the meeting is the Gold Cup. This perhaps isn't the strongest renewal of the race with dual winner Kyprois retired last month but the door has been left ajar for a new kid on the block to step in and take the mantle. Trawlerman would be a popular winner at the age of 7 and brings in the best form over marathon trips having finished 2nd in the race last year and has held his form well. He will run his usual game race, as will Sweet William and Coltrane, although they look to have it all to do if they are to win at the highest level. French gelding Candelari couldn't come into this in better form having won a Group 1 over nearly 2 miles on his last start and is the most unexposed runner however, the form of that win last time out can be argued with and he will need to prove he can handle the quicker going. Kyprios is a big miss for this meeting and Ballydoyle however, out of the shadow of the great stayer emerges perhaps another in the shape of Illinois. This son of Galileo is a half brother to Arc winner Danedream and kept up the family honour at the top level having finished a narrow second in the St Leger last year. That is probably the best form in the race and he further enhanced his staying potential when running out a ready winner of the Prix Chaudenay in October. He's shown he's trained on when winning the Ormonde Stakes at Chester last month and although this wasn't plan A at the start of the season, I expect him to be the prefect super-sub.
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17:00, Britannia Stakes
Parole D'oro 10/1, 1.5pts each-way (4 places)
The Lost King 25/1, 1pt each-way (4 places)
One of the hottest handicaps of the week and this looks to have plenty who could shape up into real pattern performers. Raafedd has shot to the head of the market in recent days and it's easy to see why given the way he hacked up at Newbury on his last start and could be a handicap blot. He's sure to run well, as is Teroom who has been mightily consistent this year having won all 3 of his races but may not be as far ahead of the handicapper as others now. Brave Mission and Shout finished 2nd and 3rd in a decent handicap at this course last time out and hold chances together with Arabian Story who stepped up markedly on his Meydan form to bolt up at Chelmsford on his last start and Oisin Murphy keeps the ride. The form of that race looks solid. La Botte, Fearnot and Fifth Column will all have supporters, especially the latter who looked good when winning the Esher Cup at Sandown last month and is still feasably weighted. It may be that one who finished behind him that day could run well here at big odds. Andrew Balding's The Lost King finished 3rd that day but looked like he would benefit the most for the run and this striking son of Kingman is now weighted to turn around form with that rival. He's drawn with the fancied runners and should run a big race with that effort now under his belt. Main preference however, is for the Michael Bell trained colt Parole D'oro. This son is St James' Palace Stakes winner Without Parole ran an eye catching race on debut over this track when a fast finishing 2nd over this track before duly doing the business at Epsom on his only other start at 2. He ran a mighty race on seasonal debut at Thirsk 58 days ago when beaten by re-opposing Teroom. He looked likely to win that day before being outgunned late on but shaped like the better horse of the 2 and is now 6 pounds better off with that rival. He's drawn well in stall 24 and has seemingly been saved for this race. A big run is expected.
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17:35, Hampton Court Stakes
Jacknife 9/2, 2pts win
This is a very open renewal of the Hampton Court and we have the 3rd and 4th from the French Derby taking part, Detain and Trinity College. They will both have supporters but they had tough races that day and it was only 18 days ago. This will be Trinity College's 4th run of the season. High Stock ran well in the Dee Stakes on his last start and that looks like good form in this context whilst Tornado Alert will find this easier than the Derby and isn't without a chance albeit he needs to bounce back to form. Meanwhile Jacknife has done very little wrong in his 2 starts. He overcame the tricky course to win tidily on debut at Epsom in April before putting up an eye catching performance in the Heron Stakes at Sandown last month in what looked like a strong race. He was unlucky in the run that night but not knocked about and shaped as though this step up in trip will bring about improvement.
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18:10, Buckingham Palace Stakes
Gleneagle Bay 11/2, 2pts win
This looks almost impossible but Gleneagle Bay comes into this after narrowly failing in the Victoria Cup over course and distance last month and this race doesn't look any harder. He's been targeted at this race since and must have a big chance.
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