The ground at Newmarket was described as good – good to soft
in places – at noon on Thursday with the prospect of further showers on Friday
morning ahead of today's seven-race card.
In the Gp 3 Princess Margaret Stakes Sea Of Faith makes a
quick return having won a listed contest at Saint-Cloud just six days ago for
William Haggas. Alpinista was only beaten 5L by the brilliant Love in the Gp 1
Yorkshire Oaks at York last month and she is the one to beat dropping back in
grade, but I was taken with the listed success of Katara (2.25) on the July
course last time and hope she can take the step up in class in her stride.
Ryan Moore takes over in the plate on Sir Michael Stoute's
three-year-old who is rated 9lbs inferior to Alpinista on official figures but
remains open to considerable improvement having had just four career starts.
The filly =- who is unproven on soft ground – is 4/1 with William Hill.
Aidan O'Brien suggested in the immediate aftermath of
Monday's (3.00) 7f listed win at Leopardstown earlier in the month that his
filly would step up to a mile next time and nominated the Marcel Boussac at
Longchamp or Fillies' Mile back here next month as her next target. With that
in mind it is something of a surprise that connections have kept her to 7f in this
afternoon's Gp 2 Rockfel Stakes although she is likely to make it a true test
under Ryan Moore.
Isabella Giles coped with the soft ground much better than
any of her rivals in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last time, but she does
not look ground dependent although it goes without saying that any
deterioration in conditions would be a big plus for Clive Cox's filly. If there
was significant rain, she would be difficult to beat.
The Group 2 Joel Stakes sees the penalised Guineas winner
Kameko return to his optimum trip of a mile, but he must give 1lb to Benbatl
who was last seen winning £1.5m for finishing third in the $20m Saudi Cup at
the end of February. This really is a race to savour with the progressive Top
Rank and Tilsit also taking their chance. One to watch especially with doubts
about the ground.
There is a terrific Novice Chase at Uttoxeter, and Gumball
will ensure the race is a true test which I hope will help the Grade 1 winning
hurdler Fusil Raffles (1.00) who also makes his eagerly awaited chase debut.
The selection has the physique to jump a fence, has a good record fresh and
will appreciate the forecast good ground. He is an exciting and potentially
high-class recruit to the novice chase ranks.
My two against the field in the 3m handicap chase are
Henrietta Bell and veteran Follow The Swallow (2.35) with the latter getting
the each way vote. The selection travelled best of all before the lack of a
recent run took its toll at Fontwell last month and he has been dropped 3lbs
for that effort. Lily Pinchin gets on well with the 12-year-old and he gets the
each way vote at 16/1 with William Hill.
I believe there are races to be won with Black Tulip (3.45)
and I hope to see Richard Johnson make plenty of use of his charge in the
mares' handicap chase. Henry Daly has not exactly been firing in the winners
since the resumption of racing but he had a couple of inmates run well at
Warwick earlier in the week and the selection begins this campaign 5lbs lower
than was the case 12 months ago.
