By Samantha Martin (@sam_angelina22)
Racing fans are lucky to have a massive seven class one races between the Newmarket (July course) and York on Thursday. They will all be shown on ITV Racing along with a class two heritage handicap.
I’m going to take you through my thoughts on these races and hopefully I can point you in the way of a few winners –
13:50 Newmarket – Bahrain International Sir Henry Cecil Stakes (Listed)
Ryan Moore has ridden twice for Charlie Hills this year and won on one of them so is operating at a 50% strike rate for the yard. They team up with the nineteen length Newcastle scorer TILSIT. This horse was ‘coltish’ on debut but was only beaten a head. He’s by First Defence, Siskin’s sire, and out of one of Kingman’s half-sisters. The yard is flying along and he has so much more to offer. Al Suhail ran four times at two, placing in two group threes. He was fourteenth in the 2000 Guineas and, considering his dam was second in the Oaks, I’m surprised they haven’t stepped him up in trip. Magical Morning comes from the powerful John Gosden stable and has won twice in 2020, the latter under a huge penalty. Lord Campour’s victory last time out has been boosted on multiple occasions and he’s the 5/4 favourite despite being rated 95.
14:05 York – EBF Marygate Fillies Stakes (Listed)
I’m keen on SARDINIA SUNSET. This filly only made her debut on the 4th June and was beaten by Queen Mary second Sacred. My selection ran in that race and finished fourth after leading for a lot of the way. The horse who beat her has since came out and won impressively so the form is strong. Bungledupinblue was a place behind Sardinia Sunset on their first starts and has since come second to the fifth placed runner in the Queen Mary. Blackberry is a half sister by Brazen Beau to Decrypt, who was third in the Irish 2000 Guineas last year, and won comfortably on her only start to date. She comes from Bryan Smart’s capable outlet.
14:25 Newmarket – Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group Three)
Dawn Rising is a full brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign and won by a whopping twelve lengths at Limerick on the 29th June. Take it at your peril to ignore any of Aidan O’Brien’s runners. I’m not going to side with this horse though. I like AL DABARAN. He was stepping up significantly in trip in the Queen’s Vase and couldn’t compete with subsequent Irish Derby winner Santiago, coming third. He’s from the family of Masked Marvel and better ground will help him in this. Al Aasy is the second favourite and finished fifth to French Derby winner Mishriff before winning a Newmarket maiden by ten lengths. That was a visually impressive performance. Miss Yoda is interesting upped in trip after a below par run last time out with an allowance.
14:40 York – Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (Group Three)
Prince Khaled Abdullah has two fillies in the race – Ricetta and Pocket Square. I’m siding with POCKET SQUARE, who Jason Watson said is a three year old to follow when I interviewed him. (Read what he said about her here) She’s by the exciting stallion Night Of Thunder and out of a Dansili mare. Her debut third was good and then she won at Ascot by three and a quarter-lengths, beating Anastarsia and Bharani Star, who have contested good races since. She won a group three at Deauville on her final start at two, beating subsequent Pretty Polly winner Run Wild. This race is, in a normal year, an Epsom Oaks trial and it could be acting as an Irish Oaks Trial for this filly. Jason Watson and Roger Charlton are flying along and I’m not too worried that this is her first run of the campaign. On jockey silks, she is second string to Ricetta, who has only run twice and won by small margins. Godolphin have two runners as well and they are Lake Lucerne and Dubai Love. Dubai Love was busy in Meydan and won a listed race. She returned to England with a third in the Sandringham. Lake Lucerne won a maiden in early March and was withdrawn at the start of the Lingfield Oaks Trial because she got upset.
15:00 Newmarket – Tattersalls July Stakes (Group Two)
This is a nice little event with Windsor Castle winner Tactical and sixth-placed Victory Heights running. Oisin Murphy gave TACTICAL as a horse to follow when I interviewed him. (Read what he says here) He was third on debut, beating a horse I like called Gussy Mac, who won a listed race on Sunday. His win in the Windsor Castle was smart and he’s exciting. I was keen on Victory Heights going into the race. He was drawn in seventeen and ended up on the rail by the end somehow and there’s more to come from him. Qaader was beaten a length in the Coventry at 3/1 after nicely winning a Newbury novice. You have to take note when one of Aidan O’Brien’s wins first time out and Swiss Ace ran from the front to score by two and a half lengths at Tipperary. His dam has produced eleven other winning foals and four black type winners, including the stallion Swiss Spirit.
15:15 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes (Group Two)
This is normally a Derby Trial and, as the Derby was on Saturday, it has attracted a small field of six. The derby was won in emphatic style by Aidan O’Brien’s Serpentine, who was a worthy winner and was given a phenomenal ride. O’Brien has CORMORANT in this. He had won a maiden and shown little else last season before winning a group three at Leopardstown from the front with blinkers on for the first time. He beat Russian Emperor, who subsequently won the Hampton Court and finished seventh in the Derby. James Doyle rides.
Frankel is represented by two horses – Highest Ground and Juan Elcano. Oisin Murphy picks up the ride on Highest Ground for Sir Michael Stoute. He started his career at Leicester and won by nearly three lengths but the form hasn’t worked out extremely well. He made Waldgeist’s brother Waldkonig, who has a huge reputation, look ordinary. He’ll be odds-on. Juan Elcano’s jockey Kevin Stott is getting a great opportunity here after successes at Royal Ascot. His mount was fifth in the 2000 Guineas and then fourth in the Hampton Court so collateral form puts him behind Cormorant. Mark Johnston’s Thunderous was beaten at two before finishing second in listed company. The pair of Siyouni colts, Al Madhar and Encipher, are at a bigger price.
15:35 Newmarket – bet365 Handicap Stakes (Heritage Handicap)
Dancin Inthestreet was three and three-quarter lengths behind the extremely smart Art Power. She carries a mere 8st4 and, with Cieran Fallon taking off 3lbs, she’s one of the favourites. LEXINGTON DASH won by three and a quarter-lengths on his first start this term and by half a length more in a nice little four runner event last time. Thore Hammer-Hansen takes off 5lbs and the horse looks extremely progressive. Meraas and Progressive Rating have won their last two but Sunset Breeze has won three handicaps in the space of a month after being gelded. He won off the same mark as he’s currently on five days ago. Brad The Brief is consistent and Joshua R could run well at a big price.
16:10 Newmarket – Princess Of Wales’ Tattersalls Stakes (Group Two)
This can go the way of the lovely Redoute’s Choice mare ENBIHAAR. From six starts last year, she won a listed race and three group twos. The two defeats came in group three company and when third to Anapurna and Delphinia at Longchamp in a group one. She was carrying more weight than the first two and she’s got an excellent chance in this. Alounak was second in the Hardwicke Stakes and he’s got good form to his name all around the world. Old Persian was last in a group one last time and Communique has struggled in two class twos this season. Dame Malliot has the in-form Hollie Doyle on board and won a Deauville group one before finishing sixth to Enbihaar at Doncaster.
As always, I hope you found this helpful and if you have any thoughts feel free to tweet me on @sam_angelina22.
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