1.35 Newmarket – The Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes (Group 3)

A fairly trick y opening to proceedings but the unbeaten MRS DANVERS has improved with every start so far and could be up to making it 5/5. She was reported as somewhat of a fairytale story prior to the Weatherbys Super Sprint as she changed hands for just £1,000 back in February and there was a suspicion that she was only a soft-ground performer having got her toe in a pair of easy-ground minor contests earlier in the campaign. The emerging superstar blew that theory out of the water with a dominant victory in the valuable Newbury contest and followed up a month later with another solid display when scoring in the Listed St Hugh’s Stakes. There were a hatful of potential landing spots mooted on the back of that win but the Cornwallis has been her end of season target for some time and if she puts her best foot forward again here, she could be mightily difficult to stop.

The one to give her most to think about could be Clem Fandango who herself was a fairly inexpensive purchase as she passed through the ring for €11,000 as a yearling. Keith Dalgleish’s filly had put in some good performances in big races when third behind Lady Aurelia in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot and filling the same position behind the selection in the Super Sprint before duly landing a big win of her own when hosing up in the Listed Harry Roseberry Stakes at Ayr’s Gold Cup meeting.
For only winning up to Listed level, both fillies escape a penalty and that could be enough to tip the balance in their favour with the other main protagonists having to concede at least 6lb.

Afandem rates the strongest of those with the burden of a penalty courtesy of his easy win in a Chantilly Group 3 last month. Hugo Palmer’s charge has gone from strength to strength since landing a Listed race at Vichy in July, finishing runner-up to Big Time Baby in the Listed Julia Graves Stakes at York (won in a track record time), scoring in the aforementioned Chantilly race and finishing a close-up fourth in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes last time out. He had subsequent Middle Park Stakes winner The Last Lion just a length ahead of him that day but he may prefer a bit more juice in the ground than he’s likely to face here.

Now with a mountain to prove, Yalta drops back to Group 3 level for the first time since breaking the track record in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood (with The Last Lion trailing in his wake back in second). In truth, he was set a tough task in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes on his penultimate start taking on his elders, but he was still quietly fancied and faded well out of proceedings as he trailed in last. He then failed to bounce back in the Flying Childers with a tame effort and really seems a very risky all or nothing proposition with form figures of 1188100.

Top weight Prince of Lir has to concede weight all round thanks to his win in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and looks to have a tough task given what he has shown in recent outings. He has followed an identical route to Yalta on his last couple of starts and while he has performed with much more credit than his re-opposing rival, he still looks to have it all to do.

One of the more intriguing contenders is Visionary who hasn’t been seen since finishing third in a decent novice event at Ascot back at the start of May. Robert Cowell’s charge failed to defy a penalty against lesser exposed opposition but wasn’t disgraced in third with subsequent Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Harry Angel ahead of him in second. The fourth has also gone in since so the form stacks up pretty well but a leap of faith is required stepping into this company for the first time having been off the track for five months.

Recent Naas scorer Courage Under Fire is one of the higher rated individuals in the field even though he only has the sole maiden win to his name. He was second behind stablemate Caravaggio in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and down the field in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York prior to breaking his duck but is unexposed at the minimum trip and that seemed to bring the best out of him last time.

MY Advice

MRS DANVERS – 2pts win @ 5/2 (Paddy Power)



2.05 Newmarket – Visionsport.Com Oh So Sharp Stakes (Group 3)


This seven furlongs Group 3 has attracted a strong field with plenty of depth in it and one filly who has tried this company on her last two starts is Asidious Alexander. Simon Crisford’s filly won a Listed race at Deauville back in July but has been far from disgraced behind Cavale Doree and Toulifaut on her last two runs. She was perhaps a shade unlucky not to finish closer last time having had to wait for a gap to appear and whilst she would have to be high on any shortlist, she will need a personal best to get her head in front here.

The Rockfel run over course and distance a couple of weeks ago could be form worth following and the race is represented by the third and fourth Miss Infinity and Glitter Girl. The former could well take the field along in the early part of the race and having only been beaten by Spain Burg and Fair Eva last time, she should thereabouts in this lower grade. The latter appeared to be beaten fair and square and although Ryan Moore getting aboard is a positive, it is hard to see her reversing the form.

One filly who has already shown she is up to this level is Grecian Light who has already been placed three times in Group company. Her penultimate effort when second behind Rich Legacy at Doncaster was her best to date as she was just worn down in the closing stages of the mile contest. She has since finished second in Group 3 company at the Curragh in heavy ground and as long as those exertions haven’t taken their toll on her, it would be no surprise to see her play a leading role.

There are a few last-time out winners who step up in grade for the first time, including Pichola Dance who recorded her second victory over this course and distance last time. Despite being relatively unfancied beforehand, she stayed on well in the closing stages to win that nursery, but would need a big step forward to contend here. Andrew Balding has also selected this race as the next port of call for Poet’s Vanity who won by ten lengths the last time we saw her at the beginning of September. She was fourth in a warm maiden on her first start on the July Course but she improved a lot for that experience and has earned a crack at this sort of level. The yard continue to fire in the winners and a repeat of her latest effort would stand her in good stead.

I should also mention Hugo Palmer’s Unforgetable Filly who may have been beaten in a conditions event last time but judged on her seven length Lingfield success, I don’t think we should be giving up on her yet. She had to fight for the lead last time and whilst her rival dropped away, she just got collared in the closing stages by a more patiently ridden filly. She is not guaranteed to get things her own way here but I suspect she is better than what we saw from her last time.

However, the one of most interest to me is the French raider DOUBLE LADY who was narrowly beaten by the smart Toulifaut on her racecourse debut in July. Andre Fabre’s filly had no problem getting off the mark next time when readily accounted for more experienced rival at Maisons-Lafitte. Her brilliant trainer won this race in 2013 with subsequent 1000 Guineas heroine Miss France and he has an excellent strike-rate (6 winners from 14 runners) when sending horses over to Newmarket. On her bare form she probably has a bit to find with some of her rivals here but she is in good hands and I find it hard to see finishing outside of the places.


MY Advice

DOUBLE LADY – 1.5pt win @ 3/1 (bet365, William Hill)



2.40 Newmarket – Dubai 100 Challenge Stakes (Group 2)


Aidan O’Brien’s Cougar Mountain is likely to be popular in some quarters having run out a ready winner of the Joel Stakes here on the Rowley Mile a couple of weeks ago. That success was over a mile but the Fastnet Rock colt quickened up smartly in the closing stages and he should have trouble dropping back a furlong in distance. My biggest concern would be that he doesn’t win too often and looking at his form, he looks unlikely to be able to back that up. The runner-up a couple of weeks ago was Gifted Master who tends to race keenly and just didn’t see out the mile on that occasion. The drop back in trip promises to suit him down to the ground and if his old rival fails to reproduce his latest level of performance, I could see him reversing the form.

However this is far from a two horse race and surely more can be expected of Richard Pankhurst who was a disappointing favourite at Doncaster last time. That ground was slightly slower than the ground he won on at Newbury and perhaps it is top of the ground that he needs to be seen at his best. One slight concern I would have about him is that he seems to enjoy flat tracks having won at the likes of Haydock and Ascot so the undulations will pose an extra test for him. He clearly has ability but there are enough question marks to steer clear of him on this occasion.

The older horses are also represented by Jallota who has done his fair share of travelling in recent weeks, winning a Group 3 in France before being narrowly denied in Group 1 company in Italy when last seen. Prior to that he had run well at both York and Goodwood and it is hard to find a reason to knock him. This is his sort of level and he represents last year’s winning stable of Charlie Hills.

However, I have a suspicion that this could go the way of the Classic generation and in terms of recent form, Martyn Meade’s Aclaim must come into the mix. The colt won over six furlongs on the Rowley Mile at the Craven meeting but has stepped up in trip of late and followed his handicap victory over a mile with a first Listed success at Newbury last time. Both of those races seem to be working out well subsequently and he seems to be pretty versatile in terms of ground, having won on everything from soft to good-to-firm. Clearly he needs to take another step forward her but with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, he could outrun his sizeable odds.

The two fillies at the bottom are also interesting and the first one to mention is Lumiere who is hard to assess overall. Her occasional brilliant performances have been between a series of below-par displays, although her latest effort at Doncaster was solid enough. She won the Cheveley Park Stakes here as a two-year-old but although she has won over a mile, I suspect that six furlongs is her optimum trip.

Mick Channon’s Opal Tiara won a handicap at York’s Ebor meeting on her penultimate start and she subsequently went on to record a first Group success, getting the better of Convey at Goodwood. She seems to be improving with every run and although I think she has plenty to find with the highest rated in the field, she can’t be ruled out.
The one who gets the nod though is TASLEET who hasn’t been seen on a racecourse since winning the rearranged Greenham Stakes at Chelmsford in April. He got the better of Knife Edge on that occasion who went on to win the German 2000 Guineas and his overall form is as good as any of the runners here. Clearly all has not been well with the colt in the interim but the William Haggas yard have been in flying form over the last month or so and I find it hard to believe they would be sending him here undercooked.

He has form at the track, having finished a narrow second in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes over course and distance last September and taking his wellbeing on trust, I think he is overpriced at around the 10/1 mark.


MY Advice


TASLEET – 0.75pt e/w @ 11/1 (Paddy Power)



3.10 Newmarket – Dubai Fillies’ Mile (Group 1)


Over the past ten years, this race has been won by either Aidan O’Brien or a runner in the blue of Godolphin six times and with four of the field of eight being of the same ilk, it’s likely the winner could well come from those four.

Rhododendron looks to be the Ballydoyle number one in the race, the choice of Ryan Moore, despite finishing a length and three quarters behind the re-opposing Hydrangea in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes last time out. She only beat that rival by a head in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes the occasion before that as well, so it’s clear that there’s not much between these two Galileo fillies. The step up to a mile should suit both, but on their last runs, it is the less-fancied Hydrangea that looks to be crying out for the longer trip. She’s battled on strongly after setting the pace in both of her last two runs, with no suggestion she was running out of gas and it could well be that Seamie Heffernan has been given the box seat here. Rhododendron did stay on at the same pace at the end of the Moyglare Stud Stakes, suggesting a mile would be no issue, but the way she hung right handed in under pressure in both of her last two races is a worry and at the prices, she doesn’t make as much appeal to me as her stablemate.

Godolphin’s charge is spearheaded by wide-margin maiden winner, Sobetsu, who made an incredible visual impression when hack1ng up by ten lengths in a C&D maiden three weeks ago. She had clearly learned plenty from her debut third at the July Course behind Spatial, who also goes again here, and looked a nailed-on Group winner for the future. However, this is a huge step-up from maiden company and even though we don’t know how good this daughter of Dubawi could be, she does come with risks attached to her short price. Slightly softer ground seemed to be one of the catalysts to an improved effort and with the Prix Marcel Boussac considered soon after her maiden win and an entry in the Irish 1000 Guineas in the book, it does suggest that fast ground could well be the lesser preferred of the extremes. With a dry forecast before Friday’s racing, we could see some fast, good to firm ground come off time. The time of her maiden win didn’t really reflect the manner of it either – it was slow by over three seconds on ground officially described as ‘Good’ even though she had the run of the race from the front. It’s unlikely that she’ll be allowed to dominate again here, so it could be that her effort needs to be taken with a pinch of salt when relating it to this contest.

Outside of the two powerful operations that have dominated the race in recent times, Cheveley Park Stud’s SPATIAL, was three and a half lengths in front of the favourite when winning over seven furlongs at the July Course back in August and the form of her one and a quarter length second behind Wuheida on her racecourse debut couldn’t have been franked any better when the Godolphin filly took the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac last weekend in pretty comfortable style over Aidan O’Brien’s Promise To Be True and John Gosden’s Dabyah. She’s clearly at home on fast ground and this daughter of New Approach was instantly talked of as a Rockfel-level filly by her owners after her maiden win, a facile affair as she quickened clear of two useful fillies, staying on well in the manner of one for whom a mile certainly wouldn’t be a problem – her pedigree backs that up (New Approach – Spacious (Nayef)). She should have improved from that last run and should also improve thanks to the step up in trip, so if Sobetsu bolted up by ten lengths after finishing third to this filly, how good is Sir Michael Stoute’s charge? She’ll likely sit behind the many possible leaders, who should set a decent pace, and be produced to lethal effect in the final furlong – I wonder which filly Ryan Moore would choose to ride if he wasn’t attached to Ballydoyle, as he rode SPATIAL to her maiden win last time out, only having to shake her up to stride clear.

One other filly in the line-up that is interesting and deserves a mention is Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner, Rich Legacy. The Qatar Racing-owned filly battled on strongly to defeat Grecian Light over a mile at Doncaster and already looks as if this trip could well be a minimum for her. However, she’s clearly a classy competitor with a great attitude, so if they go off too fast, she might be the one who finishes the race off best. Even though this could prove a little too sharp in this company, she’s definitely one to keep an eye on for next season and Oaks contention for trainer Ralph Beckett, with plenty of stamina on her Dam’s side of the family.


MY Advice


SPATIAL – 1pt win @ 9/2 (William Hill)




3.45 Newmarket – Godolphin Flying Start Old Rowley Cup.


This valuable mile and a half handicap for three-year-olds has again attracted a good standard of competition, with the highest rated horse, Steel Of Madrid, boasting a rating of 107. Richard Hannon’s middle-distance performer also has the services of Ryan Moore for this race, so even though he’ll be giving plenty of weight to his rivals, connections clearly feel he’s got a decent chance. His four and a half-length fifth to Almanzor in a Deauville Group 2 certainly doesn’t look bad form now and he has to have a chance on his similar effort in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. However, he does look a rather one-paced individual and after giving at least 8lb to everything else in the field, he might just find things happening a bit too quickly on a lively surface.

Scarlet Dragon is his closest rival on ratings and with the 5lb claim of jockey Hollie Doyle helping to lighten the load, this in-form three-year-old has to be given the utmost respect. His effort in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap at Newbury was an excellent one given he was 7lb up from his last win, so it gives you hope that this extra 4lb rise could be within his reach – effectively only up 6lbs from his comfortable win in a competitive York handicap thanks to Doyle’s claim. The son of Sir Percy is versatile ground-wise and tactically and looks to be a very straightforward type, so there aren’t many downsides to him and his chance here. However, there could just be a couple lurking that are on an upward curve and have more in hand of their mark.

From the very much in-form David Menuisier yard, Saunter looks to be the number one choice of the two he has entered (Kaatskill Nap is the other) and judging by the style of his easy win over Huge Future at this venue last time out, he’ll have a very big chance. After beating that 95-rated rival by almost three lengths, eased down, he’s been given a 9lb hike up to 99 in the ratings, but it’s a leap that seems justified on that performance. However, this is by far the most competitive contest he’s been involved in and jumping up two furlongs in trip is a leap into the unknown as well, so he might be best watched.

Danehill Kodiac is Richard Hannon’s second runner in the race and after finishing second behind New Caledonia on his last run, he meets him again here on 4lb better terms, which looks enough to turn the tables on this quicker surface. However, both look held on the form lines by William Knight’s Southdown Lad, who comfortably got the better of New Caledonia at Newbury three weeks ago in receipt of 5lb. Although he only gets the 1lb from that rival this time, the step up to a mile and a half helped Knight’s colt to improve plenty and he could still be on an upward curve at this trip given he was considered good enough to run in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot before picking up an injury. The worry with him is that he prefers a little bit of cut in the ground, but he’s been targeted at this for a while and he could run a big race.

One who doesn’t want an ease in the ground is Jeremy Noseda’s progressive Sixties Groove, last seen finishing just behind the useful Poet’s Word at Goodwood off a mark of 83. That effort was after a 12lb rise dealt to him by the handicapper for a runaway win at Epsom, so he still looked ahead of his mark and a subsequent 7lb extra added on top of that still might not be enough to halt his progress. He has the services of current Champion Jockey Silvestre De Sousa, so he won’t be wanting for assistance from the saddle and he should get his favoured strong pace to run at, so he’s another with claims if the combined 27lb rise in the weights since the start of his 3-y-o campaign hasn’t taken its toll.

Speaking of weights, one who will have to carry next to nothing is Eve Johnson-Houghton’s Fleeting Visit who, despite being 2lb out of the weights, has the assistance of 7lb claimer Sophie Killoran to bring the equation back in the gelding’s favour. He’s effectively 5lb better off than his mark and has been in decent from recently, finishing four lengths behind Mengli Khan on the all-weather and ahead of the likes of Sennockian Star and Banditry when third in a mile and a quarter handicap at Sandown. He’s shaped as if this step up in trip is going to suit and if you’re looking for a lively outsider, you could do worse given he only has to carry 7st 7lbs – 7lbs less than any other horse in the race.

But there’s another who could be even better treated – Hugo Palmer’s BANISH hasn’t been the most straightforward, but his victory on the all-weather at Kempton last time out gave us a glimpse of this horse’s potential. After being held up in the last pair, as is his usual style, he quickened up staggeringly two furlongs from home and stayed on strongly to win despite being very wide on the track and hanging slightly down the straight.

The step up to this trip on fast turf looks to be the perfect next stage for his progression now that blinkers seem to have unlocked more of his undoubted ability and he could finally start to make good on the talent and promise that he’s shown despite being a difficult ride. The excellent Josephine Gordon is booked and her 3lb claim is a real gift for Palmer’s gelding, offsetting half of the 6lb penalty he runs with for that all-weather success. He’s effectively 4lb well-in after her claim as he’s running off a pound lower than his official rating anyway, so even though he’s a risky proposition given his record and ‘last to first’ run-style, the son of Smart Strike might just be the most rapidly improving sort in the field. This jockey/trainer combination teamed up well with Baydar to win another valuable middle distance handicap last month at Newbury and they might just have another one dialled up here.


MY Advice



BANISH 1pt e/w @ 14/1 (bet365)




4.20 Newmarket – The visionsport.com Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.


Somewhat surprisingly, there is a much smaller field lining up than previous years but it still looks a race full of quality and generally throws up a few winners down the line.
Half of the field have form in the book and Vigee Le Brun possibly boasts the strongest credentials on what we have seen so far. She was fairly unfancied on debut at Newbury and looked pretty green throughout but stuck to her guns and stayed on well to finish third behind the exciting Executive Force. With that experience under her belt, and on ground that will likely prove much more suitable, she has a chance to play a role in the finish.

Heavenly Angel was another staying on well over six furlongs last time so should appreciate this step up in trip while Andrew Balding’s Highland Pass, a half-sister to Racing Post Trophy winner Elm Park, was set a fairly stiff task in a valuable course and distance conditions event last time and wasn’t disgraced in a close-up third.
However, the unraced quintet make most appeal in this line-up with some eye-catching pedigrees and hefty price tags to live up to.

Hugo Palmer’s Alouja went for 420,000gns as a yearling and is a half-sister to dual German Group 3 winner Magic Artist while Dream of Joy passed through the ring for €290,000 to the ever-expanding China horse Club. The daughter of Dream Ahead is a half-sister to two-time Canadian Grade 1 winner Wigmore Hall and rates one of the more likely candidates on debut.

Nevertheless, preference is for Godolphin’s FASHION THEORY. The Dubawi filly is out a French Group 3 winner and must have a leading chance with Charlie Appleby’s string in rude health at present. Buoyed by the victory of Wuheida in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, the yard boasts a 23% strike-rate with two-year-olds this campaign and a staggering level stakes profit of £37.19.

Astronomy’s Choice could rate as the biggest threat to the selection as the first foal of a very well-bred mare in Astronomy Domine. She was unplaced on her only start for the same connections as her daughter but was knocked down for €280,000 as a yearling and is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Pacifique (whose first foal was sold for €2.6million as a yearling at Arqana last year) and Listed winner Prudenzia (the dam of Irish Oaks winner Chicquita).

For powerful connections, Mittens must be taken seriously although she doesn’t boast as strong a pedigree as some of her rivals. The New Approach filly is out of a minor winner in France who is a full-sister to a multiple French winner and a half-sister to dual American Grade 2 scorer Treat Gently. She looks as though she may be a typical Sir Michael Stoute improver though and will likely be better next year and beyond.


MY ADVICE


FASHION THEORY – 1pt win @ 4/1 (bet365)




4.50 Newmarket – Dubai Business Internships Pride Stakes (Listed Race)


The final race of the day is this 1m2f race for the fillies and although the older fillies have held sway in recent years, I think the Classic generation may hold all the cards in this year’s renewal.

Clive Cox’s Quebee has been one of the most progressive fillies in training this season having won a handicap off a mark of 74 at the end of May. She has since won twice since including a Listed success at Sandown where she got the better of the well-regarded Yorker and she now finds herself on a mark of 102. That latest success was over a mile but she seemed to relish the stiff finish at Sandown and with that in mind, I don’t see her having any trouble stepping up to this trip for the first time. She does carry a 3lb penalty for that Listed success which is likely to make life more difficult for her but she is thriving at present and looks likely to run her race.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Playful Sound is another improver having won for the third time at Chester at the beginning of last month. That was her second victory in handicap company and she got the better of Les Eyre’s Cote D’Azur who has also done his fair share of winning this term. Clearly a handicap victory off a mark of 88 is not good enough form to win this race but her trainer is a master at bringing horses along slowly so it would be no surprise to see her step forward again and play a part here.
One filly who ran in Listed company last time was Luca Cumani’s Materialistic who chased home So Mi Dar in fourth at Yarmouth. I think her lack of experience probably caught her out on that occasion and I don’t think it is too presumptuous to say that So Mi Dar and Arabian Queen are probably a bit better than Listed class. There doesn’t appear to be a standout filly in this line-up and I don’t think we have seen the best of this filly yet. She won her maiden here last October so the track should hold no fears and she should finish a good deal closer than she did last time.

However, the one I like the most is Roger Varian’s DAWN OF HOPE who has so far been restricted to just four runs but this half-sister to Ayrad has always been highly thought of by connections. She got off the mark at the second attempt last year before finishing down the field in the Fillies Mile last October. Her reappearance win at Ascot was an impressive one and the Oaks was mooted as a possible target but clearly all has not been well since then. She saw out the mile really well at Ascot last time so the step up to 1m2f should suit and if she can resume her improvement back from a break, I fancy her to take a leading hand. I think she could be very smart if kept in training next year and this looks a good opportunity for her to gain some black type for the pedigree.

If an older filly is to win, their best chance looks to be Lady Of Camelot who chased home stablemate Journey in the Princess Royal Stakes over 1m4f last time. She finished ahead of some smart fillies on that occasion and although she has yet to race over 1m2f, I don’t see any reason why the drop back in trip should inconvenience her. She has only had the five races to date so there should be more to come from John Gosden’s filly and she could take a leading hand in this tight looking contest.


MY Advice


DAWN OF HOPE – 1pt win @ 15/2 (bet365)