THE FIRST day of the Dubai Future Champions Meeting at Newmarket and at Chepstow for the Unibet Jumps Season Opener, with two excellent days of jump racing coming up.
At Newmarket there are five Group races on the card, with the Group 1 Filles’ Mile, which is likely to see Inspiral going off at odds-on. This looks a renewal with plenty of depth and Wild Beauty has strong each-way claims at a minimum. Earlier, there is the Challenge Stakes Group 2 over seven furlongs, with Chindit at 9/2 for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon. Hopefully Chindit will have much better luck in running than he did at Goodwood last time out, whilst the drying ground will suit Chindit, and he ran well at Newmarket in the 2,000 Guineas.
The Unibet Jumps Season Opener is seen as the first big meeting of the jumps season with today’s feature the Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle Grade 2, which was won by Mcfabulous in 2020 and Thyme Hill in 2019. This is a fascinating renewal with a strong line up of improvers here.
Off to present at Newmarket. Enjoy the action whether at a racecourse or #athome.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster.
2.10 Chepstow – Professor Caroline Tisdall Supports Heroic Jumpers Veterans’ Handicap Chase (2m 7½f)
Geordie Des Champs won at Ffos Las over three miles in May and June on good to soft and good to firm respectively so comes here with a strong chance. This ten-year-old has had only twenty career starts, has won off a break previously and with a dry forecast will handle the quicker conditions.
Unibet 4/1
2.25 Newmarket – Oh So Sharp Stakes Group 3 (7f)
Rishes Baar won on debut at 28/1 beating Vertiginous (won next time out) over six furlongs and then raced on the unfavourable part of the track at Ayr to finish fifth in their Group 3 Firth Of Clyde when looking in need of a step up to seven furlongs. The Rowley Mile course looks sure to suit Rishes Baar in a contest which has seen some surprises in recent years.
Unibet 17/2 each way
2.45 Chepstow – Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle Grade 2 (2m 3½f)
Coeur Serein (nap), a seven-year-old, can beat a whole host of improvers here as he continues to progress himself.
He won at Huntingdon in May on his last start over three miles when always travelling well, having been raised 12lbs for his Newbury success when beating Soyouthinksoagain (won next time out). Coeur Serein certainly goes well fresh, as he won back in March after a break and the drop back in trip is fine.
Unibet 9/2
3.20 Chepstow – 4-Y-O Hurdle A Limited Handicap (2m)
Elham Valley for Unibet Ambassador Fergal O’Brien won first time up last season and has a chance to do the same again for his trainer who knows there are plenty of opportunities at this time of the season.
Cabot Cliffs looks sure to take them along at a good clip and this will suit Elham Valley, who likes to come from off the pace as he showed on good ground at The Festival in the Fred Winter, when third to Jeff Kidder doing all his best work from the last.
Unibet 15/2 each way
3.35 Newmarket – Fillies’ Mile Group 1 (1m)
Wild Beauty for the Charlie Appleby team had a remarkable win at Woodbine in Canada over this trip last time considering how much went wrong when last out the stalls and how impressively she moved through the field staying on very strongly late to win. Wild Beauty was well on top at the line, and she clearly relished this trip. She is going to stay further next year but can win this before going on to have a crack at the Guineas next season. The drying ground will suit as Wild Beauty has won on good on her last two starts.
Unibet 10/1 each way
4.10 Newmarket – Old Rowley Cup Handicap (1m 4f)
Farhan was second to Bookmark at Chester last time out over 1m 2½f when staying on well off a strong pace, as he had done when finishing runner-up at Sandown on his penultimate start. This will be Farhan’s second appearance over this longer trip, and he has been found a good opportunity here.
