1.50pm Newmarket: Swindler stood out for me as soon as I looked at this 6f handicap. He is quirky but smart. It all depends on the fitness of Ed Walker’s yard but this horse won very snugly at Ascot on his most recent start and a 6lb rise may not stop him following up here.
2.25pm Newmarket: I hear Emaraaty Ana has been training very nicely in preparation for this, so I think he could well be up to beating his much higher-rated stablemate Brando, who won this in 2017 and 2018, and other classy sprinters like last year’s shock winner Keystroke. A Gimcrack winner at two, he rounded off last season with a win and I think he could get an easy enough lead here. He could put it up to all of these at a price if he does.
3pm Newmarket: There are some good horses in here, as you would expect, but I think this is Sangarius’s to lose. I think the form he showed in winning the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot is on another level to these – and he isn’t penalized for that win – and I would not be that bothered by him stepping down to 1m on much quicker ground. He took a very strong hold for Frankie at Ascot, so I think he has the necessary pace, and he could go forward if he wants. The obvious question is whether he will be straight enough here after basically a year off – I am not sure what the problem was with him after Ascot – but Stoutey’s horses look to be well forward from the evidence we have seen so far this week.
3.35pm Newmarket: I think Stradivarius could put it up to the 1m4f specialists in the Coronation Cup. I think the race could set up nicely for him with Ghaiyyath going on, so we can expect a strongly run race, and I don’t think he lacks pace anyway. His form over further stacks up very well against any of these, and he could well be up to this test over 1m4f. I suppose you could argue that he won’t be given too hard a race if they have the Gold Cup in mind, but I would side with him all the same.
4.10pm Newmarket: Dubai Instinct for me in this 1m4f handicap, for all that his stamina is not assured. He won a good maiden well at Nottingham before setting off like a 5f sprinter in the London Gold Cup but he was gelded afterwards and did it well at Sandown. He looks an improving horse and could be hard to beat if seeing out the trip. Edinburgh Castle could go well, too.
5.55pm and 6.30pm Newmarket The last two handicaps are very tricky to call but maybe Gunmetal, who I am sure many will have followed over a cliff last season, could be the answer to the first division of this 6f handicap, while Highland Dress could be the answer to the second. Maybe!
Lingfield
2.40pm Lingfield: Ralph Beckett has won this race a few times and I thought his Heart Reef was a fair bet at around 6/1 or so. She made a good impression on her debut and you can forgive her slightly disappointing run on heavy ground at Newmarket afterwards; she should be much better suited by this longer trip, being a daughter of Australia.
3.15pm Lingfield: Sound Of Cannons ran well enough in defeat in Group company on his last two starts and, being a Nathaniel, this trip should suit. I think he is the form horse going into the race.
