NEWBURY
2:35 G1 Lockinge Stakes
Rosallion (Sean Levey)
I am very happy with him, and he couldn’t look better. He’s been away three times, twice to Newbury and once to Kempton, and he worked very well; but he has been off the track for nearly a year, so isn’t going to be as match fit as the others, which is an obvious concern, and race fitness can only be achieved through actual racing.
We’re all delighted with him, though, and I hope he is still the horse that we saw at Royal Ascot last June. This is a vintage Lockinge, by some way, and there are several horses who could win, there are classic winners in there, so this is probably the toughest task he’s ever faced.
I’m hoping he can come through this test and set us up for a good season ahead, but he’s unlikely to have a harder test than what he’s got here. Of course I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t win, and there’s every chance he will improve for the run, but he’s as ready as I can get him, and it’s up to him to do the talking now.
Good horses get beaten all of the time, and if he gets beaten, that’s racing; nobody has died.
Persica (Tom Marquand)
He won his G3 at Newmarket with authority, but there was plenty of dig in the ground, which he loved, and conditions are going to be much quicker here. He does need to step up a lot, but he’s always been a smart colt, and while this is the deepest end you can get, I’m happy with him, and he’s there to give it his best shot and hopefully pick up some valuable place money.
Unibet are SUPER BOOSTING the price of EVERY runner in this race!
3:45
Aramram (Ryan Moore)
He was terribly unlucky to get chinned at Newmarket last time, and to add insult to injury, he got nudged up a few pounds as well, but he’s in good shape, shouldn’t mind the ground, and deserves to get his head in front.
4:20
Witch Hunter (Joe Leavy)
What can I say that you don’t already know? His form so far this season isn’t fantastic, but he still retains plenty of ability, and if things drop his way, he’s more than capable of going well as he steps back up in trip.
Classic (David Probert)
I was delighted with his first run back last time, but the question is whether he can string two good runs together, because he does tend to go well fresh. He hasn’t won for a while but is down to a very good mark and should not be discounted.
Boyfriend (Sam Hitchcott)
He’s a smart colt, actually, and has some pretty solid form to his name. It’s his first run of the season, so he might just need it, but he’s been away to gallop and is quite versatile ground-wise.
4:55
Nakeeb (Jim Crowley)
He got the job done nicely at Doncaster and has taken a step forward from that. The return to a mile will suit, and he would have to be of obvious interest on his first start in a Handicap.
NEWMARKET
1:40
Miss Collada (Alec Voikhansky)
She was a solid two-year-old but her form hasn’t been fantastic this year so we’re putting the blinkers on to help her travel better and hopefully it will have the desired effect, but I’m not confident by any means.
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