SATURDAY – NEWMARKET

 

1:40 Maiden Fillies’

Joy Choi (Sean Levey)

She’s a sweet little filly who has been working well enough at home to suggest she can run a nice race but I expect lots of improvements to come and she’ll need to be very good to win on her debut in a race of this nature.

Pepinillo (Rossa Ryan)

She was due to run at Chepstow last week but I thought the ground may just have been a little bit too loose for her first time out as she is not the biggest of fillies. She shows a good attitude in her work at home and will definitely be winning races, but as with our other filly I wouldn’t be overly confident she’d be up to winning this first time out 

2:15 Seller

Myboymax (Silvestre De Sousa)

He’s taking his time to get his head in front but he is more than capable and should make his presence felt in a race like this. This is his trip and the cheek pieces will help him concentrate. 

2:50 Nursery

Thank You Next (Sean Levey)

She ran a solid race at Goodwood last time and finished her race well so the step up to 7 furlongs will really be in her favour and I think there could be improvement in her over this trip. She’s shortlist material for sure.

Saunton (Rossa Ryan)

I think things were happening a little bit too quickly for him over 6 furlongs so I’m hoping they step up to this distance will give him more time to get into a nice rhythm. He’s run with ability on all three starts and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him put up a decent show here. 

3:20 G3 Sweet Solera Stakes

Fly Miss Helen (Sean Levey)

She’d been working extremely well before her debut at Newbury and I would’ve been surprised, and probably more disappointed, if she hadn’t put up the performance she did. This is obviously a big step up the ladder but she’ll relish the rise to 7 furlongs and she’s a filly we’ve always held in the highest regard and are hoping that she could be the real deal. 

4:00 Handicap

Fox Champion (Silvestre De Sousa)

He hasn’t won since the German Guinness in May last year and is becoming quite hard to place, primarily because of his rating and he would need to show something like his best to feature prominently in this but on recent showings you couldn’t be overly confident.

Ziggle Pops (Sean Levey)

He’s coming back down to workable mark and to be honest I think a stiff seven is what he wants. He wasn’t disgraced at Ascot last time and has been in good form at home so I’m hopeful he can run well. 

4:35 Handicap

Sea Voice (Thore Hammer Hansen)

He’s been dropped another 5lbs by the handicapper and with Thore’s 3lbs claim as well he could be potentially well treated but he’d need to be because his last couple of runs have been rather disappointing.

Ajax Tavern (Harry Bentley)

He didn’t progress quite as well at Ascot last time as I thought he would but I still maintain that he is a very capable horse and Harry Bentley has a good strike rate for us. I wouldn’t write him off just yet.

 

ASCOT

 

12:40 Maiden

Escobedo (Pat Dobbs)

He’s a nicely bred son of Nathanial whose work has been very good at home and he’s been ready to go for a while. I have absolutely no idea about the opposition he is taking on so there is no way I could say he is going to win but I like what I see at home and hopefully he can go very well. 

1:15 Nursery

Shanghai Rock (Pat Dobbs)

He ran a very good race behind our own horse, Mohawk King, at Ascot last time when he wasn’t beaten all that far and is getting better all the time. He’s got to improve a little bit ratings wise but his work has been good and I think he has quite a good chance. 

1:50 Handicap

Theotherside (Pat Dobbs)

He’s now managed to work himself up to a mark of 88 so arguably has to produce a career best to win this but I’ve been very happy with him at home, he’s got a great attitude, and goes there with a favourite’s chance 

4:10 Handicap

Al Madhar (Jim Crowley)

We took a punt on running him in the Dante last time which unfortunately didn’t pay off, although I thought he still ran a pretty solid race but was just outclassed. That said I think he could be even better over a mile and a half because he’s always shaped like a stayer and I’m hopeful he can develop into a very smart handicapper.

Orczy (Jack Mitchell)

There is no doubt he has to improve a little bit to get near the likes of Al Madhar but he is a talented horse in his own right and could easily improve for the step up in trip.

 

HAYDOCK

1:00 Handicap

Lexington Storm (Hollie Doyle)

If there’s any rain around that would really help his chances but the forecast is for bright sunshine so that’s quite unlikely, but he’s been gelded since his last run which can help them concentrate a little bit more in their races and he’s more than capable, so has an each way chance under Hollie Doyle who is absolutely riding out of her skin 

1:30 Handicap

Count Of Amazonia (Kieran Shoemark)

He got put up for finishing second last time which is never ideal but he’s always maintained a decent level of form and this looks a handicap within his range. 

2:05 Listed

Posted (Hollie Doyle)

She wasn’t beaten all that far at Pontefract last time on a track that would’ve been plenty sharp enough so this stiffer course should play to her strengths and we’ve kept her nice and fresh at home since. This looks a competitive race but she’s in good form and goes there with a solid each way shout. 

3:15 Novice

Al Hajees (Ryan Moore)

She can sometimes be a little bit of a madam at the stalls but we’ve done plenty of work with her at home and I expect her to improve a lot for her first run at Kempton. To be honest I quite fancy her chances here going up a furlong in trip.

Fierospeed (Hollie Doyle)

He’s a nice looking colt by Zoffany whose work has been absolutely fine and he’s ready for a run but I do expect him to improve for the experience 

3:50 Handicap

War Glory (Dane O’Neill)

He ran much better last time and showed that he is starting to come back to some sort of form; He’s run a couple of nice races at this course and I see no reason why he can’t put up another bold show. 

4:25 Fillies’ Handicap

Wedding Date (Ben Curtis)

She ran an excellent race in the Unibet Stewards Cup at Goodwood last week, only beaten just over two lengths, and she probably wouldn’t have to put up another performance like that to go close in this race. She is a very very tough filly who handles her racing well and I expect her to go extremely close in this.