NEWMARKET – FRIDAY

1:50 Handicap

Walkinthesand (Ryan Moore)

We’ve always held this horse in very high regard and at one point we thought he might have been our Guineas horse but we decided to step him up in trip and he’s run three real solid races this term. He probably did a bit too much at Sandown in the Heron Stakes last time but that race has worked out very well with King Of Comedy going on to finish second in the St James’s Palace Stakes and Sangarius winning the Hampton Court. We skipped Royal Ascot so he comes here a nice fresh horse and worked extremely well the other day. I expect him to go very close.

4:10 Maiden Stakes

Al Madhar (Jim Crowley)

He cost 200,000 Guineas as a yearling and is a colt who has been doing everything we’ve asked of so far. As you all know, a lot of our 2 year olds come on for their first runs but this horse is quite forward and could be very smart.

4:45 Handicap

Rum Runner (Tom Queally)

He was slow away from the gates at Sandown on Saturday and ran in snatches in a race where the winner (Mojito) made all of the running and wasn’t for catching so I’m inclined to draw a line through that and move on. He takes his racing very well and Tom (Queally) won a course and distance Handicap on him off a pound higher last August so with that in mind, he’s entitled to run a big race here. He’s not the most consistent but has plenty of ability.

Dirty Rascal (Tom Marquand)

Whereas Rum Runner lacks consistency, this horse is the complete opposite as he’s either won or been placed in nine of his thirteen races. He ran a great race in first time blinkers over course and distance last time so we know he handles the track. We entered him at Ascot on Saturday but this race looked more suitable and I think he has a great chance.

We’ve got a few runners elsewhere and I’m quite hopeful that Kemble will go close in Ascot’s 2:15 and the improving Pesto has a great chance in the 4:35.