It was easy to get lost in the action last week, with so much top quality racing happening all over Europe. Though there is a cool down this week, there remains plenty to play for during the remainder of the flat season and four horses in particular had their claims enhanced for Group 1 prizes last week. Check out those market movers below, alongside an exclusive Bet UK offer, which provides £60 in Free Bets when you bet £20.
EMARAATY ANA – (Sprint Cup, 3rd September, Haydock) 16/1 Bet365, 12/1 generally
The Sprint Cup at Haydock is the first to come under the microscope, as the track’s rapid-fire Group 1 is only two weeks away.
Highfield Princess delivered a second sensational performance in the space of two weeks to win Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes at York on her first turf start at 5f. Yet she was already vying for favouritism for this race with Alcohol Free and the bigger mover was EMARAATY ANA, third behind John Quinn’s filly last week.
Kevin Ryan’s six-year-old won this race last year having enjoyed an eyecatchingly similar season. Last term, he started slowly building his form in late July and August, finishing second in the Nunthorpe at 40/1 before defeating Starman by a head at Haydock. After a less profitable spell in Dubai earlier this year saw him take a while to refind his feet, a third in this year’s York Group 1 will have seriously encouraged his trainer.
While Highfield Princess still looked just at home over 5f, that trip is surely on the sharp side for Emaraaty Ana, who is likely to relish the step back up to 6f at this particular track. He needs to find four lengths with his York conqueror, if she turns up, but that might be surmountable.
NEW LONDON – (St Leger, 10th September, Doncaster) 6/4 generally
One horse made a significant ante-post move this week without even having to meet a racecourse.
That horse was NEW LONDON, already favourite for the St Leger before last week’s racing. However, the result of the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, often seen as a key trial for the final Classic of the season, spoke volumes about this horse’s staying potential.
Going into that race, stablemate Secret State and Ballydoyle’s Aikhal were disputing favourite and looking to enhance their claims. However, a late plunge on Deauville Legend saw James Ferguson’s gelding go off favourite and duly deliver, overturning Royal Ascot film with Secret State.
Being a gelding, though, he is unable to run in the St Leger. Prior to his victory, he had been a well-held second behind New London at Goodwood. Charlie Appleby’s charge therefore received a timely and significant form boost. Having briefly headed the ante-post market for the Derby, Godolphin will have strong hopes that he redeems himself here.
Doncaster Racecourse,
Leger Way,
Doncaster
DN2 6BB.
United Kingdom
Doncaster Racecourse
Home to the oldest British Classic, the St Leger, Doncaster offers top quality action on the Flat and over the sticks. Well known for its excellent drainage, the ground rarely turns testing putting the emphasis on basic speed rather than stamina. The four-day St Leger Meeting in September is one of the most popular Festivals and features a clutch of Group and Listed races. Over the jumps, the Skybet Chase in January is always a competitive affair and remains one of the highlights of the National Hunt season.
MEDITATE – (Cheveley Park Stakes, 24th September, Newmarket) 5/2 SkyBet, BetUK
The outstanding two-year-old filly was initially assumed to be Dramatised. However, when Karl Burke’s filly was soundly defeated in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York, it opened up the chance for another filly to jump atop the market for the Group 1s later in the season.
Her stablemate Swingalong was a big mover, but her move was gazumped by MEDITATE, who remains unbeaten for Aidan O’Brien. The daughter of No Nay Never added a fourth triumph, this time at Group 2 level, at the Curragh on Saturday.
She had previously won two Group 3s at Naas and then Royal Ascot, the latter victory in the Albany Stakes receiving a few boosts to the form since. However, her win at the Curragh saw her defeat the improving Olivia Maralda by just under a length, once again making all from the front.
That was on a step up to 7f, which does also give her the option of going up another furlong for the Fillies’ Mile, two weeks after the Cheveley Park Stakes over 6f. She would be favourite for both, but has shortened up even more for the first contest and Ryan Moore knows exactly how to dictate the pace with her over that trip.
ALPINISTA – (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, 1st October, Longchamp) 7/1 best price
Rarely has the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe appeared so open at such a late stage of the season. With Baaeed not officially entered, the favourite for the race is, at shortest, 5/1 for Europe’s showpiece.
Broadly, the market leader is the likely Japanese raider Titleholder, who has taken all before him this year in his homeland. He is joined at the top at a best price 7/1 by two others though: defending champion Torquator Tasso and the brilliant grey ALPINISTA.
SIr Mark Prescott has trained his mare to perfection since 2021. She has won seven races on the bounce, the last five being Group 1s in Germany, France and finally in the UK when claiming last week’s Yorkshire Oaks from the Epsom Oaks winner Tuesday. Doubts may have lingered about her propensity to step up domestically, but she proved all doubters wrong on the Knavesmire.
Having already won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, she is proven in France as well, while she already has a defeat of Torquator Tasso to her name in Germany. Soft ground would pose a question, but she is towards the top of the market purely on merit.
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