Newmarket’s Future Champions Festival gets under way on Friday, with the Group 1 bet365 Fillies’ Mile the highlight of a strong card at Newmarket that also features the Challenge Stakes and the Old Rowley Cup.
Matty Sutcliffe focuses on Friday’s Rowley Mile action, picking out four horses to watch.
13:50 Newmarket – Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) (Class 1) (2yo)
Chasing Daylight was a very rare two-year-old winner for David Simcock, but she wasn’t without support in the market on debut and cost 170,000 euros as a yearling from the Goffs Orby Book.
It didn’t come as too much of a surprise to some then, to see her bolt up in a fairly smart manner at Yarmouth last month, pulling well clear of her eight rivals. She was very keen under a sedate early gallop with no cover, but she was still travelling notably strongly two out before Callum Rodriguez said go, and the response was immediate.
She was quicker than anything across the final two furlongs, demonstrating a large stride that should suit her at this track. The form has yet to be truly tested, but the 5/6 favourite in third was previously four lengths behind Fillies’ Mile runner Lex Victoria on debut.
She’s bred to be smart, out of a 102-rated mare from the family of the talented Raheen House, and she has to be considered for a yard certainly not known for their two-year-olds.
14:25 Newmarket – Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo+)
I’m far from convinced that Flora Of Bermuda gets this seven furlongs well, and Never So Brave has looked regressive this season, thus this looks like a good opportunity for Time To Turn to get back on track after just two runs this season.
The Dark Angel colt was kept busy early on as a juvenile last term, with form figures of 2211 prior to a break of 72 days, after which he’d finish a distant eighth in the Lagardère. That was followed up 20 days later by a comfortable success in the Horris Hill Stakes.
He returned this season over a mile in the Heron Stakes at Sandown, finishing second under a 5lb penalty, beaten five lengths by stablemate Talk Of New York who’s now rated 120. That was a fair effort given he was conceding both weight and fitness, and he was far from disgraced when a three-length sixth in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat next time out.
The 2nd, 4th and 5th all subsequently won Group 1’s next time out, and he’s of strong interest now returning from a break and eased in grade. He takes on his elders, but receives some weight as a result, and if returning in a similar vein of form he can continue his progression against rivals who have arguably stagnated.
14:57 Newmarket – bet365 Fillies’ Mile (Group 1) (Class 1) (2yo)
It’s hard to knock the dominant display Musical Times produced in the May Hill, but one would have to question what she beat there despite how impressive it was, and it may pay to chance Rogue Passion on the back of her Prix d’Aumale victory.
The Sioux Nation filly was progressive at seven furlongs earlier in the summer, but she took her form to a new level when overcoming a sluggish start at Longchamp, pulling three lengths clear of the 11/10 favourite Data along with Amusingly, and winning gamely by a neck.
The runner-up has since won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, beating National Stakes winner Folsom Blues, and the third was 2nd in the Prix Marcel Boussac next time out, beaten a head by the 8/5 favourite.
Her form ties in with the best two-year-old fillies in Europe, and if she’s improved again since, she deserves to be bang there with Musical Times.
15:30 Newmarket – bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo)
Alan King won this with Trueshan in 2019 and Spyce is taken to repeat that feat. The Too Darn Hot colt was second in York’s Convivial Maiden last season, before landing the odds at Yarmouth and finishing three lengths behind Pierre Bonnard in the Zetland Stakes.
He’s yet to win this season, but he ran a big race when fourth in the London Gold Cup, giving weight to all ahead of him including 11lb to the winner Lost Boys, now rated 14lb higher. The sixth has also franked that form since, now rated 17lb higher.
Spyce produced a similar display when two lengths further behind Lost Boys at Royal Ascot (reversing form with Sahara King in second), but it paid to be drawn wider and race in midfield, as it often does in the big-field handicaps there, and that form has worked out well too, with the fourth a Listed winner and the sixth taking a competitive handicap at the St Leger meeting off top-weight.
He returned from wind surgery and an 82-day break to finish behind Bourbon Blues in that contest at Doncaster, but he finished the race off well in the manner of one who will improve for the second run after a wind operation, and shaped further as if this step up in trip would suit.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Four to Watch for Friday 9 October
13:50 Newmarket – Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) (Class 1) (2yo) – Chasing Daylight 13/2 1pt WIN
14:25 Newmarket – Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Time To Turn 9/4 1pt WIN
14:57 Newmarket – bet365 Fillies’ Mile (Group 1) (Class 1) (2yo) – Rogue Passion 4/1 1pt WIN
15:30 Newmarket – bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo) – Spyce 14/1 1pt EW 3 places
FAQs
When was Matthew Sutcliffe’s article published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 10.30am on Thursday 8 October.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe