Matthew Sutcliffe is the newest recruit to the GG team and he will be looking back on the previous weekend for smart performances, as well as picking the best value plays ahead of Saturday’s action.
Published: 3pm 5th July(Odds correct at time of publication)
Pointers
Friday: 20:10 Newmarket Star Guest (1/8) – Dubawi x Usharette (Shamardal) – Trainer: Charlie Appleby.
It appears as if the clouds hanging over the Charlie Appleby yard have parted and the blue skies are back out connections had six winners from ten runners at Newmarket over the weekend. The drop to six furlongs paid dividends for Star Guest, who won at the first time at that trip having raced predominantly at the mile thus far. She opened her account in handicaps off a mark of 77 but posted a smart RPR of 92, so the handicapper may have to have a strong rethink about her mark. She finally fulfilled the promise that her breeding suggests she can show, by Dubawi out of a x2 G2 winning mare for Godolphin, and there’s a strong suspicion that she has plenty more to offer over six furlongs.
Saturday: 12:40 Newmarket Cry Fiction (2/9) – El Kabeir x Fictitious (Mayson) – Trainer: Jonathan Portman.
Cry Fiction made a smart debut at Windsor in May, overcoming greenness and trouble in running. She stepped up on that this weekend posting an excellent 2nd at 40/1 to Godolphin’s Star Of Mystery. Although she failed to land a glove on that one, who had quickened away smartly herself in the middle of the race, Cry Fiction drew four lengths clear of the rest taking the rising ground with aplomb. She shaped as if seven furlongs will suit next time out and she’s one who could continue to go under the radar at a nice price.
Saturday: 13:50 Newmarket Audience (1/6) – Iffraaj x Ladyship (Oasis Dream) – Trainer: John Gosden.
Audience was a very impressive winner of the Group Three Criterion Stakes, bellying his odds of 14/1. It was almost effortless from the son of Iffraaj, who was merely kept up to his work by Robert Havlin and won eased down. The winning time was the only race on the card to be quicker than the average, so I don’t think he was in any way flattered. That was his 2nd win since being gelded and fitted with a hood, and he could have plenty more left to come. He has entries in handicaps but I imagine they’ll be a distant memory after that performance, and a step up to Group 2 company in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood may be the next target.
Saturday: 13:40 Newcastle Legendary Day (4/14) – Adaay x Dubai Legend (Cadeaux Generation) – Trainer: Adrian Keatley.
By Adaay out of a 6F winner, Legendary Day isn’t your typical idea of a staying type, but he’s moulded into a useful gelding for the Adrian Keatley team since joining from Hughie Morrison last November. I saw him when he won at Ripon in April, and he’s beautiful individual. He was sent off 14/1 for the consolation race of the Northumberland Plate last weekend, and stayed on stoutly for 4th place. He was short of room at a crucial stage but once in the clear, kept on well despite beign resigned to hands and heels in the final furlong. He’s been rather leniently dropped a pound for that run and he’s one to keep onside. The cheek-pieces worn there were also on when 1 3/4L behind Typewriter at York in May, who has since finished close up in the G3 Bronte Cup at York, before an excellent 4th in the Queen Alexandra at Ascot. On that form alone, Legendary Day is still a well handicapped horse off a mark of 84, backed up by that smart 4th on Saturday.
Saturday: 15:00 Newmarket Dora Milaje (3/5) – Mondialiste x Barefoot Contessa (Dansili) – Trainer: David O’Meara.
A trappy five runner affair where the front three were separated by just 3/4L. I was most impressed with the Northern raider Dora Milaje, who led for the majority of the race and only collared in the last few strides preventing her from a hattrick of wins. That was her handicap debut off a mark of 83 and I think she’s the type to rate higher yet. Her sire was a dual globetrotting G1 winner for connections, improving with age, and her unraced dam is a half-sister to G1 Poule D’Essai Des Pouliches winner Beauty Parlour. I think Dora Milaje has the potential to become a very smart filly, but I do think she’ll be seen to best effect held up in a bigger field, so it was a testament to her ability and inexperience that she was very nearly able to successfully dictate proceedings last Saturday.
Weekend Punts
13:50 Sandown – Coral Charge (Group 3) (Registered As The Sprint Stakes) (Class 1) (3yo+)
Get Ahead 6/1 generally (7/1 Hills) 1pt WIN
Get Ahead was an easy winner for the column in the Listed Cecil Frail Stakes at Haydock, and she stepped up on that form when 2nd in a Group 2 over in Chantilly, just failing to rally for the win. She comfortably held Marshman there, whose finishing ability is becoming a strong chink in his otherwise progressive armour, and I expect to hold him again this time. Annaf warrants respect given his 3rd in the King’s Stand, but I’d argue he was flattered there as he only improved 1/2L with Highfield Princess when behind that one at York, who was having her seasonal debut and certainly needed that run. Annaf remains 0-8 on turf, and he’s a passible option for me. Although Get Ahead won over six furlongs at Haydock, she’s by no means dismissed back at five and the uphill, galloping nature of Sandown should definitely bring in to play any of her stamina reserves. Only two fillies have won this race in the last ten years, but owners of Get Ahead were responsible for one of them, when taking it with Kurious in 2019.
14:25 Sandown – Coral Challenge (Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+)
Silent Film 10/1 generally (14/1 Hills/365 4 places) 1.5pt EW
Silent Film was an eyecatcher from Royal Ascot for the column last week and I’m thrilled to see him back out quickly. The last three winners of the Coral Challenge were previously beaten at the Royal meeting before coming here. Silent Film had only been with his new yard for eight days prior to his staying on 8th in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, and was making his first start in 118 days. That run was excellent all things considering, and he’s bound to come on for it. He’s been dropped a pound for it, now rated 99. He was only 3L behind Shining Blue in Meydan in January giving him 3lbs, who’s now rated 12lbs higher, which suggests there’s manoeuvre off his lowering mark. Stepping back up to a mile could suit Silent Film based on how he finished off his race at Ascot, and his last win on these shores came at Sandown, so the return to this track will hopefully aid his cause. William Buick is currently jocked up and knows him well having won on him before, and ridden him seven times in total. Williams and Buick have a near 30% win/place record when teaming up all time, and religiously backing the combination would have yielded a healthy £33.95 to a £1 stake profit margin.
15:00 Sandown – Coral Distaff (Listed Race) (Class 1) (3yo)
Cell Sa Beela (20/1 generally) 0.5pt EW.
Cell Sa Beela was another eye-catcher from last week’s column following her promising run in the Sandringham Stakes behind market leader Coppice. Incredibly, the record of horses beaten in the Sandringham prior to winning the Coral Distaff is 5-5 all time, boding well for the chances of Roger Varian’s filly. The daughter of Kingman was lit up the whole way under David Egan, breaking well but restrained immediately to find cover. She began to settle better once hidden in the rear, but still hadn’t dropped her head. She caught the eye still travelling nicely once push came to shove, and she recorded the quickest time between five and four furlongs, joining the leaders who were on the nearside but inevitably weakened having been so keen the whole race. There was certainly a nearside bias that day, as the first three home on the far-side were drawn 5,3,9, finishing 8,10,11 respectively. I think her performance can be upgraded plenty and although eventually beaten nine lengths by Coppice, she is entitled to get a lot close this time around on the basis of that track bias. You could argue that the two who finished in front of Cell Sa Beela on the far-side (Magical Sunset and Lady Alara) have a better chance and while I wouldn’t write them off, Varian’s filly was making her first run of the season having been off 273 day’s prior whereas those two had the benefit of match fitness. She won 2nd time up last season which further boosts enthusiasm, and Roger Varian won this race in 2011 with Nahrain. She’s the first foal out of a half-sister to two smart mares in Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star who were both G1 winners as 3yos, so hopefully Cell Sa Beela inherits those talents and can step up on her Sandringham run with that run behind her.
Coral-Eclipse (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3yo+)
15:40 Sandown – Dubai Honour (14/1 generally) 1pt WIN
Dubai Honour has been ridiculously underestimated in the market here. Firstly, he’s rated just a pound below the top rated Paddington who is stepping up in distance after his St James’ Palace win. I’ve long thought that the St James’ Palace winner is purely a top class miler and nothing more, and recent trends back that up. Just one winner of the SJP has subsequently won over a mile, and that was Barney Roy in 2017, who won over 1m1f in Meydan then 1m2f in Munich. I don’t think the step up in trip will suit Paddington at all. He wasn’t exactly all that strong at the finish in the SJP, and Chaldean had excuses in 2nd. I’m very surprised the O’Brien team haven’t kept him at the mile this season, for all he could improve for further next year. Emily Upjohn is 2lbs below Dubai Honour on official ratings, but will be a pound better off with her 3lbs fillies allowance. She is a course and distance winner, and put up a fashionable performance at York last time out albeit over 1m4f. She quickened up smartly off a sedate gallop there and the drop back to 1m2f should prove no issue. I’d much rather play her than Paddington at the prices, but given they are both short enough, Dubai Honour has to be the value angle in here. He has never ran at Sandown, but his best form has come right handed and he won snugly twice in two G1’s over in Randwick, which is a stiff enough track so you would think the uphill nature of Sandown will suit. Both of the Australian G1’s won by Dubai Honour this spring were previously won by Addeybb, who was 2nd to St Mark’s Basilica in the 2021 Coral Eclipse and William Haggas won the race with Mukhadram in 2014, who also had previously G1 globetrotting form. The race will be tactical in nature with no obvious pace angle, and I am hoping Tom Marquand takes up the running on Dubai Honour. The recent rain will be a massive blessing to the team, and with more watering forecast (obviously), Dubai Honour could get his perfect conditions.