12 Jun 2019
The British Flat season cranks up a notch with the Craven meetings at Newmarket. ITV cover four races on the first day and we take a look at the pick of the action.
NEWMARKET
1.50pm – WEATHERBYS TBA HANDICAP STAKES
A cracking sprint handicap over 6f gets the ITV coverage underway with no fewer than 15 runners lining up. This looks a very open race for horses aged 4yo and upwards and rated 0-100.
GREEN POWER heads the market and with good reason following a close-up fourth in a 17-runner handicap at Doncaster last time under top weight in a 0-95 handicap. That was his first run after being gelded and he remains on that mark here. He also has the assistance of Ryan Moore aboard, who has ridden nine winners in his last 24 rides (38% strike-rate).
BLACKHEATH has been the subject of a bit of gamble over the last 24 hours. The Ed Walker-trained 4yo was a beaten favourite at Salisbury when last seen in October and has been a little unlucky in running on his last two appearances. He is up just 2lb for that narrow defeat and should not be far away.
FLAVIUS TITUS was consistent in some decent handicaps last term, mainly over 7f trips. He has been gelded since his last run in October and the Roger Varian inmate holds fair place claims if handling this sharper trip.
BURIDAN won a couple of handicaps last June, including on Newmarket’s July Course, but has a bit to find with Green Power on his Doncaster run (when seventh), especially since Moore jumps off him to ride that rival. He is also 6lb above his last winning mark.
DESERT DOCTOR, a stablemate of Blackheath, won a couple of All Weather 6f handicaps over the winter, the last of those coming when justifying favouritism at Wolverhampton last month. He is 3lb above that mark here and while improving, he will have to run a career-best to win.
KIMIFIVE took a couple of lesser 6f handciaps at Windsor last June but struggled towards the backend of last season. However, he has gone well fresh in the past and may find a little more improvement.
COUNT OTTO has three wins from six on the AW, but just one win in 11 on turf. There was enough to like about his fair fifth in a well-contested Ascot handicap when last seen in September to think he will go well if stripping fit. This is a slightly weaker contest, too.
ALEMARATALYOUM has his first run for Stuart Williams, having signed off last year with victory in a 1m Haydock handicap for Iain Jardine. Up 5lb to a career-high mark of 96 and in a stronger race, the 5yo could be up against it.
ICE LORD has been largely consistent, winning five of his 24 races and runner-up on another five occasions. He can be a little keen, so this stiff 6f will be ideal for him, but he starts the season on a career-high mark of 95.
NORMANDY BARRIERE has not won for almost two years, but is back down to a winning mark of 96. He is also reunited with William Buick, who has won three times and finished runner-up on him once in six starts.
SUMMERGHAND won five times last season, including when scoring off a mark of 95 on the July Course in August. He would need a career-best off today’s 97 rating, though.
BUGUILLLOS, VON BLUCHER and ZAIN HANA complete the field.
2.25pm – EUROPEAN FREE HANDICAP (Listed)
There have been three winning favourites in the last six years and the Hannon yard has sent out the winner three times since 2011, including last year’s 25/1 scorer Anna Nerium.
Seven line up for this 7f Listed event which is a recognised 2,000 Guineas trial and they are headed by AZANO. This late-blooming son of Oasis Dream ended last season finishing runner-up to Mohaather in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury on his third start, form which was boosted when that won landed the Greenham on Saturday.
Trained by John Gosden, Azano will encounter quicker ground than he did last season, but his trainer feels he will handle it well.
SHINE SO BRIGHT was consistent last season, with third place finished in the Group 2 Richmond, Gimcrack and Mill Reef Stakes for Andrew Balding. Like Azano, he steps up to 7f for the first time and he should blossom over this trip.
Mark Johnston has two in the line-up, with ARCTIC SOUND favoured more by the Genting Casino horse racing market. A course and distance winner last season, he won four of his last five starts and has decent claims despite giving weight away all round.
VICTORY COMMAND, the mount of Ryan Moore, twice ran in Group company after an all-the-way success over 7f in a Listed contest at Ascot, but did not fare as well in Dubai over the winter.
DUBAI DOMINION was twice placed in Listed company last season before signing off with a lacklustre fourth of five in a Saint-Cloud Group 3. He needs more to figure in this field.
KUWAIT CURRENCY was well held in the Group 1 Dewhurst here and the Vertem Futurity Trophy (formerly the Racing Post Trophy) at Doncaster, but he has strengthened up over the winter and should get a bit further than this.
SPACE TRAVELLER who hails from the Richard Fahey stable that won this with Garswood in 2013, is minus the headgear that he wore when down the field in the Middle Park, and this extra furlong should help. He has a bit to find with some of these, though.
3.00pm – FIELDEN STAKES (Listed)
There have been four successful favourites in the past eight renewals of this 1m1f contest for 3yos.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA , trained by Aidan O’Brien, heads the Genting Casino market, having made the frame in a trio of Group races before finishing third in a Group 1 at Doncaster on his final start last season.
With Kew Gardens beaten as favourite in this last season, connections are leaving nothing to chance this time, as Western Australia has had a prep run in a Listed 1m AW Dundalk contest, where he was a narrow runner-up. He sets a fair standard.
KICK ON is less exposed, having won on the Rowley Mile for John Gosden in September on only his second start before running a decent sixth (beaten just over three-lengths) by Magna Grecia in the Vertem Futurity Trophy. He has a bit to find with Western Australia on that, but is open to more improvement and the stable won this with subsequent Derby winner Golden Horn in 2015 and again with Khalidi two years ago.
KADAR knew his job when well backed for a debut win at Haydock in September and tackles an extra furlong here, which should suit Karl Burke’s representative. The quicker ground might not be ideal for him, however.
WALKINTHESAND represents the Hannon yard that won this in 2016 with Ventura Storm. Entered in the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby, he steps up 2f for his seasonal bow, having scored on his second start at Sandown in August. This looks the ideal starting point.
BOERHAN dead-heated in his Newbury debut over 7f, before beaten odds-on at Yarmouth. He then suffered a troubled passage when fifth in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes here in October (Western Australia fourth) and is open to any amount of improvement.
I’LL HAVE ANOTHER, trained by Mark Johnston, who has won this race five times since 2004, needs to find a bit more than he did when third in a Listed Pontefract 1m event last October.
SPANISH MISSION makes his turf debut, having all three of his previous runs on AW surfaces and could find this trip on the sharp side.
3.35pm – LANWADES STUD NELL GWYN STAKES (Group 3)
This is a recognised 1,000 Guineas trial, but none of the last 12 winners went on to win their next race and only two were placed next time out. Six of the last 12 winners of this 7f contest for 3yo fillies were rated 109 or higher, but none of the 11 who line up for this renewal have such a high mark.
MAIN EDITION is the best on official ratings with a mark of 107. The Zoffany filly, trained by Mark Johnston, won two Group 3s last season but her from dipped towards the end of the seven-race campaign. However, there was nothing wrong with her Group 2 Rockfel third to Just Wonderful here in September when last seen.
MOT JUSTE looked an improver when taking the 7f Group 3 Oh So Sharp in October , but she got a better run than runner-up ANGEL’S HIDEAWAY, who has a 3lb pull for being beaten a length and would appear to have a big chance.
SUNDAY STAR finished five lengths ahead of Mot Juste at Goodwood in September, but was beaten a length by that rival here subsequently and there may not be too much between them again.
QABALA looked a nice type when getting off the mark on her debut here in September. This is a step up in class but she has been going well at home and while Mot Juste is the main hope for the Roger Varian stable, she is capable of picking up a nice prize.
ORCHID STAR and NASHIRAH represent Charlie Appleby, who won this last year with Soliloquy. The former won two minor AW races in February, while the latter needs to learn to settle a bit better than she did over 6f last year.
LOOK AROUND represents in-form Andrew Balding and she has to build on a modest run in a Group 3 at Goodwood when last seen in August, but is likely to be a better proposition over this trip than MISTRESS OF LOVE, who appears to need a bit further.
