Katie Midwinter (10/08/23)
THE CURRAGH
3:25pm – Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Group 3)
Michael Dods’ Commanche Falls has been a revelation since winning the Stewards’ Cup last summer at Goodwood, performing consistently well as his handicap mark has continued to rise. The versatile six-year-old, who is difficult to oppose on current form, must defy a 3lbs penalty for landing a special Group Three success on his most recent appearance at Newbury.
The gelding has dealt with the step up from handicap company remarkably well and is now bidding for a hat-trick of black-type victories.
Go Athletico found himself with plenty to do in the final stages of the Sapphire Stakes here last month, running on to finish second, well beaten by 114-rated Curragh specialist Art Power. A drop in grade brings him into the equation in this field but despite the step up in trip likely to suit, his best form is over 5f, whilst the market leader is a 6f specialist.
Another down in grade is Ken Condon’s Moss Tucker, a five-year-old dual Listed-winner who has little to find with Go Athletico based on the pair’s recent meeting at the track. The gelding’s best form is on softer ground however, and with little rain forecast prior to the off on Saturday, it may not be as testing as Moss Tucker would like.
Both of his black-type victories have come on ground with heavy in the description, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to race as effectively at this level on a sounder surface.
Lightly-raced four-year-old Tango Flare showed promise when stepping up in class last time out, running on from the middle of the pack to finish a respectable fourth. He landed his maiden success when dropped in trip to a seemingly better suited distance of 6f, and made it two successive victories with a Fairyhouse win.
By Fulbright out of 6f winner Magadar, there is plenty of speed in his pedigree and he is largely unexposed in a race of this type. Despite needing to show plenty of improvement to compete with Commanche Falls, further progression is possible on only his fourth start over the trip, and he could be slightly overlooked in the market.
Last year’s runner-up Ano Syra is yet to land a black-type success but is Group Two placed at the track and will likely be suited by the drying conditions. The daughter of Kodiac needs to show plenty of improvement to reverse form with Go Athletico, but could still have a part to play in the race for the places.
Shartash will have learnt plenty in his three races this term and showed his capabilities in open company when attempting the Hackwood Stakes last month. The Johnny Murtagh-trained colt couldn’t finish as strongly as the experienced Commanche Falls, but he stayed in touch and was beaten only three-quarters-of-a-length by the winner, receiving 5lbs. A Group Two winner as a juvenile, the son of Invincible Spirit could build on his recent Newbury performance and trouble his older rivals in this contest.
Hurricane Ivor has shown glimpses of a potential resurgence since making the switch to Ireland following a bitterly disappointing 2022 campaign for William Haggas. Now residing at Jessica Harrington’s yard in Kildare, the six-year-old opened his current season with a third-placed finish in a Cork handicap, carrying top-weight under Shane Foley. He then won on heavy ground at the Curragh off a mark of 96, but couldn’t land a blow when back in Listed company.
His most recent performances have left a lot to be desired, as he has performed below par at both Ascot and the Curragh in competitive handicaps. Whilst another handicap success could be within his reach in the future, he looks unlikely to pose a threat to the main protagonists at this level.
Three-year-old filly Coralillo should be forgiven for an awkward trip at the Curragh last month on her first start since last September. She was keen early on and was out on the wing in the centre of the track which didn’t help her cause. Whilst this may be tough a test at this stage in her career, she receives the allowances and has shown promise in the past, placing in a Group Three at the track as a juvenile.
Each-way selection:
Shartash – J P Murtagh, Ben Coen
4:40pm – Phoenix Stakes (Group 1)
Aidan O’Brien’s Unquestionable heads the market in this juvenile contest, the selection of Ryan Moore ahead of stablemate His Majesty. The masterful O’Brien is the leading trainer in the race and took his tally to seventeen wins last year when he saddled recently retired Little Big Bear to victory. He holds a strong hand in this year’s renewal as he looks to add another Group One honour to his record.
Course-and-distance winner Unquestionable landed his maiden success here in May on his second start, prior to finishing second behind Bucanero Fuerte in the Railway Stakes. Bucanero Fuerte fought back in the final strides at the track last month to beat Unquestionable who had headed him in the closing stages and looked set to land the victory. The rallying colt impressed, showing fight and determination that will surely make him difficult to beat once again.
The Ballydoyle representative, a son of Wootton Bassett, must reverse form with the Adrian Murray-trained colt who has the benefit of more experience at a higher level, having featured in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he finished third, a length behind River Tiber, ahead of Givemethebeatboys and subsequent Group Two winner Haatem. The rematch between the pair is set to be a fascinating head-to-head, with only 1lbs separating the two on ratings and such a fine margin between them when they last met.
Donnacha O’Brien’s filly Porta Fortuna could have enough in her armour to beat the colts here, as she bids for a fourth successive victory to retain her unbeaten record, fresh from a win in the Albany Stakes. This poses a different challenge as she steps up in class against the boys, but she has already shown she possesses plenty of class and speed, and is open to further progression. Oisin Murphy partners the daughter of Carvaggio for the first time.
Group Three winner Givemethebeatboys has little to find with Bucano Fuerte on Ascot form, but the form of his Marble Hill Stakes success hasn’t worked out well barring the emergence of fifth-placed Valiant Force, a subsequent Group Two winner who likely underperformed on the day. Noche Magica and His Majesty finished second and third respectively in the contest, a narrow margin behind winner Givemethebeatboys. The former finished last of the field in his following start whilst His Majesty is currently a 16/1 shot for this race, seemingly unfancied by connections.
Diego Dias was a surprise winner at Goodwood last week, saddling 20/1 Mansa Musa to victory in a handicap. The Kildare-based trainer is represented by relatively cheap purchase Gaenari, a daughter of Inns Of Court who has already amassed an amount just shy of her yearling price in prize money, almost seven times her price of £3,000 as a two-year-old.
Beaten in a Listed Deauville contest when last seen, this filly must show improvement to feature in this field, but she has been progressing well and could give a good account of herself now with more experience in her favour.
Outsider of the field is Murray’s second string Launch, a 100/1 chance that would be a surprise winner but perhaps not a complete shock following the yard’s audacious and successful Royal Ascot bid with Valiant Force.
The American-bred daughter of Omaha Beach is Group Three placed, but has a mountain to climb to reverse form with Porta Fortuna and failed to land her first success in a nursery handicap with 5lbs claimer Jamie Powell onboard in her penultimate start.
Win selection:
Bucanero Fuerte – Adrian Murray, Kevin Stott
ASCOT
2:10pm – Shergar Cup Stayers (Class 2 Handicap)
Zoffee reverts back to the turf following a disappointing all-weather appearance in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last month. He opened his current campaign with a gallant performance in defeat in the Chester Cup off a mark of 93, narrowly missing out on the prize.
Now rated 94, the Hugo Palmer-trained gelding is 10lbs higher than his last winning mark, running over a trip slightly shorter than his usual assignments. The mount of Frankie Dettori, he is capable of putting in a good performance off his current mark, but he can be unreliable as he rarely finishes first past the post, and could be vulnerable to a younger, better handicapped rival.
A horse capable of showing improvement is William Haggas’ Post Impressionist, a lightly-raced four-year-old untried over 2m on turf. The son of Teofilo was unsuited by the heavy going on Saturday and may have needed the run in his previous appearance when first time out at Newcastle. The gelding is 6lbs higher rated than when winning at York under 5lbs claimer Adam Farragher last autumn, but is capable of being competitive off a mark of 93, given that he has shown development from three to four.
Cheekpieces stay on for Berkshire Rocco, now 6lb below his last winning mark. He has been well beaten in all of his runs this season, following a fruitful all-weather winter campaign. The chestnut has shown signs of promise as a stayer but has so far failed to deliver on the big stage, however he now runs off a more workable mark of 95 that is likely to be a more accurate reflection of his ability.
First-time blinkers are tried on nine-year-old veteran The Grand Visir, also a former runner-up in the Chester Cup when finishing second to Falcon Eight when rated 9lbs higher two years ago. Formerly seen competing at Group Two level in both the Lonsdale Cup and Doncaster Cup respectively, well beaten by winner Stradivarius on both occasions, The Grand Visir has since been campaigned predominantly in handicaps, bar a couple of unsuccessful hurdling attempts. Second at Royal Ascot when rated 1lbs higher is the pick of his form this term and, although he has been disappointing in his last two starts, he remains of interest sporting his new headgear.
Each-way selection:
Berkshire Rocco 13/2 – Andrew Balding, Matthew Chadwick
2:45pm – Shergar Cup Challenge (Class 2 Handicap)
Another lightly-raced four-year-old features on the card for the in-form William Haggas, a trainer known for having a patient approach with his horses. Course-and-distance winner La Yakel could only manage second on seasonal reappearance when sent off at odds of 5/4 but it’s likely he’ll come on for the run as he failed to hit the ground running at the start of last season too, and he could be ahead of the handicapper off a mark of 95.
Stablemate Pride Of Priory, currently first reserve for the race, could be the best of the yard’s contenders however, with more experience in his favour. Another winner over course-and-distance, the five-year-old son of Pivotal is back on his last winning mark when successful in this race twelve months ago. Now with Dettori in the saddle, the reigning champion will be hoping for drying ground at Ascot, with his best form on a sounder surface, and should give another good account of himself at the scene of his last success.
The mount of in-form jockey Saffie Osborne is likeable five-year-old Scampi, back up in trip. His mark of 92 appears stiff enough, 6lb higher than when winning at York in May, however, a good showing isn’t out of the question, especially back over what appears to be his optimum distance of a mile-and-a-half.
Max Mayhem must carry a hefty weight of 10st if he is to reign victorious on Saturday under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. A rise of 3lbs for a recent second-placed finish at the track may be slightly harsh, given he is now 7lbs above his last winning mark and had been well beaten twice when rated 97, but he remains of interest as he represents a Kevin Phillippart De Foy yard currently performing at a 38% strike rate. With the trainer in flying form, Max Mayhem could defy top-weight to provide his yard with another victory.
A horse capable of outrunning his likely huge odds is Dark Jedi, now running off a mark of 92, his lowest rating in two years. The Tim Easterby-trained seven-year-old is difficult to trust, but is capable of entering the frame on a going day and shouldn’t be discounted.
First-time blinkers are tried on Kitsune Power who has shown little ability since winning at Beverley last August. Beaten a total of sixty-one-lengths in four starts since, a resurgence is needed, and perhaps the addition of different headgear could reignite the spark.
Each-way selection:
Pride Of Priory 4/1 – William Haggas, Frankie Dettori
Wildcard:
1:35pm – Shergar Cup Dash (Class 2 Handicap)
Dream Composer 20/1 (EW) – James Evans, Frankie Dettori
Course-and-distance winner Dream Composer is back on his last winning mark of 96, dropped 1lbs for a below par eighth-placed finish when last seen. The slightly better ground this time around is likely to be in his favour and legendary jockey Frankie Dettori takes the ride.
HAYDOCK
2:25pm – Class 3 Handicap
Richard Hannon duo Dawn Of Liberation and System are both big outsiders in this field. The former, the mount of Sean Levey, is 6lbs lower than when fourth at Chester in May, his best run of the season to date, and has potential to enter the frame off a mark of 93.
Four-year-old filly System finished a neck second to recent Group Three winner Random Harvest in a handicap last summer when rated 82. Now running off a mark of 86, 2lbs lower than when failing to make an impression at Goodwood earlier this month, the daughter of Galileo Gold could come on for her first run of the season and return to form, 1lbs higher than her last winning mark.
3:00pm – Rose Of Lancaster Stakes (Group 3)
A tricky Group Three contest is the feature race on the card at Haydock, with top rated Al Aasy heading the market, fresh from a recent Listed success at Newbury. The six-year-old son of Sea The Stars sets the standard representing an in-form yard, with usual partner Jim Crowley onboard. A three-time Group Three-winning horse, prior to being gelded, Al Aasy was narrowly beaten by Pyledriver in the Coronation Cup in 2021, before being touched off in a Newmarket Group Two.
Perhaps unlucky not to land a victory at a higher level, Haggas’ charge looks the pick of the bunch in this race if he is able to replicate form to the standard he has shown in the past. It’s likely he is past his peak, and he has been seen sparingly in recent seasons, however he is a worthy favourite and the one to beat.
First-time cheekpieces are tried on Lope De Vega gelding King Of Conquest who had recorded four successive wins prior to a disappointing run in the Wolferton Stakes. Whilst he may struggle to regularly compete at this level, this doesn’t appear to be the deepest race and he has only 2lbs to find with the favourite on ratings. If the addition of headgear brings with it necessary improvement, he could be a threat to Al Aasy.
Richard Fahey’s filly Midnight Mile faces a tough test against the boys, now back up in grade. A comfortable Listed winner when last seen, the improving three-year-old daughter of No Nay Never receives the allowances, and could be good enough to spring a surprise. She won a Group Three as a juvenile before finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and has shown she has progressed from two to three. The step up in trip didn’t suit at Royal Ascot, but a drop back to a mile-and-a-quarter proved genius at York, and conditions will suit perfectly at Haydock.
All runners/prices are correct at the time of publication.
Photo by Danny Gallegos on Unsplash
THE CONDITIONAL 