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13:50 Newmarket
This looks tough as a few of the market leaders arrive here with questions to answer. Valley Forge would fall right into that category after finishing a disappointing last of six at Ascot on his final start of last season. Progressive before that and likely to be suited by today's better ground, a big run could be on the cards for his in-form yard though the price doesn't match up considering that Ascot flop.
Cemhaan had been threatening before getting his head back in front at Salisbury last September, his next start proved to be a disappointing effort though he made no mistake on his comeback when winning at Salisbury again. Nudged up seven pounds for that, he ought to go well once more although it is slightly off-putting that the last two of his victories have been recorded at the same venue.
Dark Jedi has very strong form claims judged on his effort behind Enemy at Musselburgh last time, that horse has since gone agonisingly close in a Group race and the pair pulled far enough away from the pair were comfortably in front of the others.
Sir Rumi has something to find with Dark Jedi though he was very free last time and is now better off at the weights. Proven at the course and with conditions in his favour, he really should go close here although he hasn't won for a while.
Golden Flame and Revolver appeal as others with fair claims in an open race but it is Sir Rumi who is handed the vote for the Hannon team.
SIR RUMI (E/W)
written by Chris Connolly
14:05 Hamilton
Staying races at Hamilton are always an interesting event as they head the ‘wrong way’ down the straight before looping back up the hill to finish where they started. Keith Dalgliesh likes to target the first meeting a Hamilton every year and I would expect him to have a big day today, he runs three in this race in Heights Of Abraham, Diocletian and Haizoom. Of the three I am leaning towards the jockey booking with Callum Rodriquez being Keith’s first choice jockey and he partners Heights Of Abraham. An impressive winner last season on soft ground at Ripon he was given a nice spin at Musselburgh on Easter Saturday and the rain that is falling will bring him right into today’s race.
Mark Johnston is another who targets Hamilton and he runs a couple in this with Tribal Art looking the preferred one of the two. The rain will see the ground potentially turn against him so may be best to steer clear of him today.
HEIGHTS OF ABRAHAM (E/W)
written by Michael Taylor
14:25 Newmarket
The Pretty Polly Stakes has produced a handful of Oaks winners and placed fillies. Seven runners go to post to put their classic credentials on the line.
Crenelle only began her career a month ago. After a nice introduction at Southwell, she won her maiden at this course over a mile. She’s a work in progress, however the yard would not be going down this route if they didn’t think she was up to it.
Peripatetic is certainly unexposed. She has some collateral form with Crenelle through a filly called Fonteyn. On that evidence there shouldn’t be much between them, however Peripatetics pedigree looks much more suited to this test, and potentially further in time. She’d be the pick of that pair.
It’s really difficult to overlook anything that Godolphin and Charlie Appleby run at the moment, therefore With The Moonlight gets the verdict. She had a solid if unspectacular two year old campaign, but she should be a little more streetwise than her opponents on this occasion. She along with Peripatetic has an attractive pedigree going forward for middle distance contests.
WITH THE MOONLIGHT (WIN)
written by Matt Polley
14:40 Salisbury
Oman won on this card over a shorter trip on seasonal re-appearance in 2021 but was a shade disappointing on his final couple of runs of last season and returns this year off a 3lbs higher mark. His stable and jockey have been in decent form of late, however ready preference is for Spirit Mixer who was a course and distance winner in August and had the benefit of a pipe-opener over a shorter trip here at Salisbury a couple of weeks ago. He was a consistent runner for the stable last season, he posted both career victories on fast ground and should benefit from his jockeys’ 5lbs claim so considering all of the above looks the most likely victor here.
Barring one flat run in September 2020, Zoffee has been plying his trade over jumps for the last couple of years, however a change of stable sees him once again return to the turf for the flat season. Given the length of time since his last flat campaign it is difficult to consider form and also makes him difficult to follow from a betting perspective, while Tynwald has disappointed on both prior runs over similar trips to today and may need to drop back in trip to be seen to best effect.
SPIRIT MIXER (WIN)
written by Dean Kilbryde
15:00 Newmarket
Ville De Grace looks to be a worthy favourite for this contest in which trainer and jockey have both landed this event six times in the past. She has showed a very progressive profile and will no doubt arrive fit for this race. She beat Lilac Road last time out although the William Haggas trained filly didn’t get the best of runs that day. It did seem however, that Ville De Grace was always in control so it it sets up a fascinating rematch here over a shorter trip on better ground.
The Well travelled Ebaiyra makes the journey across the channel for this contest and so can’t be ignored. She has very useful form in the book but seems especially at home when the ground is a bit softer. In saying that, she has placed in both Riyadh and in Hong Kong on better ground and it will be very intriguing to see how she copes with her first visit to England today.
The horse I am going to select for this race is Dreamloper. Her final run of 2021 was arguably her best yet in the Sun Chariot Stakes and the way she was finishing that day would suggest that this trip is well within her compass. She was exceptional at Ascot earlier in the year when landing a group three contest - the second horse that day, Lights Out recently landed a Group Two - and she can add some more black type here today and give Kieran Shoemark back to back winners in this contest.
DREAMLOPER (WIN)
written by Tom Bates
15:40 Newmarket
Godolphin claimed the one-two in yesterday’s 2,000 equivalent and as such the sole Charlie Appleby representative Wild Beauty deserves respect. She’s a former Group 1 winner, albeit in Canada, and claimed success in the Fred Darling on return. Although her current odds look too generous she seems more of a sprinting type and the uphill finish may well be enough to put pay to her chances.
We’re presented with a duo of French raiders in the form of Malavath and Zellie who finished first and second at Deauville last time out. Neither should be far away but the heavy conditions and track style presented to them in their most recent outing is a completely different proposition to what they’ve got to tackle here. Minor money looks the best they can hope for.
Ballydoyle’s colt Luxembourg finished third in yesterday’s showpiece and the same owner hopes the unbeaten Tenebrism can finish two spots better than yesterday’s stablemate. The current favourite, who’s a former course victor when claiming the Cheveley Park, deserves her spot at the head of the market but without her having an outing this season she has a question mark over her fitness and looking for an alternative looks the best way to go.
The other Ballydoyle runner, who does have the benefit of a recent run, is Tuesday. She shook off her maiden tag back in March in what looked solid style and the race looks to be solid form. Of course she has to improve further on what she’s shown so far but with her breeding holding previous success in this race it’d be foolish to ignore her, especially with Frankie in the saddle.
Of the remainder fellow Irish representatives Discoveries and Juncture look potentially decent each way alternatives for punters looking for horses at better odds but the outside that catches my eye is the Roger Varian trained Ameynah. She returned to action this season to claim a course victory. So she’s got the benefit of a run this season, handles the course and hails from a yard doing well of late. Her large double figure price is too generous to ignore so we’ll take a chance on her as well.
TUESDAY (E/W)
AMEYNAH (E/W)
written by Rory Paddock