Friday's Meetings Worcester N/H 7 Races 1:07:4:27p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:15-4:45p.m. Listowel Mixed 8 Races 1:23-5:25p.m. Haydock Flat 7 Races 2:15-5:40p.m. Dundalk(E) A/W 8 Races 4:40-8:15p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 8 Races 5:00-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
At HQ what appears to be a quite competitive ‘under’ card to the Cambridgeshire on Saturday features quite a few races that do not make much appeal from a betting point of view because of the runners from a couple of sources. The Group 3 Princess Royal Stakes (1.50) appears to contain a license to print money in Spirited Style, if one is prepared to take fitness on trust (not seen since down the field in the Group 1 Preis der Diana in August) having won over this trip on the July course; as she holds the three Gosden runners on various form lines and the main threat may be stablemate Silent Love rather than Miss Justice or Revoir. The Group 2 Joel Stakes (3.00) has the appearance of a match with two of the runners miles ahead on the Timeform ratings. Opera Ballo is odds on favourite and his main rival is Karl Burke’s unbeaten Zeus Olympios, winner of the Group 3 Superior Mile last time. The Listed Godolphin Stakes (3.35) has unbeaten Godolphin horse By The Book as favourite but he has only had one race in each of the last two seasons. So take him on? Isle Of Jura has not been seen since winning the 2024 Hardwicke Stakes to complete a five-timer. Last year’s winner Burdett Road returns but he only beat 4 rivals that day and has been off for three months whilst last year’s third Aimeric has been off since April. With so much fitness to be taken on trust I would want to inspect these in the parade ring before even contemplating a bet. I am going to say that the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes (2.25) is the main feature race as it usually throws up some top draw fillies for the following season; and not necessarily just the winner. There are five fillies that could be considered experienced (four or more runs) and amongst them the most obvious claim is held by Moon Target, well beaten favourite for the May Hill but now dropping back to seven furlongs from the mile. Five of the runners have only run once or twice and the market is led by Touleen, unbeaten in two starts including beating Zanthos at Leicester by more than three lengths. Owen Burrows’ filly is too short to be of interest to me if I wanted to back the ‘potential’ horse rather than the form one. The opening Listed Rosemary Stakes (1.15) sees two older fillies take on ten members of the Classic generation. There are a lot in this race that look way out of their grade. It is hard to make a case for Mojave River, Orange Sky, Regal Charm or Serving With Style. Blue Point filly Betty Davis Eyes won on her second start in a three way photo but that looks ordinary unless connections know otherwise. From the same yard, Never Let Go won the Sandringham but then chased home Suite Francaise at Haydock (Protest fourth) suggesting limited scope to win here. Goodwood handicap winner Protest has nearly two lengths to make up from Haydock and her record of places in Listed races makes me think that she will find one or two too good again. The third Ed Walker runner is Troia. She was third in the Michael Seely at York before winning a Longchamp Listed race; however, she was well beaten in a Deauville Group 3 when last seen and this may be a stronger Listed race than the one she won in Paris. Two of this field contested the 1000 Guineas and Fred Darling runner up Hey Boo was never a factor trailing in third last (and was subsequently well beaten in a race at Sandown) whilst Elwateen was a very commendable fourth on only her second start. She did not progress from there finishing third last in The Oaks and second last in the Falmouth. Saeed bin Suroor’s filly only has four starts to her name and she could quite possibly bounce back at this lower grade and might be the best chance of victory for the Classic generation. However, I prefer one of the two older Charlie Johnston fillies here. Of her four starts in 2025, Francophone has started three Listed races and failed to trouble the judge and returns after nearly three months off. She very much looks the pace angle today; and that could play to the advantage of her stablemate ARISAIG. She was drawn on the wrong side at Royal Ascot (Francophone fifth on the favoured side), was given too much to do when second at Sandown and was fifth in the Shergar Cup Mile. Last time in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood she was a fast finishing third (again given too much to do) beaten a little over half a length by Jonquil. That looks like the best recent piece of form on offer so I am hoping that Tom Marquand gets her going early enough to open her 2025 account!
Just wondering how Opera Ballo came to be rated 116 after only winning two Listed races? For comparison Camille Pissaro was third in a French Guineas and won the French Derby but was only rated 114 when his career was cut short. By The Book was hot favourite today at 5/4 but had 24 lbs to find with the top rated in the race and hadn't run since December last year. This was his third career start and, at the age of 4 that raises alarm bells for me. His last win was at Chelmsford and he had numerous boxes not ticked coming into today. In the Rockfel I had been wanting to take on Touleen ever since she was installed as 9/4 Fav for the race. She went in as low as 14!1 for the 1000 Guineas for winning a class 4 novice at Leicester and her bubble burst today with a reversal with Zanthos and only 5th as 11/10 Fav. Zanthos set off keenly and looked likely to be swallowed up but found more and repelled the promising run of The Prettiest Star who, like the winner, was a market drifter. Zanthos was put in the Guineas betting between 16/1 and 25/1 but breeding, trainer and profile don't make her a candidate for me in the Classic.
