Part one of the badly-timed Future Champions’ Festival has been morphed into a Ladies’ Day at Newmarket.
Certainly, Quiet Reflection looks like the form pick in the opening Cornwallis Stakes following her thrashing of Field Of Vision in an Ayr Listed race; but I would not be interested at a short price. Teresar won on the Kempton polytrack last time and cannot be assessed and easy Sandown maiden winner Southern Belle could be of interest. Whilst we know that Zebstar has a reputation at home, he has not done much to warrant it in his last two races, so this is just one to watch.
The Oh So Sharp Stakes (2:05) looks much more like an end-of-season juvenile race with Aljuljalah, First Victory, Queen’s Trust and Robanne lining up with just debut victories to their names and any of the former three could well be the winner, which might be indicated by the market. Drifting Spirit has progressed in her last three races including a course and distance latest win but will surely find some of the more unexposed types too good. Alamode has not been seen since losing her maiden tag at the second attempt in July and steps up to seven furlongs whilst The Queen’s Diploma got off the mark over seven in August and has to be respected. Arguably the form pick is May Hill fifth Gypsy Eyes, dropping down a furlong.
The Challenge Stakes at 2:40 contains quite a few of the usual sprint suspects that throw their hat into the ring such as Ascription, Breton Rock, Cable Bay and Coulsty. Old rivals Here Comes When and So Beloved also meet again, the latter having won when they last met and the former was favourite. There are two three-year-olds in the race: last year’s Dewhurst winner Belardo, who has disappointed this year, and the consistent MARKAZ, remote runner-up to Limato at Doncaster but the day’s best bet to put the veterans in their place here for a trainer who has won this six times.
The Old Rowley Cup (3:45) has attracted a strong field with three chasing hat-tricks and three other last-time-out winners. Wonder Laish and Duretto dead-heated at Ascot and re-oppose on the same terms, the former having been caught on the line! Argus has not been seen since July and steps up two furlongs here whilst Dawn Missile was touched off over two furlongs further last time. Hopefully Mark Johnston’s Kiltara will set off to try and make all (as he did last time) as a strong pace is definitely what The Queen’s horse Mustard needs to help him settle having finally opened his 2015 account at Haydock in August. The quandary here is which of the two Haggas candidates to side with as neither of them has ever been out of the frame but the vote goes to DAWN MISSILE.
