Horseracing Selections - Newbury, 22 July 2006
Newbury, 22 July 2006
2:25 Stan James Hackwood Stakes (group 3)
The short list for this Group 3 sprint consists of Ashdown Express, Baltic King and Tawaassol, with our vote going to Baltic King. This is a cracking good opener and the case for Baltic King rests on him having conditions to suit today and that he comes here in great heart having won the Wokingham Stakes after finishing a very good fifth in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot. Ashdown Express, who won this race in 2002 and ran well in it in 2003 and 2005, comes right into things based on his July Cup second last time, but he rarely gets his head in front these days. Tawwaasol also gets good mention based on his fine run in a Sandown Group 3 race last time, looking for all the world as though six furlongs is his trip. These look to be the major players - in our view, anyway - but that is not to dismiss by any means the profiles of some classy opponents. That said, our selection, once again, is Baltic King.
3:00 Ladbrokes.com Heritage Handicap (straight)
Our shortlist for his good prize consists of Ace Of Hearts, Capable Guest and Seulement, with the vote going to Ace Of Hearts. A valuable Sandown mile handicap looks possibly to hold the key to this race. In it, Ace Of Hearts finished second to the progressive Hinterland, with the unlucky-in-running Capable Guest in fourth and Luca Cumani's Seulement tenth. Firstly, let us say that we feel that Seulement, who travelled well for a long way on that occasion, will be more at home on this flatter track. On top of that, Capable Guest only saw daylight late on and left the impression that he would have at least finished second with a clear passage. The fact remains, though, that Ace Of Hearts did beat the pair of them and he remains on a competitive mark. Of the others, Kelucia comes here on the back of a good Newmarket win and is respected, Calcutta is capable of running well from his current rating and might sneak a place, Audience is now five pounds below a winning rating from last August, but Namroud has more to do than when scoring at Ayr last time. All of which returns us to the selection, which is Ace Of Hearts.
3:30 Weatherbys Super Sprint
Our short list for this valuable sales race consists of Gilded, Elhamri, Nina Blini and Satulagi, with the vote going to Gilded. Richard Hannon has won this race six times, and three times in the last four years. He has a strong hand again and we particularly like the look of Gilded, the Queen Mary Stakes winner and Cherry Hinton third that has proven herself tough and reliable - and classy - this season. Lyric Fantasy and Risky also took the Queen Mary Stakes for Hannon before landing this contest. With the Windsor Castle winner and sixth, Elhamri and We'll Confer, the Norfolk Stakes third, Cav Okay (who finished lame when beaten last time), the Albany Stakes seventh, Riverside Dancer, the Queen Mary Stakes third, Nina Blini (who is five pounds better off for a length and a half with Gilded based on that form) the Albany Stakes third and Listed Newmarket third, Satulagi, who gets in here off a light weight, all in opposition, then it rates as a very good renewal of the race. Of the others Gold Spirit put in an improved effort to score at Chester last time, as did Ice Mountain when scoring at Beverley, and Resignation is a horse that we have a lot of time for, but, for today, we will stick with Richard Hannon and Gilded.
4:00 Trailfinders Conditions Stakes (straight)
Thousand Words gets the nomination in this interesting juvenile event, with his biggest danger reckoned to be Drumfire. Thousand Words created a very favourable impression when scoring on his debut here 37 days ago and, with the race having worked out, he can build on his reputation today. Having slaughtered the subsequent July Stakes second Armigerent on his Beverley debut, Drumfire is very much respected, while Monachello also looked promising when scoring on his debut. As One Does and Princeton have also displayed ability in winning races, while Peter Chapple Hyam's 50,000 guineas purchase, Striving Storm rates as an interesting newcomer. The vote, though, stays with Thousand Words.
4:35 David Wilson Homes Steventon Stakes (listed)
Kandidate gets our vote here ahead of Windsor Knot and Tam Lin. Kandidate looked to be at the height of his powers when winning at Sandown last time and he can make a bold bid to score today. Windsor Knot, who should come on for that run, has two-and-a-half lengths to find based on that form, and Mulaqat has even more to find. Khyber Kim looked good when beating a Listed winner on hs final start last season but, on bare ratings he needs another improved effort and that win came on easier going. Finally, Tam Lin followed up two wins with a good King Edward VII Stakes fifth behind Papal Bull and he rates as interesting. Overall, though, Kandidate looks the one to beat.
5:10 Sporting Index Handicap
Silver Blue might provide the answer here, with Blue Bajan and Coup d'Etat rated the main dangers. Much as previous efforts at 10 furlongs have not yielded much in the way of success, the selection is bred to be suited by it and, racing from a three-pounds lower mark than when last winning, he could go well today. Blue Bajan holds Humble Opinion on Windsor form and, based on that unlucky-in-running effort, can go well again today, as can Coup d'Etat, who was also unlucky in running last time and could even be rated as a winner without a penalty, so has ton be seriously considered. Of the others, She's My Outsider put in an improved effort when second at Windsor last time and, only lightly raced, is another to be granted plenty of respect. All in all, though, we will stick with Silver Blue.
