By Charlie McCann
Doncaster stage the pick of the afternoon action including a valuable Handicap for the classic generation over a mile. Only seven go to post but all have a chance including Moohaarib (3.35) who landed a Ripon maiden with the minimum of fuss last time. The selection is likely to get further in time but he is very well bred and after only three career starts open to significant improvement.
No Surprise to see Muhawalah (4.10) stepped up in trip for Roger Varian in the first division of the 10f fillies’ maiden although the fact that she is fitted with a hood for the first time is a slight concern. A half-sister to Group One winning miler Tamayuz she is certainly bred for the job and gave every indication that 10f would see her in a better light when fourth, raced wide, at Goodwood last time.
At Newmarket Desert Blossom (8.10) will appreciate the return to fast ground having finished last returning from a long break at Leicester last time. A winner on the July course over 7f as a juvenile she finished third here in the Rockfel Stakes as a 2-y-old and she is a fascinating contender running over 6f for the first time in her career.
An excellent evening card at Gosforth Park for the second day of their Northumberland Plate meeting and the feature is the listed Hoppings Stakes for fillies’ and mares’ over the extended mile-and-a-quarter. Thunder storms are due across many parts of Britain but, at the time of writing, they are not expected to hit Newcastle and Pelerin (7.10) is a confident selection having looked an unlucky loser in a similar contest for 3-year-olds only at Newbury last time for Marco Botti.
That step up in distance from a mile clearly suited and, in receipt from 12lbs from her elders, she can put the record straight. Another stepping up in trip is Magic Of Reality for Lady Cecil; a daughter of Galileo she has been campaigned exclusively over a mile of late but looks to be crying out for a return to ten furlongs.
The Gosforth Park Cup is the big betting race of the night with five last time out winners in the field including Robot Boy (7.45) 5lb higher than when scoring at Musselburgh on soft ground earlier in the month reverting to the minimum trip for the first time since his breaking his maiden as a 3-year-old. The selection will, hopefully, head for the stands’ rail and, whilst he might need luck in running, he looks sure to go close for David Barron who saddled Magical Macey to win this corresponding race 12 months ago. He is back to the same mark of 12-months ago but might need softer ground to be seen at his best.
Sound Advice has been knocking on the door of late and would not be eligible for tonight’s race if it were run a day later as he is already due to be put up 3lbs by the handicapper. The same can be said of Anderiego who is 4lbs worse off from tomorrow but they are likely to be very short in the betting as a result and marginal preference is for the 3-year-old Sbraase (8.20) who receives plenty of weight from the principles and got no run at Haydock last time. Sound Advice is likely to make it a decent test and the hope is that Sbraase can pounce fast and late for Paul Mulrennan who has ridden the colt twice previously.
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