Today’s sees the return of the brilliant dual-Arc winner Treve who makes her seasonal reappearance at Saint-Cloud in a Group 2 event over ten furlongs. The mare is reported to be further forward than when beaten on her comeback 12 months ago and, although a third Arc is the main objective, it will be disappointing if she can’t make a winning reappearance.
At Newcastle there is a cracking juvenile contest over 6f to open proceedings and I expect to see Bathos (2.10) improve for the step up in trip having looked to be crying out for a sixth furlong when staying on over the minimum trip at Beverley earlier in the month.
Robins Pearl (4.20) has a 6lbs penalty for last week’s Sandown success and she is taken to follow up for Olly Steven and Oisin Murphy. Connections look to have found an excellent opportunity in a bid to follow up although Irish raider Sarah Joyce is well handicapped on her best juvenile form and any rain would certainly help.
Adam Kirby takes the ride on Saigon City for Luca Cumani in a valuable 7f handicap at Newmarket; the selection is visored for the first time having veered badly left at Ascot in a warm apprentice race over a mile last time. Connections obviously feel he shows enough speed to cope with the drop back in trip and the stable remain in very good form.
Peterhof (4.10) is entitled to come on for his Newbury reappearance, only his second career start, and must be held in some regard by the Stoute camp given he holds an entry in both the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes and Irish Derby.
Godolphin’s Space Age is another who shaped with considerable promise on his first start of the campaign but I favour the Stoute runner in what looks an informative 3-y-old handicap.
Trainer Ralph Beckett described Air Squadron as still being “immature” when winning at Chepstow at the beginning of the month and after only nine career starts he looks to be still improving. William Buick takes over off a 5lb higher mark and the return to 1m 6f should suit.
A wonderful card at Stratford this evening with the highlight the 57th running of the Champion Foxhunters with last year’s winner Paint The Clouds a confident selection to follow up. The selection finished fourth in the Bet 365 Chase at Sandown last time having finished third in the Champion Foxhunters’ at Cheltenham previously when the ground went against him.
As long as the ground is no worse than good he will be tough to beat with Sam Waley-Cohen again in the saddle. Pacha Du Polder is the obvious danger but he has never won beyond 2m 4f and was readily brushed aside by On The Fringe at Aintree last time.
Following Dreams finished third in the Champion Novice 12 months ago and is looking to go two better this evening. Having finished runner up in the Cheltenham Foxhunters’ he is likely to go off a very short-priced favourite and three market leaders have won the last four renewals.
An each way alternative at a double-figure price is Indiana Bay (6.55) who came good after a couple of hiccups under William Biddick at Newton Abbot earlier in the month and looks to be reaching his peak. Wayupinthesky and Irish raider Lord Fingal are others to consider in a terrific renewal of the John Corbet Cup.
Current Event (7.25) would be getting 8lbs from His Excellency if this were a handicap but the former is in rude health at present and can land the hat-trick after wins at Cheltenham and Newton Abbot in recent weeks.
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