Day 1 of Future Champions Weekend at Newmarket is headlined by the Gp 1 Shadwell Fillies’ Mile and Aidan O’Brien’s Minding (3.10) given the nod to get the better of stablemate Coolmore. The selection has progressed on all four career starts and was a comfortable winner of the Gp 1 Moyglare Stakes last time out at the Curragh. Ryan Moore opts to partner the bred in the purple filly over her stablemate and she warrants support at both 10/1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas and 8/1 with BetVictor for Oaks success next June at Epsom.
Andrew Balding’s Here Come When (2.40) won the Challenge Stakes on the corresponding card last year and, providing the ground stays on the soft side of good, is a confident selection to defend his crown under Jim Crowley. The selection has plied his trade in some of this season’s top races, finishing fourth in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and was narrowly beaten last time out in the Supreme. He looks the most reliable runner in the field and can reverse the form with David O’Meara’s So Beloved under Danny Tudhope.
Sir Michael Stoute’s juveniles seldom make winning debuts but his well-bred filly Queen’s Trust (2.05) couldn’t have been more impressive when scoring under Ted Durcan last month at Kempton and can maintain her unbeaten record in the Oh So Sharp Stakes under Ryan Moore. The selection defied a wide draw to get the better of a well-backed favourite of the William Haggas yard and with the benefit of experience can score at the expense of Godolphin’s similarly once-raced filly First Victory.
Wonderlaish (3.45) was somewhat unfortunate not to hold on last month at Ascot when dead-heating with Andrew Balding’s Duretto and can defy a 7lb rise to land the Old Rowley Cup. The Newmarket-based handler has been patient with his well-bred colt but he is open to untold amounts of improvement and is a confident selection to reward each-way support under Pat Cosgrave.
York’s October Finale draws the curtain on another excellent season of racing on the Knavesmire with Richard Hannon’s Who Dares Win a likely warm favourite to complete the four-timer in the feature handicap over a mile and three quarters. Mark Johnston’s filly Yorkidding (3.25) looks just as progressive however, and gets the nod under Franny Norton. The selection won twice over this trip in the spring and has been consistent thereafter. The daughter of Dalakhani put her best foot forward last time out at Chester when chasing home a well-backed favourite of Sir Mark Prescott, and can go one better from a pound higher mark.
There is jump racing from Newton Abbot where six head to post for an excellent renewal of the Novices’ Chase over an extended two miles, and Paul Nicholls’ Dormello Mo respected in his bid to claim a fourth win over fences. The 5-y-o won last time out over course and distance beating John Ferguson’s 136-rated hurdler Dubai Prince and the re-opposing Nicholas Chauvin. The latter should improve after last month’s debut over the larger obstacles but Ittirad (2.30) gets the nod to maintain his 100% record fences. The selection made the perfect transition to chasing when scoring last month at Worcester and, in receipt of 5lb, gets the nod under regular partner Aidan Coleman.
Nicholls’ Wonderful Charm won last year’s feature Intermediate Chase and is represented by Art Mauresque under Nick Schofield but preference lies instead with Rebecca Curtis‘ Cheltenham Festival hero Irish Cavalier (3.35) under Paul Townend. The pair combined for Prestbury Park success in the Novices’ Handicap Chase over two and a half miles and was far from disgraced in a brace of efforts at the Punchestown Festival. The selection disappointed on his seasonal debut last term when third behind Puffin Billy at Ascot but looks a transformed character over the larger obstacles and can get the better of Charlie Longsdon’s Shantou Magic and Philipp Hobbs’ Cloud Creeper.
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