Ascot, Haydock and Worcester (N.H.)

Today is the first day of Ascot´s big September meeting (Festival of British Racing, as it used to be called), and the main event is the valuable Watership Down Sales Race for 2yo fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs at 16.10 CET. With a quarter of a million pounds in prize-money, this is worth than all today´s other races in the U.K. and Ireland put together. If ratings mean anything, it should be won by Shamandar (William Haggas/ Michael Hills), an easy listed winner at Salisbury last time, who has at least 10 lbs in hand. However there are 26 opponents to beat, so it is no foregone conclusion. Best of the opposition should be group-placed Dubawi Heights (Simon Callaghan/ Frankie Dettori) and Theladyinquestion (Andrew Balding/ William Buick), Also at Ascot, the listed race for fillies over 1 1/2 miles at 16.45 could see Phillipina (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) return to form after a poor effort last time, but CD winner Pollys Mark /Clive Cox/ Richard Hughes) and last-time-out w inner Snoqualmie Girl (David Elsworth/ Silvestre de Sousa) offer stern opposition.

The 3yo handicap over the straight mile at 17.20 can go to Laughing Boy, representing the in-form team of Luca Cumani and Kieren Fallon; he is still a maiden, but has been in the money all 4 career starts and is now dropped in distance, which may be the key to success.
The racing at Haydock is relatively low-key, but Atlaal (Michal Jarvis/ Richard Hills), beaten at 4-1 on last time, should certainly win the 2yo maiden at 15.45, whle the mile handicap at 17.30 looks very tricky. Mull of Killough (John Spearing/ Jamie Spencer) lost all chance at the start when beaten favourite at Beverley last time, and can possibly recover those losses at the main expense of front-runner Dunn´o (Clive Cox/ Philip Robinson), easy last-time-out winner Faithful Ruler (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan) and Light from Mars (Rod Millman/ Freddie Tylicki).

There are some quite large fields at Worcester´s jumps meeting and winners are not easy to find. Ex- Grman Swordsman (Charlie Gordon/ Colin Bolger) is not the most consistent, but as a son of Acatenango should like the fast ground and can run well in the beginners chase at 15.20. The 2 miles handicap chase at 18.15 is the best race here. Fit to Drive (Brendan Powell/ Keith Renwick) and Kirby´s Vic (Nigel Twiston-Davies/ Paddy Brennan) were both in good form when last seen, but have been off the track for a while. On recent form Beherayn (Henry Daly/ Andrew Tinkler) can be preferred, but we also like top-weight Enlightenment (Evan Williams/ Donal Fahy), who had no chance in a better race at Ffos Las, but whose previous form reads well enough in this company.