Listed race at Newbury

Newbury stages an above-average card for a Thursday today with the listed race for 3yo fillies over 10 furlongs at 16.05 CET the main feature. This looks quite competitive with Godophin running two well-bred candidates Rumh /Saeed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori) and Gracefield (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Ahmed Ajtebi). The latter won a maiden at Nottingham, but this looks much tougher and Rumh, who has an excellent German pedigree (by Monsun out of the smart Royal Dubai by Dashing Blade) is rsily prefered. Her third place last time over this CD to Izzi Top and Dancing Rain has been well advertised since by the running of those fillies in The Oaks last week. Imperial Pippin (John Gosden/ William Buick) also ran third last time to an Oaks contender - Beatrice Aurora- but that one was well beaten at Epsom. Albaraka (Sir Mark Prescott/ Seb Sanders) last ran in a minor all-weather event at Wolverhampton in February, but as a daughter of the great Alborada (twice winner of the Champion Stake s) cannot be totally discarded. However it´s Rumh for us, with Imperial Pippin next best.

There could also be some decent performers in the two divisions of the 7 furlongs main race here for 3yo fillies. The first division at 14.30 should go to Floral Beauty (Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore), who made a very promising debut at Ascot, but the second division at 16.40 looks much trickier. Stoute and Moore try again here with Hairstyle, beaten in a photo last time, while Godolphin´s newcomer Inner Secret (al Zarooni/ Dettori) must be given a chance. Rainbow Strings (Gosden/ Buick) has been placed all 4 career starts and must be winning soon, but if Rumh runs well, that would be a clear pointer to Stella Point (Mick Channon/ Richard Hughes), only just behind her here last time.

There is also some good racing this evening at Leopardstown, with the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes over 6 furlongs at 19.55 the top event. British stables have always done well here, but neither Capercaillie (Clive Cox/ Luke Morris) nor Beyond Desire (Roger Varian/ Neil Callan) look quite good enough. Invincible Ash (Mike Halford/ Gary Carroll) has the highest rating and runs here in preference to a Group One at Royal Ascot next week. She is very consistent and looks bound to go close, but we slightly prefer Aidan O´Brien´s 3yo filly Sing Softly (Colm O´Donoghue). The listed race for 3yo´ s over 1 mile 3 furlongs at 21.55 is another good race. John Oxx has entered two, with Johnny Murtagh riding the Aga Khan´s filly Hazlyna; however she will have to improve to defeat Dermot Weld´s Notable Graduate (Pat Smullen), who has never yet been out of the first two.