Saturday, May 05, 2012

Rest of Newmarket

The main supporting feature is the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes over 1 1/2 miles at 15.30 CET, which has attracted a strong field, including two fancied runners from France: Dunaden (Mikel Delzangles/ Johnny Murtagh), winner of the Melbourne Cup, and Meandre (Andre Fabre/ Maxime Guyon), winner of the Grand Prix du Paris. The home defence is led by St. Leger winner Masked Marvel (John Gosden/ William Buick) and Fiorente (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore), who has not run since being beaten a neck at Glorious Goodwood. This is tricky. but we shall take a chance on Fiorente, a Monsun colt who looks a likely improver.

The other group race is the Palace House Stakes over 5 furlongs at 16.45. We ought to know by now if there is any draw bias at Newmarket today, but if the low numbers are not disadvantaged we choose Mayson (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan), drawn 2, who is consistent and won here nicely over 6 furlongs last time. Otherwise we shall go for Margot Did (Michael Bell/ Hayley Turner) and Night Carnation (Andrew Balding/ Jimmy Fortune).

There is also a decent card at Goodwood, with two listed races for fillies, over 1 1/2 miles at 15.15, which should go to Vita Nova (Sir Henry Cecil/ Ian Mongan), runner-up last year in the Yorkshire Oaks, and over a mile at 17.05, which lies between Barefoot Lady (Fahey/ Tony Hamilton) and Esenetepe (Richard Hannon/ Pat Dobbs, the last two winners of the Nell Gwyn Stakes.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Fury - Memory Cloth - Circumvent
2. Race: Meandre - Fiorente - Dunaden
3. Race: Camelot - Abtaal - Born To Sea
4. Race: Mayson - Hamish Mcgonagall - Margot Did

5. Race: Es Que Love - Ultrasonic - Mince
6. Race: Noble Mission - Mariner`s Cross - Mister Music
7. Race: Archbishop - Frog Hollow - Campanology