Friday 11th October 2024
1.47 Newmarket: Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes: My first selection of the Future Champions Meeting at Newmarket will be the 1.47 which is the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes over five furlongs. I’m with The Strikin Viking here for Hamad Al Jehani and James Doyle. I think that the drop down to five furlongs here could bring out the best of him, as he was too free last time when finishing ninth in the Gimcrack at York. He’s versatile ground-wise and he’s a big player here for me. The Strikin Viking – 4/1 (Win)
2.25 Newmarket: Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes: Next up it’s the 2.25 which is the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes over seven furlongs or fillies. I like Flight here for the team of Ollie Sangster and Oisin Murphy. She was an impressive winner of her maiden on her penultimate start at Sandown before finishing third behind Desert Flower and January in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster. The drop back down to seven should suit here and she sets the standard. Flight – 4/1 (Win)
3.00 Newmarket: Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes: My third selection of the afternoon comes in the 3.00 which is the Group 2 Challenge Stakes that’s contested over seven furlongs. I’m siding with Royal Scotsman in this for Paul & Oliver Cole who’s the mount of Jamie Spencer. He’s been off the track since winning the Group 3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom back in June, however, I think he can post another bold effort here on the back of that lay-off. He drops down to seven furlongs here and he could prove tough to peg back if they go from the front again. Royal Scotsman – 9/2 (Win)
3.35 Newmarket: bet365 Fillies’ Mile: The feature race of the day comes up at 3.35 and this is the Group 3 Fillies’ Mile. I find it hard to get away from Desert Flower here for the Godolphin duo of Charlie Appleby and William Buick. She extended her unbeaten to three successive victories with a length and a half success over January in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last month. She reopposes that rival here and I think she’ll uphold the form with her, for connections that farm winners at this track. She should prove very tough to beat. Desert Flower – 5/4 (Win) (NAP)
4.10 Newmarket: Old Rowley Cup Handicap: My final selection of the day comes in the 4.10 which is the Old Rowley Cup, a Heritage Handicap that’s contested over a mile and four furlongs. I’ve come down on Kildare Legend in this for James Ferguson and Daniel Muscutt. He was a winner of a Class 3 handicap over this distance last time out in what was his handicap debut. He stayed on strongly that day and it’s likely that there’s a considerable amount of progression still to come from him. Kildare Legend – 11/2 (Each-Way) (5 places – Sky Bet)
