Good morning from Newmarket! A very exciting weekend lies in store with Red Verdon taking his chance in the Ebor tomorrow afternoon, but we have five runners today to keep us occupied in the meantime.
We get started with Ten Chants, who has his first taste of handicap company in the seven-furlong nursery at Ffos Las at 1.45. Following his three qualifying runs for a mark Ten Chants was allocated an opening mark of 67. We thought that was a little stiff, but in fairness to the handicapper his form is starting to read quite well.
The first, fourth and fifth from his debut race at Wolverhampton have since won four times between them, whilst three winner have emerged from his second race at Newcastle, with the winner going on to run well in the Acomb earlier this week. So his form has a solid look to it, and I am hoping that this test on ground just on the easy side will prove absolutely ideal for Ten Chants at this stage of his career. There are numerous similar types in opposition, and it is really a question of who is best handicapped, but I would like to think we will be competitive nonetheless.
Our second Ffos Las runner is Triple Genius, who gets first time headgear in the mile and three-quarter 0-60 handicap at 5.05. The giant three-year-old son of Mastercraftsman made a pleasing debut at Wetherby in May over a mile and a quarter, but he has looked regressive in three subsequent appearances. It is hoped that a mile and three-quarters might prove to be his trip, and that the application of headgear can motivate him, but a watching brief is all that can be advised until we see more. Gabriel Malune takes the ride
Moving back to Newmarket, we field a couple of really interesting two-year-old runners as the final meeting of the year on the July Course gets underway. In the seven-furlong fillies maiden at 2.05 Parikarma tries to build on an encouraging debut over the same course and distance a few weeks ago. On that occasion she travelled into the race before tiring late, and you would hope to see a step forward this afternoon. This is naturally a very warm race, but she is a talented filly who should not be disgraced. Tom Queally rides.
In the seven-furlong novice for colts and geldings at 3.15 Plunkett takes his first steps on a racecourse. A son of the exciting first-season sire Gleneagles, he is out of an Oasis Dream mare that won over seven-furlongs on racecourse debut. Despite that fairly appealing pedigree, I see he has been chalked up at a very big price this afternoon! Of course, like most of ours he will improve for the outing, but he has the makings of a good, fun horse down the line and I hope he will enjoy his first day at school. Rab Havlin takes the mount.
Our final runner of the day comes in the 5.45 at Chelmsford, a six-furlong 0-65 nursery. In this contest we field the likely favourite Foad, who was transformed by the application of a pair of blinkers when racing to victory at Lingfield almost a fortnight ago. That victory was a major step-up on his novice form, and it was obvious that the headgear made the difference. We are banking on something similar happening today, although a six pound rise for his success appears quite harsh. That said, the form has since been boosted, we are drawn nicely to attack, and our jockey Hollie Doyle continues in tremendous form. It will certainly be a little disappointing if Foad is not involved in the shake-up.
All the best,
Ed.