Sharaakah
The sun is currently out here in Newmarket but the cloud is building up and the forecasters are predicting that there could be 8mm of rain throughout the afternoon. The ground at the Rowley Mile is very fast for the time of year and it will take a decent amount of rain to make a significant change to the going description. There is some decent racing at Chantilly this afternoon and Quest For More and Nearly Caught both look to have good chances in the Prix Du Cadran as well as at Ascot where significant rain is forecast.
We have five runners today and we also run Same Jurisdiction in the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly tomorrow. Jive Factor is our first runner in the 13:45 one mile Maiden at Newmarket and he is a scopey son of The Factor who I like but he will come into his own next year. Sharaakah runs in the valuable 1m Fillies’ handicap and she seems to be very fresh and well after a short break, a little rain beforehand to take the sting out of the ground would help her chances but I am hoping that she can run a big race back off of a favourable mark. Sagaciously (runs 3:25 Newmarket) will appreciate the faster ground and you can forget her run at Fontainebleau where the ground was overwatered, she unfortunately has to carry the burden of 9:10 which concerns me but she is a big filly. Shafafya runs in the same race and she has a feather weight of 8:1, she is a horse who travels very well and has the ability to run well off of this mark, any rain before the race will help but she does have to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Haydock.
Alligator runs in the 19:10 up at Wolverhampton and he was far too keen in first time blinkers on his last start at Bath. If he can reproduce his second to Altiko Tommy here, then he is arguably well in with the likely favourite Wentwell Yesterday who finished just in front of Altiko Tommy on his last start. John T Chance could be improving and there are a couple who have only had three starts but if he settles and sees out this extended mile he has a solid each way chance.
Same Jurisdiction made her UK debut in the Sceptre at Doncaster and she travelled very well before getting tired as she was entitled to. Limato is a very good horse and he will be a very warm order to win the Prix de la Foret tomorrow but I hope our filly can build on her last run and run a respectable race.