Mudallel, who runs at Haydock today
Another beautiful sunny morning greets the final day of Ascot, and as always it has been a tremendous week of racing. We head back to the Royal meeting with Red Verdon and also have runners at Newmarket and Haydock.
Yesterday Alternative Fact ran in the King Edward VII and Manjaam the Duke OF Edinburgh. It is fair to say that Manjaam’s chance was severely compromised by the draw, whilst I was encouraged to see Alternative Fact raced more professionally than on his previous start. He probably ran slightly better than his finishing position suggests and is not one to give up on by any stretch.
Red Verdon will take his chance in the Hardwicke at 3.05, which features a select field of five runners. We are the outsider of the field and it does look a big ask for win purposes. Sir Michael’s Crystal Ocean has appeared a star in waiting for some time, Idaho and Barsanti were the first two finishers in this race last year and Cliffs Of Moher is a former Derby runner-up. However, with prize money all the way down, this looked too good an opportunity to miss and Red Verdon has been in excellent form this season, finishing second in the Jockey Club Stakes and the Henry II on his last two starts. Interestingly, this will be his first visit to Ascot and I am looking forward to seeing how he gets on. James Doyle has built a great association with the horse and they continue their partnership.
In the 2.10 at Newmarket we run the Scat Daddy colt Khanmurjan, who bids to build on his recent debut effort at Goodwood. He was slowly away and displayed signs of greenness, before making a fleeting effort in the home straight. He tired to finish fifth in the end, but it was an encouraging debut and the form received a significant boost yesterday when the winner, Main Edition, won the Gr.3 Albany Stakes at Ascot. Hopefully he can step forward a little this afternoon and Dan Muscutt rides.
Finally, Mudallel runs in the mile handicap at Haydock at 8.15. He had a good season in 2017, winning twice on the all-weather and climbing from a rating of 70 to the 84 he currently sits on. He will need to have improved from three to four to defy that sort of mark, is not the easiest of rides, and he must up his game from his seasonal reappearance at Kempton in April. However, this looks a decent opportunity in a small field and we should learn plenty. Richard Kingscote takes the mount.
All the best,
Ed.