Our ambassador Hollie Doyle previews her five rides at Newbury on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Racing, and updates us on star sprinter Bradsell ahead of the Nunthorpe.
FRED DARLING HEROINE HAS HUNGERFORD CLAIMS
I’m intrigued to see how FOLGARIA acquits herself in the feature race of the day, the Group 2 BetVictor Hungerford Stakes (3.35) at Newbury on Saturday.
Unbeaten in Italy, she stretched her winning sequence to six when I won the Group 3 Fred Darling on her back in the spring when she had subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka back in third.
I’ve ridden her in both starts since, finishing out the back in the French Guineas before 1m appeared to stretch her stamina once again in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Dropping in grade and back over her winning course and distance, Marco Botti’s filly has the capability of running a big race in what looks an open renewal.
MYCONIAN CAPABLE OF BUILDING ON NEWMARKET RUN
I’m delighted to keep the ride on MYCONIAN after finishing second on him at Newmarket last month and we can make a bold bid to go one better in the Play The BetVictor Predictor Now Handicap (2.25) at Newbury.
Amy Murphy’s gelding posted his best performance of the year in a first-time tongue tie and cheekpieces combination on the July Course, which is understandably retained.
It’s a hot handicap but this Listed French winner is down to an attractive mark now and is capable of winning a race like this if he puts his mind to it.
Andrew Balding runs Boubyan
OUT TO MAKE A POINT WITH ZABRISKIE
ZABRISKIE POINT has run two fair races since returning from a lengthy break and a gelding operation and can put up an improved display in the TPT Fire Handicap (3.00) at Newbury.
Charles Hills’ gelding showed up well for a long way in a 6f heritage handicap at Newmarket on his re-appearance before travelling well to a point in a 7f event at Glorious Goodwood.
A winner over this trip at Thirsk last autumn, the son of Blue Point is still high enough in the weights off his revised rating of 89 but can be competitive with a favourable high draw in his favour.
Andrew Balding runs Boubyan
MORE TO COME FROM BOUBYAN
My boss Imad Alsagar’s colt BOUBYAN was too green to do himself justice on his only previous start in a Ffos Las maiden a couple of weeks ago but I’m expecting the outing to have brought him on when he re-appears in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (4.05) at Newbury.
I’ve ridden the son of Churchill plenty of work on Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere gallops and always get the impression he learns from everything he does. He’s nicely drawn to improve on his debut effort in what looks a typically strong maiden.
Later, the weight for age allowance that BAS BLEU enjoys in the Chapel Down Handicap (4.40) at Newbury could be enough to see her in the mix.
Ed Walker’s daughter of Masar kept on well on her return from a four-month break in a 10f handicap at Sandown last month and can give the older stayers a race off her light weight.
Bradsell and Hollie Doyle are looking forward to the Nunthorpe
ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR BRADSELL
Archie Watson’s sprint star BRADSELL is in great form ahead of next week’s Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
That Listed win in France a couple of weeks ago has really put the edge on him and I’m looking forward to sitting on him again in preparation for his second attempt at the Knavesmire showpiece.
Bradsell was third in the race last year, when he found the track a little on the sharp side. They went flat out all the way as they always do in the Nunthorpe but I’m hoping he can add a second Group 1 to his already impressive CV.
PATTERN SUCCESS ON THE CARDS FOR JANE’S COLT
I was chuffed to finish second to a very exciting horse in France last weekend when I partnered Jane Chapple-Hyam’s SONS AND LOVERS in the Listed Prix Nureyev at Deauville.
I’d finished third on him in similar company at Newbury so expected him to go well – he was just unfortunate to bump into John and Thady Gosden’s exciting Ombudsman, who could be anything at this stage.
Sons And Lovers is a lovely stamp of a horse who can continue progressing and certainly looks up to winning a Group race on that evidence.