The news broke on Monday that Enable will bypass York’s Ebor meeting later in the month and her final race in Britain and prep race for the Arc will be in the September Stakes at Kempton next month.
Connections have said all season that the only reason why the brilliant mare is still in training is to win a third Arc – jockey error prevented a third successive win in the race last autumn – and I think it is the correct decision irrespective of what happens in Paris in October.
No jump racing in Britain until Sunday but a nine-race card on the all-weather at Kempton where Isle Of May looks sure to be a warm order for the 7f fillies’ juvenile novice event having finished placed in her two starts including at Ascot later when she may have paid for getting embroiled in an early battle for the lead.
My eye, however, is drawn to Roger Charlton’s debutante Lucid Dreamer (2.20) who is by Dansili out of a half-sister to last year’s St Leger winner Logician. The dam was a winning sprinter and the booking of Ryan Moore suggests connections are hopeful of a big run on debut. The yard can certainly get them ready first time out and the filly is well drawn in stall four. The ew selection is 7s at bet365.
Mostly (2.50) makes her belated seasonal reappearance and connections of this well-bred filly will be keen to get a win next to her name for the breeding sheds. The selection – 11/10 with Unibet – is out of a 12f winner and it is perhaps surprising that she starts her three-year-old career over just 7f having finished runner up over this trip at Newmarket last autumn on her sole 2-y-old start. The filly who beat her by half-a-length was Ralph Beckett’s Chamade and the winner is now rated 100+.
Rab Havlin takes the ride on John Gosden’s daughter of Makfi who has had her wind tweaked since she last ran.
May Sonic (3.20) improved for being allowed to bowl along in front stepped back in trip to 6f at Windsor last time and Charlie Hills’ four-year-old can follow up at a track where he broke his maiden tag last year. William Buick takes over in the saddle and the selection has an excellent draw in stall three for one who is likely to race prominently. The gelding – 7/4 at Boylesports – is 6lbs higher than last time but, after just seven career starts, is open to further improvement.
Brentford Hope (4.55) was being aimed at the Derby until suffering a setback earlier in the year and he failed to build on his impressive juvenile debut at Newmarket when fading close home at York over an extended 10f on his reappearance last month. The selection is 6/4 at 10bet.
Richard Hughes’ son of Camelot steps up in trip this afternoon and is taken to return to winning ways under Jamie Spencer who has been in the plate for his two previous runs. My Frankel was a fluent Leicester winner on his reappearance for Sir Michael Stoute and he and Godolphin’s Dubai Welcome – second at Yarmouth on debut – are much respected in what promises to be a most informative contest.
At Wolverhampton Cupid’s Beau finished a length and a half in front of Kingsholm (6.40) over today’s C&D last month and is 1lb better off with the James Fanshawe-trained three-year-old but I still feel the latter will reverse the form this evening. The selection – 9/2 with William Hill was posted wide from his moderate draw in stall nine and was certainly not knocked about. Oisin Murphy takes over in the saddle.
Cupid’s Beau came out of stall one last time and has again been given the ideal draw this evening but Kingsholm will race from stall three today and I believe he can reverse the form given a more positive ride by the champion jockey.
Geizy Teizy (8.10) has been compromising her chances by starting slowly in recent starts but she returns to the scene of her win here back in December although that success was gained over an extended mile and Marco Botti’s filly faces another furlong this evening. The selection – 4s at 10bet – has been dropped a couple of pounds since her last run and she has a good draw – if she gets out on terms – in stall two.
