Charlie Appleby nominated the Group 1 Vertem Futurity at Doncaster as the target for Coroebus (2.20) after he finished runner up in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket two weeks ago. There has obviously been a change of plan as he makes a quick reappearance in the Autumn Stakes.
The selection travelled like the best horse here last month and there are some in the Godolphin camp who believe the selection is on a par with their National Stakes winner Native Trail who is odds on for the Dewhurst later in the card. It could be another red-letter day for the Boys in Blue who have a rich array of juvenile talent – especially with their colts. Coroebus is now into 8/11 at 10Bet at the time of posting.
Saeed bin Suroor did us a big favour in the Cambridgeshire courtesy of Bedouin’s Choice and the hope is that he can follow up in the Cesarewitch with Live Your Dream (3.35) the mount of promising 5lb apprentice Adam Faragher.
The each way recommendation – 12s with William Hill 7 places – went down by a couple of lengths in the Ces trial over today’s C&D in first time cheekpieces last month. He has been raised 4lbs for that run but can race off his old mark this afternoon. He was trying to give 22lbs to a well treated – and well punted – Irish challenger last month and he would have been a confident – albeit – each way selection if not for his dreadful draw in stall 35.
It will be a great challenge for Faragher to get competitive from that draw, but many of the fancied runners have a high draw to overcome and it is possible that he will get a good tow into the race with Just Hubert likely to go forward from stall twenty-nine.
Willie Mullins has saddled the winner in each of the last three years and the Irish maestro is mobhanded to continue the sequence with six of today’s field. M C Muldoon is 4lbs higher than when runner up at Royal Ascot back in June and is a worthy market leader but of those drawn low, I feel Goobinator will keep galloping up the far rail for Donald McCain and he might be a shade overpriced at 20/1.
It is great to see the exciting Allmankind back on track at Chepstow and he reverts to hurdles for his seasonal debut. He will do well to carry 11st 12lbs to success in this company, however, and the each way vote goes to Galice Macalo (1.50) who has an excellent record fresh and will appreciate the good ground.
The ew selection – 15/2 with Boylesports – disappointed in the Betfair Hurdle on her penultimate start but she has bits of form which suggest she could be well treated off her current mark, and she is set to carry just 10st 4lbs if you include Chester Williams’s 3lbs claim.
The 3m handicap chase is a belter and preference for Real Steel (2.25) over Exelerator Express is marginal. The selection has had a wind operation since disappointing at Aintree when last seen in the spring, but I do remember the horse travelling best of all in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup before his stamina gave way.
That was his last start for Willie Mullins, and he had a disappointing campaign for Nicholls’ last term although he has dropped 12lbs in the weights as a result. He has an excellent record fresh and could just be in a different class to today’s rivals – although he does have the steadier of 11st 12lbs. The 13/2 with Boylesports each way looks about right although champion trainer trainer Paul Nicholls had a mixed day on Friday.
Grand Sancy (4.05) won at this corresponding meeting last year and he looks attractively weighted in the 2m 4f handicap chase for Nicholls. First time out might be the time to catch him although he is just 3s with MansionBet.
I am loathe to desert Not That Fuisse, but I appreciate that the latter is a bit of a cliff horse for me. It is worth noting that both Grand Sancy and Not That Fuisse have had wind operations since their last start.
