Friday 12 June 2015 10:21, UK
Our star columnist Richard Fahey has 29 runners on Saturday. Here's a horse-by-horse guide to them all.
There’s obviously a lot of focus on Royal Ascot next week but we’ve a very busy Saturday to enjoy first with runners at four meetings.
Let’s start at York and the Queen Mother's Cup where we run Innocent Touch and Modernism. I’ve been a fraction disappointed with the former and I just don’t know where we are with him or the best way to ride him. He should be winning races like this and hasn’t been for all that he has been running okay. He has a good draw here and will be a good ride for Emily Bullock, so thanks to the owner for letting him take his chance.
Modernism was beaten at Newmarket last time but that was a strange day when nothing made an impact from off the pace in any race. He needs to bounce back here but that could easily happen. Jess McLernon rides.
We have four in the JCB Handicap. Heaven’s Guest is enjoying a great season and has already won a conditions race and a Listed contest. However hand on heart I don’t think he can win a Group Three and he has to run here off a mark of 105 which is a career high. I think it’s very harsh but we’ll run him and see how he goes.
Supplicant would have a big chance if back to his best and I hope the rain comes for him to keep the jar out of the ground. Withernsea is another who’d want the forecast to be correct. He’s been very unlucky twice this year and you can’t draw a line through him. Rain would also help Farlow who isn’t straightforward but he’s in tremendous form at home right now. I don’t think we’ve ever had him better.
Gabrial runs in the Ian And Kate Hall Macmillan Ganton Stakes and should be competitive. Everyone knows him, he is a funny horse, but this year he has been a more straightforward ride which has helped.
We run three in the 888 Charity Sprint Handicap. Grandad’s World has been disappointing but we’ve gelded him since his last run. That will hopefully help him because he’s always been talented and worked well this week. I hope he can improve but this is very competitive.
Bonds Girl is in no man’s land a little. She had a fantastic season last year and if she came back to her best she’d have a chance but she’s not very big. It’s not a case of her having not trained on but the worry is have the others strengthened and caught her up? She couldn’t be in better order though.
Sarista got very upset in the stalls on her only previous run for us and we have been doing a lot of work with her since. She came here with a tall reputation but the main thing is for us to get her behaving properly at the start and see if she can run her race.
Paul Hanagan rides Mfiftythreedotcom in the Ice Co Supporting Macmillan Handicap but they have a terrible draw to overcome. The horse might just come on for his last run though and a bit of rain would help.
Mister Zoff and Novinophobia both make their debut in the Reg Griffin Appreciation EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes. The former is probably going to end up running over a mile at some stage this season but is ready to make his debut. Novinophobia is quite a nice horse. We do like him and he’ll win races but might just need the experience on Saturday.
El Viento reappears in the Charles Henry Memorial Handicap. He’s very, very well handicapped if at his best but I’m just worried he might need the run having been slow to come to hand this spring. That said this is the weakest race he’s contested for some time.
On to Sandown where Flashy Memories goes in the winner.co.uk Handicap. He ran well the last day and is still learning with every start. This is a competitive race but my fellow is capable of going well.
Nothing went right for Zuhoor Baynoora at York last time where she was stuck out on a limb and things didn’t happen for her. She has a great draw to slot in and take a lead in the Winner Bet & Watch Scurry Stakes and from there we hope Ryan Moore can weave his magic.
George Bowen wears a visor for the first time in the winner.co.uk Casino Handicap because we didn’t feel he’s been helping the lads who’ve been riding him of late. He faced the headgear well at home this week and I hope it improves him for all that I thought he ran okay at Epsom last time.
We’ve a decent team heading to Musselburgh starting with Gabrial The Duke in the Stobo Castle Ladies Day Cup. He’s been an absolute star. I was told not to run him back too quickly or on soft ground and he’s coped admirably with both! He’ll be okay on the going on Saturday and will definitely stay but it’s getting tougher for him as his mark goes up.
Arctic Feeling and Lexi’s Hero are our two runners in the William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup but I’m just concerned the others might be too quick for my pair over five furlongs. That said it’s a very valuable pot and they should go flat out up front. If they can hang onto them for the first four furlongs they might just get back into it. Slower ground would probably help.
Gabrial The Tiger is running out of his skin right now. He tries very hard and loves to bowl along in front so seven furlongs around here in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap could be ideal for him.
I don’t know who Marwan Koukash has upset but he continues to get some horrendous draws at Chester this year. It’s happened again in the Lambrini Handicap with Ballesteros in eight and Gramercy 14. Clearly both have it to do from there despite being in great nick at home.
Gabrial’s Kaka is out in 11 for the Crabbie's Original Handicap but it won’t make much difference to him as he’ll slot in and David Nolan will ride a race from there. He still has to prove he stays ten furlongs for me though.
Spirit Of The Law isn’t getting much help from the handicapper this season. I’d rather run him than gallop him at home and we’ll give it another go here but he’s only come down 4lb for his five runs this year.
Miss Lucy Jane has completely bombed out twice this year. She had a setback last season and perhaps it had a psychological effect as she hasn’t raised a gallop. There was no excuse for her last run so we’ll step her up in trip and hope she can run herself into form. She’s fit and well at home going into the Tsingtao Chinese Beer Fillies' Handicap.
Gatepost is drawn in the car park for the Lamb's Navy Rum Handicap. He runs at York on Friday and we’ll see how he is before deciding if he comes here. Postscript didn’t stay the other day and this is more his trip. In contrast he has a great draw and I’d expect him to run well.
Our final runner of the day is Perardua in the Andrew Cozens 60th Birthday Celebration Handicap at Leicester. Like a lot of fillies she’s taken time to come to herself this year but worked well last week and I’ll be interested to see how she runs.
