11.15am Nemoralia swerves Newmarket for Chantilly date
Jeremy Noseda’s classy Nemoralia will miss Friday’s Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and race in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday.
The filly made an impressive return to action at York in May before filling the runner-up spot behind Qemah in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Newmarket trainer Noseda belives his three-year-old will be better suited by a faster surface than at Ascot and he sees this weekend’s Chantilly race as an attractive target.
“We’re very much looking forward to going for the Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday,” the trainer told At The Races. “She’s in at Newmarket, but I think she loves a flat track and the July Course, with that uphill finish, is not really what she wants. Chantilly is where I’ve got my eyes and the weather forecast looks good.
“The race looks to me like an opportunity where she’ll be extremely competitive.”
Wednesday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
I had some concern, earlier in the season, about the start made by Owen Burrows, a new Lambourn trainer who has inherited a lot of Hamdan al-Maktoum horses that were with Barry Hills before the great man retired. Lots of Burrows horses ran well, including Massaat, who was runner-up in the 2,000 Guineas, but he only managed two winners from his first 32 runners, which was surely not the initial impact he was hoping to make.
The available evidence suggests his horses have now run into form, or else his luck has taken a dramatic turn for the better, since four of his last five runners have won, including Markaz in the Chipchase at Newcastle last weekend. He could have a double today, at short prices, through Mubajal (7.30) at Bath tonight and Dheyaa (6.15) at Kempton.
Mubajal, at 11-8, should know more than when a running-on third on his debut. He’s closely related to Makfi, being by Dubawi out of a half-sister to the Guineas winner.
Dheyaa, a 3-1 shot for her handicap debut, didn’t show much last year but nearly got a maiden victory on her reappearance at Brighton in May. She starts on what looks a very reasonable rating and the third horse from her last race has since been second in Listed company, for what it’s worth.
I shall give another chance to Hurricane Volta (7.45), a good winner for this feature in March who has continued to run well since. He still looks fairly handicapped and appeals at 9-2 for this step up to two miles.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Dark Defender 100-30
Bashiba 15-2
Montsarrat 100-30
Tuesday
Spirit Raiser 2-1
Johnny Cavagin 10-1
Nigel 7-2
And our leader is:
BatmanKaisers +17.83
… who already had a share of the lead before finding Johnny Cavagin. Slain24 (+11.33) is his nearest pursuer.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 5.10 Yarmouth, 5.50 Catterick, 6.45 Kempton.
This week, we’re offering you a second chance to win a copy of the much-praised Mr Darley’s Arabian, by Chris McGrath, who used to turn out high-quality prose about horse racing for the Weekender, the Times and the Independent. This is a history of our sport, described in an Observer review as offering “a teeming, colourful survey” of its many stories, drawing on “a cast that takes in aristocrats and nouveaux riches, playboys and industrialists, Smithfield meat salesmen and the rulers of Dubai”, according to a press release from the publishers. If you don’t win, you can buy it here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -6.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
