Our form expert continued his excellent run of form with 12/1 winner Mustazeed at Newbury on Saturday and he has three selections for Newmarket on Friday.
The Verdict: Friday September 26
2pts win Elwateen in 1.15 Newmarket at 7/2 (General)
2pts win Zeus Olympios in 3.00 Newmarket at 11/4 (General)
1pt win Aimeric in 3.35 Newmarket at 10/1 (Boylesports, Paddy Power)
Take Aim in Godolphin Stakes
Five races from day two of Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire Meeting get an airing on ITV Racing and paddock watchers might well be key to any late market movers in the Listed Boylesports Smart Race Card Godolphin Stakes at 3.35.
That’s because almost everything in this race comes here fresh, their absences in days in ascending order reading 41, 97, 132, 158, 160, 295 and 461, so it has the feel of an early-season contest where levels of fitness are unknown.
It’s great to see Isle Of Jura back on a racetrack as he hasn’t been seen since beating Goliath at Royal Ascot 2024, but after those 461 days off the track it’s reasonable to assume he may well need this outing.
By The Book is fascinating after 295 days off himself, as he was last seen in December giving the now 103-rated Plage De Havre 7lb and a four-length beating – a piece of form that sees him head up the market.
That’s fair enough, but with both horses at the top of the betting coming off long absences I can’t help but think this is a good opportunity to strike a wager and I’m drawn to the chances of Karl Burke’s AIMERIC.
The son of Frankel has been off 160 days since he ran a fine race on his return at Musselburgh in the Queen’s Cup Handicap over 1m6f where he came out the best horse at the weights following an excellent run off a rating of 107 in second.
That was firm evidence Burke is getting to grips with him and that he goes really well fresh, something we already knew given he won off 65, 238, 50 and 252 days off when he was with Roger Varian.
Indeed, being fresh as paint looks absolutely key to him and when he was third in this race last year on softer ground he’d had a busy old summer and we quite obviously didn’t see him at his best.
I’d expect a completely different horse here and given he’s versatile tactically I like him carrying my cash in what could be messy race.
The Verdict: Back AIMERIC in the 3.35 Newmarket
‘Teen dream in Rosemary
The opening Listed Boylesports British EBF Rosemary Stakes for fillies and mares offers a good opportunity for Saeed bin Suroor’s ELWATEEN to open her account for the year and she can make the most of the drop in class.
It’s fair to say it wasn’t a vintage renewal of the 1000 Guineas but it was still a cracking run from Elwateen in fourth on just her second racecourse start and she’s been highly-tried since then.
She didn’t handle Epsom in the Oaks and then she ran flat after racing prominently in the Falmouth Stakes, but her trainer has had a complete reset, giving her 11 weeks off and dropping her right back to Listed level in a bid to revive her fortunes.
It’s a tactic he has used with great success many times before. Indeed, his record at Listed or Group 3 level with a filly or mare that has had more than two months off having run at Group 1 level on her previous start stands at 23 wins from 85 starts, a strike-rate of 27.06%.
This looks the ideal spot for her at her local track getting 4lb on the weight-for-age from the four-year-olds and the likely strong gallop very much looks in her favour, as well.
The Verdict: Back ELWATEEN in the 1.15 Newmarket
Zeus to rule over Opera
Finally, it could be a good day for Aimeric’s connections Burke and Sheikh Obaid as they also team up with ZEUS OLYMPIOS in the Group 2 Boylesports Daily Racing Rewards Joel Stakes.
Opera Ballo is the odds-on favourite here and is well respected, but the son of Ghaiyyath can be fizzy and keen and after 78 days off I wouldn’t be too surprised if he races inefficiently on the wide expanse that is the Rowley Mile.
He did the last time he raced here in the Craven Stakes and at odds-on it’s on my mind, despite him looking to have bags of talent.
Zeus Olympios is just the colt to take advantage if Opera Ballo isn’t quite on his A-game as he looks well blessed in the talent department himself.
Backed off the boards in the Group 3 Superior Mile at Haydock last time, he took the step up in class in his stride as he did everything nicely on his way to a very comfortable two-length success.
I don’t think he’ll have any problems with Newmarket and odds of around 11/4 about such an exciting prospect look too big to resist.
The Verdict: Back ZEUS OLYMPIOS in the 3.00 Newmarket
Preview posted at 1530 BST on 25/09/25
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