Andrew Asquith has two selections at Leicester and the Curragh on Sunday.
Sunday View: August 9
1pt win Mountbatten in the 15:34 Leicester at 3/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
2pts win Celeron in the 16:00 Curragh at 11/4 (bet365, William Hill, Betvictor, Boylesports)
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Sun Goddess is a warm order for the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, but whether her form entitles her to be so short in the betting I’m not so sure.
She started the odds-on favourite for the Albany at Royal Ascot having opened her account over this course and distance on her previous start, but was beaten by the impressive on the day Libertango without having many excuses.
That form was let down a little when Libertango was beaten at Newmarket next time, and Sun Goddess didn’t need to improve to win back over this course and distance in a Group 2 last time, beating Green Empress by a lesser margin than she had previously.
Another two-time course and distance winner in CELERON is next best in the market but you could argue he should be close to Sun Goddess in the betting, especially as she’s taking on the boys for the first time in pattern company.
Celeron wasn’t fancied in the betting but made a good impression when making a winning debut here at the beginning of June, and he was much shorter in the betting for the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot next time.
It’s probably best to forgive him his effort there, as he was drawn low in a race which was dominated by the high numbers, and he never really stood a chance from his position on the track.
He showed his true colours in the Railway Stakes returned to this course last time, though, and he impressed with the powerful run he came with in the final furlong, readily moving away from his rivals.
He's owned by Medallion Racing and Steve Weston, who purchased 50 percent of him in the aftermath, and they have gone on record saying that they see him as a horse who can go on to the Breeders’ Cup later in the year.
That is high praise given they have tasted top-level success with the likes of Porta Fortuna and Balantina and the feeling is Celeron can take another big step forward.
The TLC Teddies For Loving Care Handicap looks an interesting race at Leicester and I’m expecting MOUNTBATTEN to bounce back to form.
He was given three quick runs at up to a mile on the all-weather towards the back end of last year to get himself handicapped and he duly proved his opening mark all wrong when making a winning return and handicap debut at Southwell in June.
It is a tried and tested method from his master trainer, stepping stoutly-bred horses significantly up in trip moving into handicaps and Mountbatten looked just the type to rack up a sequence.
It didn’t go to plan when he was a beaten odds-on favourite turned out under a penalty at Yarmouth eight days later, however, not beaten too far but trailing in last of four runners, headed around two furlongs out having attempted to make all of the running upped another two furlongs in trip.
The longer trip shouldn’t have posed a problem, but it may have been he found the race coming too soon, and it is too soon to be writing him off. Mountbatten has been freshened up since, suggesting something may have been ailing him the last day, and he’s well worth another chance to prove himself well handicapped fitted with first-time cheekpieces given the impression he made at Southwell on his return.
Preview posted at 16:35 on 08/08/2026
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