Catching Pigeons: Gossip and tips from the gallops
It's a huge weekend in Newmarket and our gallops watcher highlights the pick of the most fancied runners up and down the country.
Tips from the gallops
Jash - 3.00 Newmarket
Jash can confirm he is one of the fastest juveniles around with victory in the Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday. There was a strong message for Simon Crisford's dasher on his first racecourse appearance at Newmarket in August and he could not have been more impressive, quickening well clear in the closing stages to beat Dazzling Dan by four and a half lengths. He started an 8/1 on shot in the wake of that success on his only other start at Salisbury, and he again kicked the opposition sideways, despite running freely in the early stages. Jim Crowley will be hoping he is not quite so keen against this high quality opposition, but he has taken the race well, and connections are more than hopeful of a big run.
Imperial Charm - 4.15 Newmarket
Imperial Charm, a stablemate of Jash, just missed out when fancied on her debut, but the form of the race looks solid enough even though it has taken a knock or two, and she should be able to see off Ed Walker's well regarded Sunday Star in the Blandford Bloodstock Maiden Fillies Stakes (Div I).
Kadar (EW) - 1.50 Newmarket
Beatboxer is a very strong Gosden fancy for the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, and he will take all the beating, but only ten go to post and the way open is to look for a bit of each-way value. Kadar also took a very tall home reputation into his debut effort at Haydock 23 days ago, and he duly delivered, producing a smart turn of foot to see off Beatboxer's odds on stablemate Waldstern, by a length and a quarter. This may mean the selection has a fair bit to find, but his trainer Karl Burke has some very good juveniles again this season, and he can be expected to come on plenty for the run.
Chaleur - 5.25 Newmarket
Chaleur can make a winning return from an 11-week absence in the British Stallion Studs Jersey Lily Nursery. Ralph Beckett has made no secret of his high regard for this impressive Leicester Novice winner, a point underlined by his decision to try his luck in a Group 2 at the Newmarket July meeting. She disappointed him there in finishing a well beaten third, but he has given her plenty of time to recover, and she may well be worth taking a chance on in this respectable, but much less exalted company.
Warsaw Road (EW) - 5.55 Newmarket
Keep your eyes peeled for Warsaw Road in the lucky last at HQ. He ran a mighty race from this rating (87) when sixth to Ripp Orf in the hugely competitive Cunard Handicap at Ascot earlier in the month and he's pleased Luca Cumani with his subsequent work. He is thought to be potentially ahead of the assessor if bringing his A-game.
Anaakeed - 6.15 Chelmsford
Crowley heads down the M11 to Chelmsford for an evening stint and he can strike with Anaakeed in the Bet Exacta Fillies Handicap. Owen Burrows has his team back in great form, and this daughter of Dubawi showed sharp improvement behind Saint Diana on her third outing over this course and distance two weeks ago. With so little mileage behind her, she is likely to progress again, and she looks nicely handicapped.
Verdana Blue - 7.45 Chelmsford
Nicky Henderson has a couple of handy autumn targets lined up for his smart mare Verdana Blue over timber in a week or two, but she sharpens up for the jump season proper with a spin in a relatively low key Bet Toteswinger Conditions Stakes. She was considered for the Champion Hurdle no less in the spring, such is her smart turn of foot when the ground is good, and that speed should stand her in good stead at this level on the flat.
Balance Of Power - 2.30 Ripon
Balance Of Power can make it two wins from four starts in the Constant Security Nursery at Ripon. John Quinn's juvenile broke his duck at the second attempt when winning on the all weather at Newcasle in July and was then beaten by the third that day, Dream Poet, under his penalty at Beverley. Given a short break since that defeat, he looks sure to be well suited by the step up to a mile, and he should give the likely favourite Riviera Nights plenty to think about.
Victory Angel - 3.35 Ripon
Victory Angel is another for the staking plan at the Garden Racecourse. He will certainly enjoy the return to six furlongs after a decent enough effort over further at Doncaster last time and he's steadily creeping back down the weights to a mark from which he can be successful.
Definition - 5.20 Ripon
Definition can send punters home happy at the Yorkshire course with his first victory in the Cockney Key Hunt Novice Stakes. Charlie Hills gave the consistent, but slightly frustrating three-year-old the summer off after a mid-May gelding operation, and there was plenty to like about his comeback effort when a length and a quarter fourth to Lissitsky at Windsor just under fourth weeks ago. His work since that success has been of a high order, and he should be suited both by the step up to a mile and a half and the easier ground.
Candy Burg looked a very useful recruit after flopping on his British debut when beating two in-form rivals at Newton Abbot last month, and he is fancied to follow up in the Farmhouse Handicap Chase at Market Rasen. Olly Murphy looks to have found the ideal next step for the French import despite his big weight, and the manner of his win at the Devon course suggest he can move a fair bit higher from his rating of 129 in the weeks ahead.
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