Newmarket's Future Champions meeting: Horses to follow
Ben Linfoot picks out six horses to follow at Newmarket's Dubai Future Champions Festival this Friday and Saturday, including the return of Bay Bridge.
ECHO CHAMBER – 1.15 Newmarket Friday
Ralph Beckett has introduced several nice newcomers at Newmarket in October in the past, including Kinross and Queen Power who both won on debut at HQ at this time of year for the Kimpton handler.
If his ECHO CHAMBER runs in the opening race of the meeting on Friday, the Godolphin Under Starters Orders Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, she’ll be of interest as she’s from a good family that have had success before in Andrew Black’s Chasemore Farm colours.
Her half-brother, Uncle Bryn, made a big impression when winning easily on his debut at Kempton, while her half-sisters, Boomer and Flighty Almighty, both ran well on their first starts in defeat before winning second time out.
Echo Chamber will have to take on fillies with experience if she runs on Friday, but watch out for any positive market vibes – all four of Beckett’s debutant winners at Newmarket in the autumn were sent off at 10/1 or less.
MISS CAROL ANN – 2.25 Newmarket Friday
It’s interesting to see MISS CAROL ANN in the Group 3 Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes at the six-day stage.
Roger Varian’s daughter of Kingman made a big impression when winning the Blandford fillies’ maiden on debut at Newmarket on September 25, after which her trainer said ‘we’ll see how she is’ without committing to the Oh So Sharp.
It’s looking more likely to be on her agenda now and she could well follow in the hoofprints of Saturday’s Sun Chariot winner Saffron Beach, who did the Blandford-Oh So Sharp double on her first two career starts last year.
Kingman’s juvenile progeny have a tremendous Rowley Mile record in September and October, winning eight from 22 at 36.36%, and Miss Carol Ann looks a capable rival for Andre Fabre’s Raclette if the daughter of Frankel comes over from France.
MISE EN SCENE – 3.35 Newmarket Friday
If Raclette does come over there could be a few daughters of Frankel that go off a short prices at Newmarket on Friday as Inspiral is already odds-on for the bet365 Fillies’ Mile.
That’s understandable considering the manner of her May Hill victory at Doncaster, but James Ferguson’s MISE EN SCENE could well be the one to upset the odds in the Group One contest.
On a line through Prosperous Voyage she looks to have a bit of ground to make up with Inspiral, but the form of her Prestige Stakes victory was given a real boost when fourth home Hello You came out and won the Rockfel.
The key thing with Mise En Scene, though, is that she’s expected to improve again at a mile.
By Siyouni – who has had a Fillies’ Mile winner before with Laurens (as well as last year’s Dewhurst hero St Mark’s Basilica) – and out of Gadfly, a half-sister to 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa, she’s from a staying family and another furlong looks absolutely ideal.
JUAN DE MONTALBAN – 4.10 Newmarket Friday
The bet365 Old Rowley Cup is a terrific handicap and plenty of improving types are battling it out towards the top of the market.
JUAN DE MONTALBAN wouldn’t be one of those, but he’s not one to dismiss lightly as this could well be his time of year and he’s been given a chance by the handicapper.
A winner of a Goodwood novice by three lengths on heavy ground this time last year for Andrew Balding, he’s found himself at David O’Meara’s via having a crack at the Italian Derby and has dropped 5lb in two runs for his new yard.
That makes him an interesting proposition in a race like the Old Rowley Cup, but with the forecast at Newmarket set fair perhaps connections will re-route him to Goodwood on Sunday, where the ground looks like being much softer.
STATEMENT – 4.10 Newmarket Saturday
Martyn Meade has a very good record at Newmarket in the autumn. Meade winners at HQ at this time of year are as regular as conkers and the clocks going back.
They include some at monster prices – Irish Rookie at 50/1, Chelsea Lad at 33/1, Dolphin Vista at 50s in the Cambridgeshire – while stable stars like Eminent, Aclaim and Lone Eagle have obliged at shorter prices.
STATEMENT didn’t kick on from her excellent reappearance second in the Fred Darling behind Alcohol Free, but she likes autumn ground, she won her maiden at Newbury this time last year and there was a glimmer of hope in her Ascot seventh on Saturday behind With Thanks.
Bang there on the outside a furlong from home, she lost a couple of positions in the final furlong and dropping back to six in the Listed Boadicea Stakes on Saturday might not be a bad idea.
BAY BRIDGE – 4.45 Newmarket Saturday
I wrote in Saturday’s analysis that New Bay progeny were on the radar in the closing weeks of the season and his BAY BRIDGE is a fascinating possible for the Group 3 Darley Stakes that closes the Cesarewitch card.
The James Wigan-owned horse could hardly have been more impressive in the BetVictor London Gold Cup at Newbury in May – even if subsequent events suggest it wasn’t as strong a renewal as is usually the case.
Still, he looked a horse going places after a comfortable four-length win and was well-fancied for the King Edward VII Stakes on the back of it.
A foot abscess ruled the Sir Michael Stoute-trained horse out of Royal Ascot, but he could be back this weekend by the looks of it as he’s entered in both the Darley Stakes and a 10 furlong (and a bit) handicap at York, where he’d have to defy a rating of 105.
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