David Cleary adds horses following Sandown and the July Festival at Newmarket while providing an update on the Paddock Notebook runners.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Group 2 Superlative Stakes, Newmarket, July 11
When it comes to the Superlative, the race has been dominated in recent years by Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien, and the latest running was no different. Al Hudaiba gave the Appleby yard a seventh winner in the race, just denying the O'Brien-trained favourite Abraham Lincoln on the post.
These are two smart colts in prospect, likely to play a significant role in good races for the rest of the campaign and beyond, but Abraham Lincoln appeals as the more likely to be a top-flight performer. The outcome of the Superlative turned on fine margins, Abraham Lincoln, having just his second run, showed greenness after he'd gone smoothly to the front, while William Buick on Al Hudaiba did a superb job in getting his less-than-straightforward mount to get his head in front where it mattered.
Abraham Lincoln has plenty about him physically, size and strength, as might be hoped for a colt that cost €2,300,000 as a yearling. His dam, High Celebrity, a smart two year old who won at up to seven furlongs and was third in the Cheveley Park, has produced four previous winners, all by Galileo and all successful over at least a mile and a quarter. Abraham Lincoln, who is by Wootton Bassett, will stay a mile, but the way he travelled in the Superlative suggests he'll be kept to shorter for this year at least.
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AL WATHBA/SUBSCRIPTION, Maiden, Newmarket, July 11
Understandably there was a lot of interest in the outcome of the maiden that opened the July Cup-day card. After all, the race was won by Field of Gold in 2024 and last year Distant Storm just got the better of Constitution River. The latter race turned out to be red hot, with eight of the first 10 home now rated 100+ by Timeform.
There was a smaller field for the race this year, but it again looks sure to throw up a useful winner or two. The pick of the field on looks was Al Wathba, an €900,000 yearling purchase by Wootton Bassett. He was easy to back and his inexperience showed when he was shaken up. He couldn't get on terms with the all-the-way winner Haffner, who had already had a race, but he finished the race off well and wasn't given a hard time. He'll win a similar event at the very least.
By contrast, Subscription was strongly supported. He looked in good shape beforehand, a fine athletic type, and he showed plenty of promise as well, even if he couldn't justify the market move. He was the closest pursuer to the winner for most of the way, but lacked a turn of foot in the final furlong. Subscription is by Night of Thunder and has plenty of stamina in his family, so he seems likely to be suited by a mile. He too can win at least a maiden before going on to better things.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsPLANET SEEKER, 0-100 Handicap, Newmarket, July 11
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, obviously, but how the well-bred, lightly-raced Planet Seeker was sent off at 12/1 for her handicap debut is one of the mysteries of the season. She showed a huge amount of improvement in winning by 3½ lengths, travelling smoothly held up and picking up well to lead inside the final furlong, well in command at the line.
Planet Sound had had three runs previously, all at six furlongs. She had won at Goodwood on debut last summer, then finished third in the Dick Poole at Salisbury. She wasn't seen again until a rather disappointing run at Southwell last month, an effort that may well largely account for her starting price.
Stepping up to seven furlongs and on firmer ground than previously, Planet Sound clearly relished conditions and made a nonsense of her opening mark of 85. She has been raised 10 lb by the BHA Handicapper for the performance, though such was the level she ran to that it would be no surprise were her next run to come in the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood – she won't be out of place.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsSORRENGAIL, Maiden, Newmarket, July 10
It's hard to take a high view of the form of this fillies maiden – the field finished in a heap, with barely two lengths covering the first seven home. It wasn't well run by the standard of a sprint and there was plenty of trouble in running as the field showed its inexperience. All that said, there were some well-bred fillies from good stables in the line-up and a few of them should leave the bare form behind in time.
Sorrengail is top of the list. She was her stable's second string on debut, Charlie Appleby also running the once-raced Acting Lady. Sorrengail dwelt and raced in rear, then ran green when she was first shaken up. The penny began to drop in the final furlong and she closed to fourth, finishing with running left under a sympathetic ride, under a length behind the winner Acting Lass.
Sorrengail, who's a sturdy filly, is by Wootton Bassett out of an unraced Night of Thunder mare who is closely related to the triple Group 1 winner Space Blues. It's a smashing pedigree, one that suggests quite a bit of improvement to come when stepped up to seven furlongs. With a run under her belt, Sorrengail will surely be placed to advantage in maiden or novice company, before hopefully going on to better things.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsSTORM BLADE, Novice, Sandown, July 3
Planet Seeker's year-younger half-brother Storm Blade also earns inclusion in the Notebook after his promising second run, in a novice at Sandown that looks sure to throw up a winner or two.
Storm Blade had made his debut over six furlongs at Lingfield a month previously, sent off at 25/1 and showing obvious greenness, finishing fourth by the 6/1-on chance Mrair. Unlike his half-sister, he was stepped up to seven furlongs immediately. However, he still looked in need of the experience and failed to land a blow, though he was keeping on at the finish. He can be expected to continue to learn with racing.
Storm Blade looks to be being brought along steadily and may not come fully into his own until tackling nurseries (he needs another run for a mark). He is a scopey sort with a good pedigree – he's by Night of Thunder – from a stable that is likely to get the very best out of him, so races will surely come his way in time.
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Derby runner-up Maltese Cross gained a Group 1 success in the Grand Prix de Paris earlier in the week, overcoming a troubled run to lead late on. He's now at the head of the market for the St Leger, though it might be that the Arc will be the preferred target for this French-bred colt.
Others to feature in the Notebook that might get the call for Doncaster include Pierre Bonnard, who finished third in the Irish Derby, and Galiyan, who was a close second in the Bahrain Trophy.
There were a couple of notable handicap winners from the Notebook, with King of Earth picking up a €100,000 event at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend and Valedictory landing a heritage event at the Newmarket July Festival. Valedictory is entered in the Ebor and is the right type for the race, though he may well need a win under a penalty to be able to sneak into the field. There's a likely race for him at Glorious Goodwood.
The Queen Mary second Senorita Bonita got the better of the Albany winner Libertango in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket, suited by the step up in trip. The pair might well clash again in the Lowther at York, in which Senorita Bonita would have to carry a penalty.
Odogwu returned from two months off to land the odds in a novice at Salisbury. He has more to offer and will likely benefit from a step up to a mile. Among those whose turn looks near, Wedonttelllies was a good second in a handicap at Newmarket, The Dancing Pirate was headed late on when runner-up in a maiden at Chester, while Harry Knows finished second for the third time in four starts when beaten in a novice at Salisbury.
Among those to fare less well, Crown of Oaks failed to fire in a Group 3 at the Curragh on his belated return, Revival Power made little impact in listed company at York (she hasn't yet shown that she's trained on) and Abashiri was down the field when favourite for the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks.
Double Rush failed to make the transition from handicaps to Group 1s at the first attempt, when contesting the July Cup last weekend. Alma Latina was a beaten favourite at Epsom on her handicap debut, though she didn't really handle the track and is worth another chance.
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