It's a massive weekend for our columnist Richard Fahey who saddles hot favourite Perfect Power in the July Cup - get his thoughts on all of his Saturday team.
Saturday Runners
PERFECT POWER – 4.25 Newmarket
It’s great to have the favourite for the Darley July Cup in Perfect Power and we’re going to find out if he is the best sprinter around on Saturday.
I’m delighted with his draw in eight, you can get stuck on a wing in that race, Billy-no-mates on your own, so it is nice to have a few around us.
There's loads of pace in there for him to aim at which should suit too. I can’t remember a July Cup where there wasn’t plenty who didn’t want to go forward and it should all pan out nicely for him in that regard.
It's a decade since Mayson won the race for us and it would be terrific to win it again. He's got a great mind this fellow and he knows where the winning line is. He’s very straightforward and he gets on brilliantly with Christophe Soumillon, so there's plenty in his favour.
We're very pleased with him and we're looking forward to seeing him run, so we'll see what happens.
MASTER ZOFFANY – 3.50 Newmarket
He'll be an outsider in the Bunbury Cup and his best form is on slower ground, but he's in good form at home and very fit so we thought we’d let him take his chance.
It's a big ask for him first time up and he’ll need to step up to take a race like this, but he’s been working extremely well. I just wish there was a bit more juice in the ground for him.
BLENHEIM BOY – 1.45 York
He ran okay in the Britannia Stakes at Ascot and he’s a course winner at York, he’s a horse we do like. He’s just dropped off the level he started the season at so it would be nice to see him run a really nice race.
ROCK OPERA – 3.30 York
He goes in the nursery and his form is rock solid. We're very pleased with him, he tries very hard and it will be interesting to see how he gets on on his handicap debut.
SPIRIT DANCER – 4.05 York
Spirit Dancer goes for us in the John Smith’s Cup and I’m hoping for a good run. A little bit like Master Zoffany he probably needs more juice in the ground to be at his absolute best but he’s in very good order.
I've always felt this is the right race for him, he could run well in it, I just wish there would be a deluge before racing and I don’t think that looks likely. He’s fit, well and he’s got a nice draw in two, so we can’t complain about anything else.
INTERNATIONAL GIRL – 5.15 York
She’s not a bad filly and we’re pleased with her, but it’s a 20-runner sprint handicap at York so she could run really well and get beat. She'll have to be at her very best to win but it wouldn’t surprise me if she ran well.
BARBANERA – 3.43 Chester
She’s had a little bit of a break, there’s been nothing seriously wrong with her and I think seven furlongs around Chester will really suit. She needs to step up on ratings to win a Listed race like this but she’s got a smashing draw in three and I think she’ll go well.
She's in good nick at home and if she gets in the three I’ll be delighted, a win and I'm over the moon.
THE NEW MARWAN – 5.30 Chester
He's not fared so well in the draw but there’s only eight runners so it’s not a disaster. He’d have a chance on his Chester second in June, he drops in trip a little here so we’ll see what happens.
ANA GOLD – 7.00 Hamilton
She ran respectably the other day at Carlisle when she was a close-up second. She’s in good order and if she settles early on I think she’ll come home well and run a decent race.
TIME TO RUMBLE – 8.30 Hamilton
He has been a little bit immature but he ran a good race at Redcar the other day when second as he settled and came home. I think this mile will suit him well and he’s a horse with a big chance.
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