Wednesday Talking Points: Let Rip at Newmarket!
Of the eight races at Newmarket on Wednesday seven are juvenile contests and Ben Linfoot picks out four two-year-olds to keep an eye on at HQ.
1. Chop Chop – 1.30 Newmarket
Mince was a terrific sprinter for Roger Charlton and Lady Rothschild and she always peaked in the autumn.
On Wednesday, her first foal to make the racetrack makes her debut when Chop Chop, a filly by Rip Van Winkle, runs for the first time in the opening Shepherd Compello & EPG Fillies’ Novice Median Auction Stakes at 1.30.
It will be interesting to see which way she goes in the market. Much of that will depend on how she looks in the paddock and connections’ confidence, but if she’s anything like her dam she’ll love the Rowley Mile.
While Mince was beaten on debut, she won her next two and her career form figures on the Rowley Mile were 2-1-1, her victories coming off 91 in handicap company and she won a Listed contest as well.
That Listed win came on the final start of her career and it took her October form figures to 2-1-1 as well, so there will be plenty of hope for Chop Chop if she looks the part in the preliminaries.
2. You Little Ripper – 2.35 Newmarket
Our mole in Newmarket, behind 50 per cent of the Catching Pigeons column, has been raving about You Little Ripper for weeks, so we’ll be watching the Willow Novice Stakes with (financial) interest.
Another by Rip Van Winkle, this Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained colt has reportedly been burning up the Newmarket gallops and he had options earlier in the week, so it’s interesting he turns up here.
A half-brother to five winners and a full-brother to Dick Whittington, his family know how to get the job done, although, a word of warning – none of the five won on debut.
We won’t let a little curiosity like that get in the way of a work whispers wager, however, with You Little Ripper taken to follow in the hoofprints of last year’s winner, Key Victory.
3. Brasca – 3.10 Newmarket
You don’t get many 10-furlong races for two-year-olds but the Aptus Investment Fund Maiden Stakes (3.10) is one of them and the trip looks ideal, even at this early stage, for Brasca.
Ralph Beckett’s son of Nathaniel is bred for middle distances next year, so much so he’s entered in the Investec Derby, and the way he shaped over a mile at Leicester on debut suggests he wants a mile-and-a-quarter now.
He’s a full-brother to Highgarden, the John Gosden filly that burst onto the scene with an impressive win at Newbury on debut a year ago. Things haven’t quite worked out for her subsequently, although she managed to win her first race since that debut success here on the Rowley Mile over 1m4f last month.
There’s some hope that this track will be fine for Brasca, then, and the distance certainly ought to be, so he is taken to run well especially with expected improvement from his first start factored into the equation.
4. Ginistrelli – 4.55 Newmarket
There are a few interesting newcomers in the British EBF Novice Stakes (4.55), a race in which runners are restricted to those whose sire or dam won a race over a mile-and-a-half or more.
Alignak is by 11-length German Derby winner Sea The Moon and is a half-brother to good stayer Algometer, so Sir Michael Stoute’s debutant fits into the category, as does Andrew Balding’s Sawasdee, a full-brother to Bow Creek and half-brother to Dare To Dream.
However, experience could well count for plenty in this and that draws me to the Frankel colt, Ginistrelli, trained by Ed Walker, following his debut at Salisbury three weeks ago.
The 475,000gns purchase was really well backed that day and he ran on well for fourth, shaping as though he’d benefit greatly from the experience.
He’s probably going to be one for next year, and over much further as well, but he showed enough zip on debut to be of interest at this track on his second start, on a day that is heaven on earth for lovers of autumnal, late-season, juvenile contests.
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