John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
Spicy Marg can beat former winner in Summer Stakes
Spicy Marg finished just behind Precise, who runs at Newmarket later in the afternoon (see below) when the pair were only mid-division in the 1000 Guineas, but that was too long a trip for Michael Bell’s speedy daughter of Starspangledbanner. She has since fared much better returned to sprinting and can make the most of a drop in grade for York’s Summer Stakes (14:45).
Spicy Marg won three times last season, and while she couldn’t make an impact in higher grades, notably when taking on her elders in the Nunthorpe, she did end her two-year-old campaign with a listed win at Newmarket. After the 1000 Guineas, she gave her all when third behind July Cup favourite Venetian Sun in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock but then took her form up a notch when getting much closer to that filly at odds of 50/1 in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, challenging inside the final furlong and edged out by a head only late on.
Heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings here, a repeat of that last effort makes Spicy Marg the one to beat, and she can get the better of 2024 winner Flora of Bermuda, who got worked up in the stalls at Royal Ascot last time, and enhance the good recent record of three-year-old fillies in this race.
Clash of Royal Ascot winners in Falmouth Stakes
Five three-year-old fillies take on a couple of their elders in the Falmouth Stakes (15:35) which is the highlight on the second day of the July Festival at Newmarket. There hasn’t been much in it between the generations since this first became a Group 1 in 2004, with the score being 12-10 in favour of older fillies or mares over the classic generation.
The older pair in this year’s line-up renew rivalry from the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot where Blue Bolt had a length and three quarters to spare over the Dahlia Stakes winner Jancis. The runner-up carried a 3 lb penalty that day, but they meet on level terms here. Blue Bolt earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag in following up a listed win at Goodwood the previous month, impressing most with her turn of foot which took her to the front over a furlong out.
But Blue Bolt will likely need another career best to get the better of Precise who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and looks the pick of the three-year-olds. While she was beaten in the 1000 Guineas after an interrupted preparation – and meets the placed fillies from that race, Evolutionist and Venetian Lace again here – that is Precise’s only defeat since finishing second on her debut and she has since won the Irish 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes. While just workmanlike in landing the odds at Royal Ascot, Precise was strong at the finish, she too earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag and should be seen to better effect here in her quest for a fifth Group 1 victory.
Infraad the one to note at Chester
The most interesting runner on Chester’s evening card is Infraad who makes his handicap debut for William Haggas off bottom weight in the mile and a quarter contest (19:00).
Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum’s colt was beaten by future listed winner Golden Story on his sole start at two at Doncaster and looked green when third on his reappearance in a novice at Nottingham in April. He still showed signs of inexperience in a similar event at Pontefract later that month but ran out an impressive winner, making all the running to win by six and a half lengths, hitting the line strongly and recording a useful timefigure while also earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag.
Out of a very smart mare who has produced the Pretty Polly Stakes winner Nezwaah, Infraad is bred to be better than a handicapper and he held a Derby entry at the time of his Pontefract win. Typically for one from his stable, though, he hasn’t been rushed, and he returns from a break here with connections evidently feeling he can exploit an opening BHA mark of 90. However, he holds an entry in the Great Voltigeur Stakes, suggesting he has the potential to go on to better things, and heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and with further improvement to come, Infraad looks very much the one to beat in receipt of weight all round.
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