Timeform provide an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
Beautiful Diamond best fresh
There’s quite a big field for Ayr’s Arran Scottish Sprint Fillies’ Stakes (15:05) but plenty of these seeking black type have a bit to find on these terms and it can be narrowed down to a handful with a realistic chance.
Chief among those is Karl Burke’s mare Beautiful Diamond who won this contest twelve months ago and has good claims again. Beautiful Diamond has the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag as her victory last year was her third listed win at the track, having also won the Harry Rosebery Stakes at this meeting as a two-year-old. She was returning from five months off the track when successful here last September, adding to a good record fresh, so that bodes well for her repeat bid as she’s had a three-month break since her last run. Admittedly, she wasn’t at her best in another listed contest here on that occasion, but a repeat of her earlier effort, when third to stablemate Night Raider in the Temple Stakes at Haydock would make her hard to beat.
The claims of Heavenly Heather, down in class after finishing mid-division in the Nunthorpe last time, and Luna A Inbhir Nis, runner-up to the subsequent Nunthorpe third Rumstar in Group 3 company at Sandown last time, are respected, but Beautiful Diamond has the slight edge on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and can take this prize again.
Bin Jahwar can win clash of Horses In Focus
Newbury’s Haynes Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes (15:32) represents one of racing’s most enduring sponsorships and will be run for the 46th time this year. Over the years, the mile contest for two-year-olds has been won by the likes of Rainbow Quest, Unfuwain, King’s Theatre and Nayef, and more recently in 2020 by subsequent Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Yibir.
By its very nature, it’s the sort of race to attract promising types and in this year’s field of ten, no fewer than four earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag last time out. The one who makes most appeal of that quartet is Bin Jahwar for ‘Hot Trainer’ Charlie Appleby, whose three previous winners, as well as Yibir, include last year’s winner Look To The Stars.
By Ghaiyyath out of Godolphin’s smart mare Tasaday (a daughter of Nayef) who has already produced a couple of smart winners in Manobo and Turgenev, Bin Jahwar looked another fine prospect when making a successful debut in a novice at Newmarket last month. Admittedly, he had only a couple of other newcomers to beat but he was imperious in the way he dealt with them, making the running and then quickening well clear though the final couple of furlongs to win by eight and a half lengths, earning the ‘large P’ on his rating as well as the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. Entered in the Royal Lodge and Futurity Trophy, Bin Jahwar has scope for plenty of improvement and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Elarak interesting back at seven furlongs
Newbury’s Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes over seven furlongs (16:07) looks a wide-open listed race but preference is for Charlie Hills’ gelding Elarak who has yet to win this season but holds very good claims stepping back up in trip.
He did well last year, winning three times and signing off his campaign with a dominant performance in a handicap at Newmarket, looking well suited by aggressive tactics dropping back to seven furlongs. It took Elarak a couple of runs to find his best form this year, but he ran with plenty of credit to finish placed in a couple of the top seven-furlongs handicaps of the summer.
After being beaten a neck by Mezcala in a huge field for the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Elarak produced another smart effort in the following month’s Bunbury Cup at Newmarket when beaten less than a length into third behind Aalto and Back In Black after being ridden more prominently than that pair. Elarak didn’t run badly dropped to six furlongs for the listed Hopeful Stakes when runner-up back at Newmarket last time, but back over the trip of those smart efforts in handicaps he’s capable of going one better, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
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