John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Beckett’s Squadron a likely type for winning debut
‘Hot Trainer’ Ralph Beckett has won with four of his twelve two-year-old newcomers this season, including Undiscovered who was successful at Salisbury earlier this month, and Beckett can strike again at his local track with debutant Squadron in the seven-furlong maiden (14:07).
Galipi is the only one of the three with experience to have shown any promise, but he doesn’t set the bar too high from his third at Ffos Las which suggests this can go to a newcomer and Juddmonte colt Squadron is the one who makes most appeal.
By Frankel, Squadron is the first foal to race out of his smart dam Juliet Foxtrot who earned a Timeform rating of 117. She didn’t look out of the ordinary at two or three but really came into her own once sent to Brad Cox in the USA, ending up a Grade 1 winner at the age of six in the Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland. Beckett has had success with the family before as he trained Juliet Bravo’s useful close relative Juliet Sierra who was a winner at Salisbury herself in the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes.
Bethell and Tudhope with double chances at Musselburgh
Ed Bethell sends a couple of runners from his Middleham base to Musselburgh, and both look to have strong chances topping the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in their respective races, both ridden by Danny Tudhope.
The progressive three-year-old Haayimm stands out against mostly much more exposed rivals in the nine-furlong handicap (15:00). Gelded after his sole start at two, he was a different proposition on his reappearance in a maiden at Pontefract when causing an upset against the long odds-on favourite Arabian Desert who had been second in the Horris Hill Stakes. Haayimm improved again when beaten a neck by the useful Conclave in a novice at Hamilton last month, shaping as though he’ll appreciate the extra furlong here. Open to further improvement, he looks the one to beat.
An hour later, Native Instinct looks interesting off a career low mark of 73 in a handicap over seven furlongs (16:00). He was placed from BHA marks in the 80s last summer and his reappearance effort, when second over a mile at Hamilton which looked to stretch his stamina, suggests he has a race in him off this sort of mark. He fared less well at Carlisle last time but that run can be excused as he raced closer to the pace than ideal.
Chally Chute going for Roscommon repeat
Chally Chute caused one of the shocks of the season in Ireland last year when winning the Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon at odds of 125/1, but he won’t be anything like that price in this year’s renewal of the listed race (20:00) which is the track’s flagship contest.
That was Chally Chute’s first start for Ross O’Sullivan after eight months off, but far from proving a fluke, Chally Chute confirmed himself an improved performer in his subsequent starts last season. He very nearly pulled off another shock win when next seen as he was beaten only half a length at odds of 66/1 in the Irish Cesarewitch, giving plenty of weight to the winner Puturhandstogether. But he was given more respect in the market in the Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh on his final start last year, winning that Group 3 contest as the 11/8 favourite.
Chally Chute goes into this year’s Lenebane Stakes with the benefit of a run under his belt as he closed all the way to the line to be beaten half a length by Layfayette in a similar event at Limerick ten days ago, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. Typically for a son of Fast Company, Chally Chute goes particularly well in the mud, so any rain will be a big help to his chances.
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