Weatherbys Super Sprint preview and early Value Bet shortlist
By Matt Brocklebank
10:39 · TUE July 18, 2023
Matt Brocklebank takes an early look at Saturday's Weatherbys Super Sprint and highlights the three horses on his radar for Newbury.
Been there before with Millman in the Super Sprint
Relief Rally sets a hot standard in the 2023 Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury, her campaign to this point seemingly geared towards a tilt at Saturday's valuable prize.
Anthony Bromley, representing owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, revealed after the Queen Mary that she’d been specifically aimed at the Salisbury race the time before in a bid to avoid a penalty for the Super Sprint, and while her agonizing Royal Ascot defeat to Crimson Advocate no doubt felt like a hefty blow at the time, it does mean she’s still able to line up this weekend running off 9st.
Now officially rated 106, William Haggas’ Kodiac filly has both proven class and speed, plus the requisite experience, for this sort of test, but she’s also priced up very defensively at 5/2 (as short as 6/4) and the likes of Maria Branwell (100), Chipotle (105), Vintage Clarets (103) and Ventura Rebel (107) have all been beaten at skinny odds in recent years despite coming into it with triple-figure BHA ratings.
Bobsleigh, representing the same connections at Chipotle (Eve Johnson Houghton/The Woodway 20), was sixth in the Coventry Stakes when last seen having won his first two starts at Brighton (maiden) and Epsom (Woodcote Stakes) and is another very obvious form horse, while the same stable also has the option of running lightly-weighted filly Juniper Berries, who was just behind Relief Rally when fourth in the Queen Mary.
Elsewhere, Charlie Hills has two faintly interesting potential runners at massive prices in the unraced Robbo, who missed his intended debut at Windsor at the end of May due to a vet’s certificate, and Call Glory, who has changed hands since bolting up in a valuable Goodwood seller for Jack Channon on June 11.
However, I’ve narrowed the shortlist down to three at current odds and the first is Rod Millman’s Beenham (25/1, William Hill).
Millman won the race in 2019 with Bettys Hope who was having her sixth start and completing a hat-trick on the day and although this filly is relatively inexperienced, I loved her novice win on an easy surface second time out at Goodwood in early-May.
That came on the back of an encouraging debut third at Bath the previous month and I’m willing to forgive her the subsequent disappointment when never a factor in York’s Marygate. The fast five furlongs on good to firm ground just caught her out on that occasion, her stall nine of nine draw not exactly helping given the winner made all from one, and they’ve had plenty of time to freshen her up for this if it is indeed the intention to run.
The Goodwood form isn’t on a par with those who went to the Royal meeting but it’s not bad by any stretch, the third and fifth (Call Glory) winning since and the fourth tried in Group company in France albeit without much joy.
Beenham is highly likely to stay further than the minimum trip in time the majority of Super Sprint winners end up running over – and improving for – further by the end of the season (the last five certainly have) so possessing a bit of stamina isn’t a bad thing on such a galloping track.
Take aim and fire with Amo runner?
The other Goodwood winner with a similar profile to Beenham and could also be worth excusing a poor last-time-out effort is Richard Hannon’s La Guarida (20/1, Coral).
Hannon has left seven in the race the yard has dominated over the year but it’s quite noteworthy to see that La Guarida is the sole Amo Racing horse engaged as there can’t have been a shortage to pick from given their strength in depth when it comes to juveniles.
La Guarida was another to win second time out before bombing out when last seen but I can excuse her the Albany no-show as she lost ground when ducking left at the start, which merely pounded the fast she was drawn right on the wing.
WATCH: La Guarida wins on second start at Goodwood:
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She was clearly not on her game right from the outset (reportedly played up in the pre-parade too) and is far better judged on the six-furlong maiden win when good at the start and prominent throughout.
The second, third and fourth from that event all won on their next starts to give the form a very solid look and she had it won by the furlong marker which makes me think she might be able to cope with this first try over five furlongs.
Her sire New Bay is better known for producing milers and the dam wasn’t exactly precocious (failed to win) but this filly has inherited plenty of pace from somewhere along the line as she’d also displayed plenty of dash when leading for much of the way on her Newmarket debut in May. The standout 20/1 looks a bit off the mark to me.
Teal could have fly in the ointment
Kieran Cotter’s Son Of Corballis will surely go well if travelling given his low weight and high-class form in Ireland, but he bombed out when brought over to Sandown for the National Stakes so that would temper enthusiasm slightly.
It’s rare for anything to win the Super Sprint on the back of just the one run but Gubbass pulled it off just a couple of years ago and final word has to go to Rosario (20/1, General).
A 36,000 euro yearling, he was resold for 20,000 guineas at the Book 3 sale last October and was gelded before appearing on the track late last month. Sent off an easy-to-back 11/1, he became Roger Teal’s first two-year-old winner of the season which gives the distinct impression he could improve quite considerably for the experience.
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He had the stands’ side rail to help at Ffos Las but travelled quite stylishly and looked to win with any amount in hand from 2/1 favourite Heed The Call, who has since justified a short-price when going one better in a three-runner Hamilton novice.
Rosario has obviously got plenty about him and might be the sort to outrun his odds if the market leaders don’t quite deliver this weekend.
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