Weekend panel including tips for Goodwood, Sandown and the Curragh

Do you fancy Zavateri to back up quickly from York and win the Celebration Mile at Goodwood?

Matt Brocklebank: This feels like a big ask to me. Not just the quick turnaround after running at York last week, but he’s yet to prove he can be classed as being among the top three-year-old milers having finished second in the Greenham and fifth in the Sussex Stakes on his return from a layoff. Eve Johnson Houghton’s horse just looks a shade vulnerable to some of the wily older horses in this line-up, the likes of Seagulls Eleven, Boiling Point and last year’s surprise Sussex winner Qirat hardly pushovers at this level.

Ben Linfoot: Three-year-olds have won the last couple of renewals of the Celebration Mile and as the sole representative from the Classic generation I’m not surprised to see Zavateri dominating the betting. He looks just the type to take advantage of the 6lb he gets on the weight-for-age and after a couple of very tough assignments this drop in class backing up quickly looks a smart move. I didn’t think he had that hard a race at York and if the short turnaround is the only negative he’s probably worth chancing.

Andrew Asquith: The return to a mile will definitely suit Zavateri and he goes well at this track having won the Vintage Stakes last season and he arguably produced a career-best effort in the Sussex Stakes two starts ago. Three-year-olds have won the last two renewals of this race, too, so that is another tick in his box and, with the older horses all much of a muchness, he would be the narrow preference for me for all he probably wouldn’t want too much rain to arrive (has won on good to soft).

Are you for or against Rock Montreal in the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown?

AA: I’d be with him yes. Rock Montreal made a big impression on his debut at Yarmouth a couple of weeks ago, and it’s no surprise he’s at the head of the market given connections and his price tag. His entries also suggest he’s held in high regard, having the Dewhurst as an option later in the season, and it would be no surprise if he took this quick step up in grade in his stride. Rock Montreal is the only horse in the field with the Timeform Large P, signifying he’s open to considerable progress, and it is interesting that Roger Varian turns him out so quickly at this level.

MB: How do you pick holes in a well-bred colt from a top yard with a good draw on the back of a striking debut success, which was hardly a surprise for connections seeing as he went off the 2/5 favourite under Ray Dawson. Godolphin's main man William Buick comes in for the ride here to top it all off and, other than a likely skinny price, I see no obvious reason to be trying to take him on.

BL: He’s clearly got bags of potential but there’s only one problem – it’s well factored into his price. His reputation precedes him and while that won’t stop him winning if he’s good enough, those skinny odds do put me off in a race where several of them have the capacity to improve.

Can Great Barrier Reef defy his Group 2 penalty in the Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh?

BL: It worries me that he keeps on missing engagements. We haven’t seen him since the Coventry Stakes and he was taken out of the Prix Morny late again at Deauville last week in preference of going to the Curragh. His Coventry form hasn’t worked out that well and while he did well to win from his draw he’s not one I’d put maximum faith in until we see him run again.

AA: I think so yes. The form of his win in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot hasn’t worked out badly in my view and this is a race Aidan O’Brien has a good record in, winning it six times in the last 10 years, including the last two renewals. He’s been freshened up following three relatively quick runs earlier in the year and, while it won’t be easy to concede 5lb all round, he’s one of the highest rated two-year-olds in training by Timeform, and is just the sort to go on progressing.

MB: Good question, as the penalty looks a very decent leveller here, Aidan O’Brien’s colt forced to concede weight all round and up to 8lb to Ger Lyons’ progressive Bated Breath filly, Livenka, who has to be considered a realistic danger with the promise of so much more to come. Velozee has Group 1 form in the book following her good third to Sun Goddess in the Phoenix and she receives the same amount, while Curragh maiden winner Push The Boat Out shouldn’t be underestimated either. On balance, I’d probably rather have the rest of the field running for me than lump on the Ballydoyle juvenile who hasn’t been seen for 70-odd days.

Who do you fancy in the Irish Cambridgeshire?

AA: The Irish Cambridgeshire is sure to be run at a fierce tempo and that will suit the progressive Loughrea, who opened his account over this course and distance before following up on handicap debut in a small field at Leopardstown last month. This bigger field in a strongly-run race will allow him to settle better than he did on that occasion and a subsequent 5lb rise for his last win isn’t excessive given he did well to win that day having pulled hard early.

MB: I fancy Pierre Royal to return to winning ways in this. Galway was evidently the plan for this horse after his striking Curragh win second time out for new connections at the Curragh in June but he didn’t get the rub of the green in the BMW Mile or the Ahonoora dropped back to seven furlongs just a few days later. He still looked on fine terms with himself, though, and has only been nudged up a couple of pounds in the weights so I wouldn’t be surprised if this Moyglare Stud cast-off has something up his sleeve from a handicapping point of view.

BL: I like Rahmi for Johnny Murtagh. He’s come down 15lb in the weights since he was sixth on Champions Day at Ascot last year and after a series of dull performances he suddenly bounced back to form at Gowran last time out and that suggests he can capitalise off his falling mark. With the forecast rain in his favour and Rory Mulligan taking off another 5lb, he appeals as an each-way bet with the fact he won around this time last year on Irish Champions Weekend also in the back of my mind.

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