Straight From The Horses Mouth 21/7/12

More to be added tomorrow

Straight From The Horses’ Mouth

Roger Varian

2:35 Newmarket – Steps 4/1

Steps makes a quick return to action in a 5f handicap. He was third at York last week and he will bid to go two better on Saturday. Roger said: "Steps seemed to spur a winning opportunity at York last week but he seems in great form and a small field over five furlongs on softish ground are his ideal conditions. If he puts his best foot forward then he would have a decent chance
3:10 Newmarket – Ambivalent 8/1
The daughter of Authorized has won two of her three career starts including a handicap at Nottinham by five lenghts.She has been training nicely and Roger is looking forward to seeing her on the racetrack again. He said: "She won her handicap very easily and I feel she has come on for the run. It is a big step up in grade but she deserves to take her chance and hopefully she can run a solid race
3:55 Ascot – Eton Forever 10/1
The son of Oratorio won the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot over course and distance last time out and he has been in good form since that victory. Roger said: "Eton Forever is in great form. Obviously he has a lot of weight which will make life tough for him and he will have to improve to win again. "However, he won very well last time out and the trip, track and ground are all ideal for him."

Brian Meehan
MORTITIA (Newmarket 2.00 p.m.) Like many of our horses, Mortitia has been waiting for better ground and missed yet another planned engagement last week. She should encounter slightly faster conditions here and will have her chance in a tough handicap.
ON THE BIAS (Ripon 2.30 p.m.) Stormy Atlantic filly proved very green on her Newmarker debut. She will know more about it this time and could go well in what is sure to be an easier race.
YAZDI (Ripon 3.40 p.m.) Yazdi won his maiden here before failing in two much stronger (Group 3) races at Ascot and Newmarket. Top-weight in this three-year-old handicap will take plenty of carrying, but first-time blinkers could bring improvement.
TITLED GENT (Newmarket 4.25 p.m.) Son of Kheleyf has been going well on the home gallops but is very likely to benefit greatly from this experience.
CATHEDRAL (Newmarket 5.00 p.m.) Denied late at Ripon where his stamina might have been stretched by a fast-run mile, Cathedral drops a furlong with excellent chances in a tricky maiden.

Jeremy Noseda
3:10 Newmarket – Elas Diamond 13/2
Elas Diamond will have her first start in 21 months when she tackles the Listed Newsells Park Stud Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow. The daughter of Danehill Dancer showewd plewnty of promise at two, winning a maiden by 12 lengths at Nottingham on her second start before finishing runner-up in Listed company to Blue Bunting, victorious in the 2011 1000 Guineas . Sadly for connections,Elas Diamond fell very ill in the spring of 2011 that ruled her out for the whole of last season. Trainer Jeremy Noseda has been very patient with her this year and hopefully that can be rewarded over the coming months. He said: “Elas Diamond is a filly that I really liked as a two-year-old and I felt that, as a three-year-old, she had a chance of making up into an Oaks filly. “Sadly, she got very sick and we were forced to have the year off. We have taken all the time in the world bringing her back and she is pleasing me at home, although she is not an extravagant worker."I'm sure that she will need the race and I'm a bit concerned about the ground. Ideally, she would be suited by fast ground and she still has to prove that she stays the mile and a half trip, although I believe that she will.” Jamie Spencer will partner Elas Diamond who is set face 10 rivals in the contest for fillies and mares.

Richard Fahey
1:35 Ascot – My Boy Jack 13/2 & Viva Ronaldo 25/1

Our Boy Jack is in great form and he goes down to Ascot for the Longines Handicap. He's a three-year-old taking on the older horses but if they go a good gallop and things fall right he could run a very big race. We also run Viva Ronaldo in that race. He has two ways of running and they'll need to go a good gallop as he is best hunting in the middle of a pack of horses. If he sees too much daylight he travels too well and doesn't come home. You'll know you're fate after a couple of furlongs but if he has plenty of cover he could run a nice race at a big price for all the handicapper has probably got him.

2:00 Nemwarket – Coolminx 12/1

She usually starts coming to herself at this time of the year and ran a little better the last day. She loves soft ground and is going to pop up one of these days and hopefully it will be this time.

3:45 Newmarket – Kyllachy Star 9/1

Kyllachy Star ran better than his finishing position suggests at Sandown last time and he's down at Newmarket for the Get Your Bet On At Blue Square Handicap. The quicker the gallop they go the better and he's running in good races all the time but he's going to pop up one of these days. He'll love the soft ground and hopefully today is the day as he's my Sky Bet charity bet.

3:55 Ascot – Brae Hill 22/1, Justonefortheroad 40/1 and Castles In The Air 33/1

We've three runners in the Betfair Summer Double International Stakes at Ascot. Brae Hill has been a star for us all year, he keeps running well even though he hasn't anything in hand of the handicapper. He won a Lincoln, finished fourth in the Victoria Cup and will give another good account of himself. We're claiming off Castles In The Air with Raul Da Silva. The horse is in good form but the handicapper has him by the throat. That said he could run well in a race like this, dropped in and getting plenty of cover. You can forget his last run, he ran into all sorts of trouble at Royal Ascot, and if they go a gallop and he settles here he wouldn't be without a chance. Justonefortheroad is in the form of his life. He won his first three races and shot up the handicap and has been shown no respite since. He'll need a career best to win this but as I say he's never been better at home.

7:00 Haydock – Cosmic Moon 7/1

Cosmic Moon ran in an amateur race last time and he's at Haydock for the 32RedPoker.com Handicap. She should nearly have won the last day but has taken that race well, is in good form and should run well.

8:15 Lingfield – Munsarim SP

Munsarim was claimed by his owners and he runs in the Porto Racing Claiming Stakes at Lingfield. He's been a little disappointing and can hang a bit, but he'd be capable of winning this at his best. He's working well.

Michael Attwater

3:55 Ascot – Bronze Prince 33/1

Ascot’s ground was perfect on Friday and if the rain stays away and it the ground not going the other way as in too quick I could see Bronze Prince running a big race in the big 7 furlong handicap at 3:55. Jim Crowley just needs to hold on to him early on and settle and if he does that then hopefully we a repeat of his success in the race last year.

Hayley Turner

2:00 Newmarket – Bouncy Bouncy 15/2

I ride my old favourite Bouncy Bouncy in the opening handicap over six furlongs. Again, she’ll love the ground and she’s an ultra-consistent filly, who thrives on her racing. Unfortunately she’s been creeping up the weights as a result, but will run her usual honest race.

3:10 Newmarket – Set To Music 4/1

I am looking forward to getting on Set To Music again as I haven’t ridden her since we won at Nottingham a year ago. She’s since gone on to win the Listed Warwickshire Oaks, and was then third in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock a fortnight ago.
She’s back down to Listed company in the Newsells Park Stud Stakes at Newmarket and we know she’s up to winning at this level, and she will love the ground. In fact, I must be the only one hoping for rain this weekend! She’s got to have a chance although Bible Belt may prove tough to beat. She boasts some great form, having finished second to Dancing Rain on QIPCO Champions Day.

Ryan Moore

14:10 - Verdane

A few people may remember his winning debut as he hurdled the winning line at Salisbury. That victory may have come at 50-1 but there didn't look to be any fluke about it when I watched the race, and he actually looked to have a fair bit in hand there. The runner-up Echion didn't do a great deal for the form at Newmarket last week but, on the plus side, the third easily won a Chester nursery off 74 last week. The bare form is probably inferior to that of Arthurs Secret's wide-margin Beverley win and Gimcrack entry Toronado's Newbury victory, but after one run you never know how horses will progress. But I must admit Toronado potentially looked a Group horse at Newbury and is clearly the one to beat here.

14:45 - Chil The Kite

Is another Notnowcato to have won recently - that sire, on whom I won the 2007 Eclipse, is having a fairly good season with the likes of Fast Or Free and Last Shadow and his progeny like soft ground - and I quite the chances of Chil The Kite here. He may be up 6lb for his Doncaster win last time, but the form is working out ok and I liked the manner in which he quickened up for me at Doncaster. I would hope there is more to come and a straight mile here will be right up his street. Has winning form with cut in the ground, too.

15:20 - Carlton House
This is the first time he has raced over 1m since winning at Newbury as a two-year-old, but he certainly doesn't lack pace. In fact, I have suspected for a while that this trip could be his optimum. I'll be honest and say that I will be very disappointed if he is beaten here. In fact, I would have swapped all my winning rides and the jockeys title at Royal Ascot for a win on him in the Prince of Wales's. But he got outstayed by So You Think after quickening up really well to challenge at the furlong pole. That form makes him the one to beat and I don't see any reason why he won't run to that level over a mile. If he does, then he will prove very hard to beat because this doesn't look the strongest of Group 2s. Tullius is improving and Questioning had some good form earlier in the season, but they shouldn't be good enough if I run my race.
15:55 - Bonnie Brae
Had her optimum conditions in the Bunbury Cup last week, and she will probably get similar conditions here. And with only a 3lb penalty for that convincing two length win at Newmarket, she is handicapped to go very close again. But, with 28 rivals, this will take more winning and you always have to be worried about a horse's ability to reproduce their form just over a week after a hard-fought win on bad ground. But if she is in the same mood, then she clearly has each way claims.

16:35 Sea Moon
There are seven Group 1 winners in the race. Ignore the pacemaker Robin Hood and that leaves you with last season's 6 length King George V handicap course and distance winner/St Leger runner-up Brown Panther and my mount Sea Moon, three-quarter length winner of an above-average Hardwicke last time.
So that gives you some idea of the depth to this race. It will take a hell of a lot of winning.
And I had a look at the prize money the horses in here have collectively won, too. I can't readily recall a race where the runners have accumulated so much earnings between them.
But what I can definitely tell you is that I have rarely looked forward to a race more, and I think Sea Moon goes into the race with strong claims.
17:10 - Gospel Choir
I haven't ridden him in his two starts but he shaped well on his debut at Newmarket last season and got up close home to win a Salisbury maiden over 1m2f this month. The latter run suggests that this trip should suit him, and he is bred to be decent, being by Galileo out of a Pretty Polly winner. My main concern - apart from the opposition, some of whom are equally unexposed like Sun Central, who impressed me at Chester - is an opening mark of 84, as the handicapper doesn't look to have taken too many chances there, does he? And I just wonder whether he is mature enough to handle 1m4f around Ascot on his third start. But he is lightly-raced, is going forward and promises to improve for the step up in distance, so let's see.


Roger Charlton

3:10 Newmarket - Inchina 16/1
On all known form she faces a pretty difficult task but she should like the ground and it would be a major result should she manage to be placed. It is a strong contest with several fillies rated 7 and 10 lengths better than her.

5:00 Newmarket - Dawn Gory 10/1
Dawn Glory runs in the 7 furlong maiden race at 5.00pm. She is an attractive filly by Oasis Dream from a good family and her work has improved recently but the dimension of soft ground is a complete unknown.

 5:10 Ascot - Moidore 8/1
Moidore runs for Her Majesty the Queen this afternoon at Ascot in the mile and a half three year old handicap at 5.10pm. His owner will be at the races today to watch Carlton House hopefully win the Summer Mile and it would be a great double for her if Moidore could win.  When he won his last race at Newbury he showed plenty of guts and determination from the front but it was a weak race and he has been raised 5lb by the handicapper.


Nigel Twiston-Davie' Head Lad Sparky

Cartmel Runners

 
2.25 - Foundry Square was due to run at the abandoned Worcester meeting during the week and this field here looks arguably more competitive. However, this three time point winner from his last four points made a pleasing rules debut when second at Newton Abbot and usual progress should see him in with a real chance here especially upped in trip by 5f to 2m 6f. Certainly place prospects, but we would hope for better.
3.00 - Kilvergan Boy has had a bit of a break for 3 1/2 months but returns in good order. Two wins, five seconds, a third and a fourth in his last nine outings tells its own story. Very consistent in this class and over this trip he is also a course winner on soft ground, so with all this in his favour he should have every chance again.
3.35 - Civil Servant ran ten days ago at Worcester finishing fourth and Sam did well getting him to finish that close as he was a little difficult that day. This type of track may help to restore some enthusiasm and this could see him show some improvement. Place prospects again.
4.10 - Moulin De La Croix walked over at Worcester ten days ago in the "prize money protest" race and looks to be in with an excellent chance of winning here receiving weight from all but two former N T-D inmates. A good run can be expected.
5.25 - Royal Riviera is on a hat-trick following good wins at Hereford and Ffos Las but up a further nine pounds since the latter and 16lbs since the former, may just see the rise take it's toll. Nevertheless, he is clearly improving and with this trip likely to be his optimum we still have to be hopeful of at least going close.
5.55 - Desolait seems to have come to himself of late with a win and runners up berth, the latter having been raised 7lbs for the Hexham win. This sees him return to that trip having been upped last time but with those last runs being on heavy ground today's soft should also help him. Hopefully another win for The Hollow Partnership!


Lucinda Russell

Cartmel
3:00  - Copper's Gold 11/2
Coppers Gold has been thriving since his comeback second place at Hexham last time and any drying of the ground will help his cause.
3:35 Fog Patches 5/2
Fog Patches (pictured) won well last time and justifiably went up 9lbs in the handicap. We thus use Steven Fox to take off 7lb with his claim. Steven has been busy riding in Ireland for the past week, though this will be his first ride as a conditional for us.
5:25  - Degas Art 16/1
Finally Degas Art, who has been trained at Kilduff for the past few weeks, is looking for a confidence boost in the handicap hurdle. Cartmel has put up good prize money for this race and has been accordingly rewarded by a decent field.

Fog Patches