Straight From The Horses Mouth

Straight From The Horses’ Mouth

Godolphin

15:00 Newmarket – Modun 10/1

Modun seems in good form at the moment. I was a little concerned about the ground for him earlier in the week because he prefers good going but I think that it will be fine for him. He won a Group Three over a mile and a half last season and I am hopeful that he can run another nice race over this distance. - Saeed bin Suroor

Brian Meehan

RIGHT DIVINE (Epsom 8.30 p.m.) Redcar winner last year has yet to reproduce that form, but was off for four months before struggling in a strong Newmarket handicap in June. Down in class and should do much better with the effort behind him.

LETHAM COTTAGE (Folkestone 8.15 p.m.) Late-developing home-bred has yet to shine in four starts, but begins handicapping at a lowly level. He could well start his improvement from here, even though 6lb wrong at the weights.

YAZDI (Newmarket 1.20 p.m.) Easy Thirsk 12f maiden winner seemed to find the two miles of the Queen’s Vase at Ascot stretching his stamina. This reversal to 13f should be more suitable.

SMOOTHTALKINRASCAL (Newmarket 1.50 p.m.) Easy Leicester winner ran far better than his eighth place in the Norfolk Stakes might suggest. He was drawn on the far side, came across the course, finding trouble, yet was barely three lengths behind at the finish. The sixth furlong should suit, but this looks a strong renewal of this Group 2.

FLYWHEEL (Newmarket 3.35 p.m.) Teofilo filly is half-sister to seven winners, three of them smart (106-plus rated). She goes nicely at home, but will probably be better for the experience.

SUPERNOVA HEIGHTS (same race) Daughter of Oasis Dream is half-sister to the very smart 2010 juvenile Formasina, a Group 2 winner. She shows plenty of ability, and while, like Flywheel, she will learn from the outing, we would not be surprised if she were to run a big race.

WHIPPER’S BOY (Warwick 2.15 p.m.) Missed the break badly on his debut at Newmarket and was never involved thereafter. Home work since suggests he’ll be a different proposition now. Good chance.

Richard  Fahey
4:00 Newmarket – Gabrial 11/4

We'd been looking to find a nice easy race for Gabrial but that hasn't turned out to be the case. He runs in what looks to be a very good renewal of the Portland Place Properties Conditions Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday. I just hope it doesn't rain too much for him as he won very well at Haydock on quick ground and if got very soft on Thursday I'd be a bit worried. He's in great order though and we weren't going to run him before the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood but he needs more racing and he's in such good form we're coming here.

4:40 Newmarket – Jedward 14/1

Our other runner on Thursday is Jedward in the Egerton House Stables Handicap. More rain would suit her and she deserves to win a race but whether it will be one of this calibre I don't know. She ran well at York and okay at Chester the other day but I'm not sure how the draw will work out at Newmarket. It's a bit of a lottery race and if she was placed I'd be delighted.

Charlie Hills
2:25 Newmarket – Razorbill 8/1
Razorbill will probably take his chance in the opening 1m 2f handicap. We're hoping he could be progressive in this sphere and improve as the season goes on.
3:35 Newmarket – Anna Law and Tequila Sunrise SP
Anna Law(by Lawman, pictured on the nearside)  and the well bred Tequila Sunrise (by Dansili) both have entries in the fillies maiden. At the moment the thinking is Anna Law is the more likely of the two to run.

David Simcock
1:50 Newmarket – Birdman 12/1
 “Birdman is an improving horse and will head for the July Stakes on Thursday. He hasn't done a lot wrong so far and is ready for the step up in class.”
2:25 Newmarket - Ghost Protocol 25/1
“He performed well on his penultimate start but didn't run well at Ascot. He's rated 88 and there are not too many options for a horse like him.”

Dandy Nicholls
4:50 Doncaster – Fol Hollow 9/1
him and Adrian have become a force to be reckoned with in his grade

Ryan Moore

 Ryan Moore

13.20 Newmarket
Valiant
On official marks we have something to find with Ascot third Rewarded and Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Shantaram. Shantaram is a horse I like and I would be prepared to ignore his below-par maiden win here last time and make him the one to beat on his second to Main Sequence. But Valiant overcame greenness to win at Newbury on his debut for Joseph and then I got on him for his York handicap win off 86 last time. It wasn't at all easy there as I had to get after him from the start after he missed the kick - it didn't surprise me at all to be told he went to nearly 50-1 in running on Betfair - but he kept finding and in the end won well. I wouldn't want the ground to dry out too much for him, as he is clearly lazy and a bit of juice will probably always suit. But he is improving and the step up to 1m5f will be in his favour, being a Galileo. It is the step up in class that may be the problem, but he doesn't have that much to find. He could well develop into a Cup horse but this race will tell us more.
13.50 Newmarket
Gale Force Ten
This looks a hotter July Stakes than usual; in fact it as hot as I can remember one being. We have a Windsor Castle runner-up in Alhebayeb, a Coventry Stakes fourth in Sir Prancealot who is rated better than he showed there, and an arguably unlucky Norfolk Stakes 5th in Ahern. As well as Italian Group 3 winner Chilworth Icon, unexposed winners like Birdman and my mount Gale Force Ten. Along with Sir Prancealot, he probably comes into this race with the strongest piece of form on his ¾ length second to Reckless Abandon in the Norfolk - the winner is a good horse - and we know the step back up to 6f, over which he won at The Curragh, will suit. I obviously have a decent chance but this will clearly take a lot of winning.
14.25 Newmarket
Stature
As you would expect, this looks a red-hot handicap; historically, it is one of the toughest handicaps of the season to win. And when you are looking at any decent handicap this season your eyes are immediately drawn to the John Gosden runner. And Nabucco's defeat of Guarantee at Windsor last time was boosted when the runner-up won a decent Newbury maiden next time and he is certainly bred to be better than his mark of 88. I rode the sixth in that Windsor race and Nabucco looks well handicapped to me. But everyone else just has to get on with it! And my mount Stature did well to win at Windsor, the front two pulling clear of the third, and hopefully will go well under his 6lb penalty. But he may be running for a place at best here, with the likes of Greek War and Fennell Bay obvious dangers, too.
15.00 Newmarket
Fiorente
There is no getting away from it. As yet, Fiorente hasn't progressed as we would have hoped this season. And things don't get any easier in this company, with the likes of Red Cadeaux and Jakkalberry, horses I know well, in opposition. But he travelled well for a long way in the Hardwicke at Ascot last time and I wouldn't be in a rush to rule him out here as he is a horse with a lot of class and speed when things fall right for him. We run him without the cheekpieces he wore at Ascot. Red Cadeaux looks the one to beat here.
15.35 Newmarket
Three Choirs
I am probably on Richard's third string here, but they have won before. Not that many though, to be honest! I don't know much about the filly in truth but she will know her job. And while she is possibly bred to want more than 6f in time, she is related to juvenile winners. But this is a 20-runner Newmarket maiden with a handful in here who have already shown decent form, so she is obviously up against it first time out. Fleeting Smile will probably take a fair bit of beating.
16.05 Newmarket
Mister Music
I have ridden him a few times, for his maiden win and also when well beaten at Epsom last month. He didn't strike me as a particularly well handicapped horse at Epsom but he clearly likes softer ground than he had there and ran the race of his life when second to me on Fast Or Free in the Britannia next time. He was put up 5lb for that which makes handicaps very difficult, so he takes his chance in a conditions race here against horses stepping back from Group company, among them a horse in Gabrial who was only beaten four lengths in a Group 1 at Ascot. Will find this tough but is improving on the evidence of his Ascot run, has form on the July course, and 1m with cut in the ground is ideal.
16.40 Newmarket
Solemn
Have ridden him once before I think, but he looks a much improved horse these days on the evidence of his six length soft ground win at Sandown and he ran well off this higher mark when third at Salisbury last time. You have to suspect that the handicapper has caught up with him now, but conditions will suit and luck will play a big part here. Being drawn 12 of 20 at least gives me options.