Straight From The Trainers Mouth

 Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Brian Meehan

SHEARIAN (Thirsk 2.20 p.m.) Three disappointing runs were the prelude to a gelding operation. First-time blinkers are tried to bring improvement, which is needed even at this lowly level.
ARCHBISHOP (Goodwood 2.35 p.m.) Arch colt, unlucky at Newmarket, then ran easily his best race last time when runner-up in a Chantilly Group 3. This is a stronger race in the same category, but Archbishop has pleased us with his progress since and is a real contender.
ELUSIVITY (Goodwood 3.45 p.m.) Progressive sprinter gained an overdue and well-deserved success when winning readily at Newmarket. He loves to have a pace to run at and will be cutting down the speedsters late on. Great chance.
FREEPORT (Goodwood 4.20 p.m.) Steady progress has marked his three runs, and he was very strong late on at Salisbury. He starts handicapping on a fair mark and will be a serious contender in a tough nursery.
JUNIOR DIARY (Bath 6.00 p.m.) Her racecourse performances have yet to mirror the ability she has shown at home, but she gets her chance here in a trappy handicap. Should go well.
CHIEF INSPECTOR (Newmarket 6.20 p.m.) Kheleyf colt has shown plenty of ability at home, but like most of our newcomers, will benefit greatly from this outing. This is often very competitive and several stables with a good record in the race have representation.

Roger Varian

2:35 Aljamaaheer

We were keen to try Aljamaaheer over a mile following his good run in the Jersey. His homework has been good since and hopefully he can run well in what is a competitive race.

3:45 Beyond Desire

She has been as good as ever this year and gained a first Group 3 win in France on her penultimate start. Roger said: "She has had a short break since her last run and has been training nicely. A sharp five furlongs on quick ground are her optimum conditions and we are hoping for a good run

Michael Bell

2:35 Born To Surprise

takes his chance in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes. He has been in good form and should like the conditions which will be more to his liking providing they do not get too much rain.

Jeremy Noseda

2:15 Talwar

We are going to fit him with a visor and hope this brings him back to his best. He has plenty of ability but would like good ground

4:50 Regal Realm

Regal Realms won over the same course and distance last season and hopefully the ground will be fast. We are going to run her in cheek-pieces.

Richard Fahey

3:10 Sir Reginald 33/1

I'm pleased with the draw for Sir Reginald who races from seven in the Betfred Mile. He ran well the other day at Newmarket and needs to step up again. We hope and think he'll stay this trip and he could run well at a huge price - although running well here could easily mean finishing fourth or fifth.

4:20 Boom And Bloom

I'm very disappointed with Boom And Bloom's draw in the Telegraph Nursery . I'd have said she was one of my better chances of the week had she been racing from a lower stall. It's still not impossible from where she is but it does make it tougher. She won over five the other day which is her bare minimum, this is her trip seven furlongs, and we think she's well handicapped. She's tough and genuine and I'll make her my charity bet despite the draw worry.

4:50 Sioux Rising

Sioux Rising is in foal and if she could nick some more black typle in the Oak Tree Stakes we'd all be delighted but it's going to be very tough from stall 13.

Godolphin

2:00 Songcraft 10/3 and Dubai Prince 5/1

Mahmood Al Zarooni said: "Dubai Prince came out of York in good order and should appreciate the step back up to a mile and a half. Ahmed Ajtebi gets on well with the horse, who seems to enjoy racing in a smaller field, and I am hopeful of a decent run."

Saeed bin Suroor commented: "Songcraft worked nicely last week and I am very happy with him. The return to a mile and a half will be no problem and I am hopeful of another good run."

4:50 Gamilati 6/4 and Dysphonia 12/1

Mahmood Al Zarooni said: "Gamilati is in great order and I am looking forward to getting her back on a racecourse. "She enjoys fast ground and goes well fresh. I have been very happy with her preparation and I am looking forward to seeing how she gets on."

"Dysphonia has looked a better mare this year and she has improved physically compared to previously. "I think that seven furlongs is a nice trip for her and I am hopeful that she can improve on her run at Royal Ascot."

Dysphonia

Richard Hannon

2:35 Trumpet Major 7/1

Trumpet Major would have a big chance in the Thoroughbred Stakes on his Guineas fourth, and while he did not fire when we took him to Ireland, we have freshened him up and he has worked well since. He has that penalty to shoulder, but Olympic Glory did it, so we have to be hopeful and we have a decent draw.

2:35 Coup De Ville 14/1

We also run Coupe de Ville, who also ran a stormer in our Guineas. He has since run well twice in France, so he, too, could be in the mix.

3:10 Mister Music 22/1

Mister Music has a tough task in the Betfred Mile from the 17 stall, but he is a tough horse who ran a corker in the Britannia at Royal Ascot. Forget his last run at Newmarket, where the ground was far too testing.

4:20 Janoub Nibras 5/1

I'd also like to think that Janoub Nibras would have a chance in the nursery even with topweight. Hughesie liked his chance until he saw that he had the outside draw.

Luca Cumani

2:00 Quest For Peace 11/2

This isn’t the strongest renewal there has ever been with improving handicapper Gatewood likely to go off favourite but if Quest For Peace returns to the sort of form he was in first time out this year or even the Cumberland Lodge last year he is bound to be involved in the finish. We’ll keep a close eye on his performance here with a view to stepping him up in trip later in the year.

William Buick

GATEWOOD (2.00), who is three from three in handicaps this season and now takes a big step up in grade in the Group Three Glorious Stakes. On paper the job is a tough one because although he’s been raised from 98 to 104 after winning the Wolferton Handicap by a neck at Royal Ascot, that still leaves him with 12lb to find on Dubai Prince and eight on the other Godolphin runner, Songcraft - but I think he has the potential to do it for several reasons. First, I don’t know how good he is because he just does the job that’s needed, nothing flash but a real fighter. He didn’t get great passages at both Epsom and Ascot and although he won both by only a neck he did it with authority. Also, all his winning has been done at 10 furlongs and I’d be reasonably sure that the extra quarter mile at Goodwood will suit him as will the good ground. Look, I know how hard this is on paper but I’ve got real faith in Gatewood and everyone at Clarehaven will be rooting for him to win this and stake his claim to a place in the Melbourne Cup field in November.

GREGORIAN (2.35), on the other hand, is no stranger to group class this season and although he hasn’t yet won in that grade he’s proved himself one tough colt and can finally get his reward in the Group Three RSA Thoroughbred Stakes. He’s another who started by winning a handicap at Newbury in April and was then beaten half a length in the French Guineas. The move up to an extended 10 furlongs in their Derby didn’t seem to suit and he came back with a mighty effort at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes when he was a length third of 16 to Most Improved. Ryan rode him that day as I opted for The Nile and I was in Ireland for Izzi Top when Mickael Barzalona took over at Chantilly on July 1 when he was a length second in another group one, the Prix Jean Prat. That trip of a mile seems ideal for him now and so is good ground. Tactically he’s uncomplicated so I’d be hopeful of overcoming stall ten. But although this is a group three he’s got nothing in hand of Trumpet Major who’s also 114 and the other Hannon runner, Coup De Ville is 112. It’s also possible that Stipulate will be suited by coming back to a mile. This is going to be tough, but I know I’ve got a tough horse under me.

ORTENSIA (3.45) when she just couldn’t handle the heavy ground in the July Cup. Under those circumstances she did well to finish fourth and I’m pretty sure that the drop back to five furlongs for the Group Three King George V Stakes will play to her strengths on better ground. The faster pace shouldn’t be a problem because she came from behind to win a group one over this trip in Dubai in late March and had come late to win another in the same grade back home. She deserves a chance to make her mark in the northern hemisphere and if she shows she’s back to her old self here then there will be other races for her this month

A CERTAIN ROMANCE (4.20) for Peter Chapple-Hyam in the nursery which looks extremely hard to call. But I was impressed with the debut of my horse at Yarmouth when he was second to Rocky Ground and I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on that one getting beaten at Newmarket last Saturday because the firm-ish ground didn’t help him at all. Having said that, this looks a race where you could have five picks for the winner and still get it wrong but I do think the move up from six to seven furlongs will help A Certain Romance who isn’t badly drawn in six.

Ryan Moore

14:35 Goodwood - Tales Of Grimm

This is a horse I have always liked but he has had his fair share of problems since winning his maiden last August. Clearly, needs to improve a stone or more to even get competitive in this grade - and it is a very strong Group 3 - but I haven't given up on him just yet. Made a very encouraging debut when third to Cogito over a mile on fast ground in the Heron Stakes at Sandown in May and we then stepped him up in trip to 1m2f on softish ground at Royal Ascot. He ran a fair race to finish fifth to Energizer there but I think 1m on good ground may be his optimum conditions, and he will hopefully get them here. He has been working well and I think he is a good horse but he will need to be to even make the frame here. Fairly drawn in six though. I rode Gregorian to finish third in the St James's Palace Stakes and he looks the horse to beat on that Ascot form and his French runs, through Trumpet Major, who I partnered to win the Craven by five lengths, could be interesting if back to form after his Irish Guineas disappointment.

15:10 Goodwood - Johnny Castle

To be honest, I don't know much about the horse other what the form book tells me. What I do know is that he hasn't run since September and he is drawn 19 of 21 and those are not positives in a race of this competitive nature. On the plus side, one run aside, he looks to have been a very progressive horse last season. His defeat of Sirius Prospect at Newmarket in June was made to look very good by the runner-up subsequently and he rounded off the season with a decent third at Doncaster. Has since joined Amanda Perrett from John Gosden, changing hands for 60,000gns I see. All his best form has been over 7f but he ran well enough at Sandown over this trip at two.

15:45 Goodwood - Noble Storm

This looks a very open Group 2 and Ortensia could prove the one to beat back over 5f. Her Dubai form probably marks her out as the one to beat and better ground and a drop in trip will see her in a more favourable light than heavy ground did in the July Cup. Abbaye winner Tangerine Trees could also prove a leading contender, and hard to peg back from stall three, if coming back to form here. I ride Noble Storm and I think it is fair to say that he will be one of the outsiders. He was last of five at Newmarket recently but he is a course and distance winner and could be given a place chance if returning to his best form in 2011.

16:20 Goodwood - Mystical Moment

I haven't ridden the horse, so I don't know if a mark of 84 is fair or not for her Newmarket soft ground maiden win last time. But it looks ok and she did it well at Newmarket from an odds-on chance of Luca's, and she had earlier shaped well when finishing well in fifth in a maiden here over 6f. Clearly has chances. Richard hasn't had the best luck of the draw with some of his fancied horses this week and Janoub Nibras, a horse they like, has got 15 of 15 here.

16:50 Goodwood - Regal Realm

If Gamilati is in the same sort of form that she was in Dubai at the turn of the year - I was in behind when she won the UAE 1,000 Guineas very impressively in February - then she will take a lot of beating in this race. She looks to have a lot in hand of these rivals on that form, and maybe even a fair bit on her Cherry Hinton win. But obviously there is something of a question mark over her after a long lay-off. If she doesn't run up to her best, then this race is up for grabs. I ride Regal Realm, and she actually beat Gamilati on their respective debuts at Newmarket last May. She then went on to win the Prestige over course and distance. But she went off the boil, and it has to be said there wasn't much encouragement to be gleaned from her Nell Gwyn run in April. Let's hope she is back to her best today, but she probably only has an outside place chance on that.

17:25 Goodwood - Place In My Heart

Has run two solid races of late, and her second to Fulbright over 6f in the soft at Newmarket last time has been advertised by the winner since. Has form over the minimum trip and on faster ground, so I think she could be set to go well off just a 4lb higher mark than Newmarket.