ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN
Firstly, I suppose I need to apologise – No waffle, no chat, no opinion, and no podcast this week – I have “dared” (and trust me, it feels that way) to go on a short holiday to Spain in a vain attempt at recharging my batteries. I can’t pretend it has worked 100%, this is not a sport where you can walk away for an hour let alone a week, so I have watched a few dozen race replays, exchanged a thousand e-mails, and answered a hundred texts – but other than that, I have attempted to switch off. For that reason (and my inherent laziness, obviously), all I am offering up is three horses for Saturday as you will see below. Next week I will try to catch up, possibly with views on the merits of the Dante Stakes for example, plus any up to date news stories, but with old age creeping up on me like Jamie Spencer on a cover up horse, one week of won’t kill anybody, so I’ll be back in depth next weekend - enjoy.
Saturday’s Horses:
Newbury is one of my favourite tracks (Yes, I do have a few), and they invariably attract decent horses thanks to a fair track, decent ground, and a cheering crowd. I do accept that my first pick is thinking outside the box by some margin (so do reduce any stakes accordingly), but I will be watching the run of So Moonstruck with interest as he returns to the track after a very long layoff in the 1.50pm over a mile and a half. Formerly trained in Germany and thus likely to be ignored by British punters, he was only beaten a head on his last two starts, in a Group Two at Cologne and the Group One German Derby at Hamburg in June 2022. He has his first run dropped in grade for Owen Burrows this afternoon and his race fitness is a worry, but he is clearly held in high regard and could surprise at a double figure price.
We all expected to see the name Christopher Head next to French raider Big Rock for the Group One Lockinge Stakes, but that is no longer the case with the owner moving the horse to Maurizio Guarnieri at the end of April. He is officially rated 7lb superior to joint-favourite Inspiral, but only has to give the mare 3lb which makes him best in at the weights. There is a concern that he is yet to win on his seasonal debut unlike his market rival, but I am pretty confident his new handler will want him to be ready and show his owners they made the right decision. The winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day last year, and by six lengths, if he gets the cut in the ground he seems to need to give his best, he may put the home team firmly in their place.
For the last of our three bets this Saturday, word reaches me that Adrian Nicholls has a speedy filly on his hands who goes by the name of Maw Lam. A daughter of Acclamation out of a six-furlong Navan winner, she clearly looks the part having been bought for £100,000 as a yearling, and is reported to be showing plenty of zip in her recent work. There is always the lack of experience question that we cannot answer until after the race, but her trainer will have prepared her as well as any of the juveniles here, and at a half decent price I am still hopeful of a winning debut.
Sean’s Suggestion:
Big Rock 3.35pm Newbury
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