 Expert - Bill Esdaile | |
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| Bill Esdaile has worked in racing journalism in the United Kingdom for over 20 years. He began his working career at the Sporting Life back in 1995, and has since worked for the Racing Post, The Sportsman, and is currently racing editor of London-based City AM. He is a keen form student, and will bring a unique insight into the major European races. | |
Expert Column for Sun Chariot Stakes Day (S2) (Bill Esdaile)
S2-1 3yo+ Fillies & Mares 0-105 Handicap
WHISPERING WORDS enters handicap company and steps up to 2,000m for the first time. Charlie Appleby’s filly has looked to be crying out for this trip on her three starts to date, and on pedigree it should suit her. She was last seen staying on well to finish a narrow second over 1,600m at Kempton and before that finished best of all to win a novice over the same trip at Newmarket’s July Course, form that has worked out well since. Ryan Moore is an interesting jockey booking for the stable and they have a good record when teaming up. There’s every chance WHISPERING WORDS could prove better than her opening handicap mark.
Another filly making her handicap debut is the Roger Varian-trained RED DANIELLE. In four starts to date she has shown plenty of promise, finishing second twice before easily getting off the mark when winning by 11 lengths in a small field novice at Yarmouth over 2,021m. Her penultimate run, when a half-length second at Newbury over 2,000m, now looks like very good form as the winner has since gone on a second at G3 level. She’s shown that she stays this trip well and can handle a range of ground, so has more to recommend her than most.
LADY ALARA ran as though this step up to 2,000m might suit her when appearing to get outpaced before staying on again over 1,600m at Newmarket last time. Prior to that she had been a good winner at Ascot over 1,600m and despite another small rise in the weights since her last run, she might still have a bit in hand of the handicapper.
MADAME AMBASSADOR has had more racing than many of her rivals after 21 starts, but has excellent course form, with two wins from two starts on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket. She made all the running to win here last time over 2,000m, stretching four lengths clear of her rivals. It will take more to dominate this field, though, especially off top weight, and she may find a few of her lesser exposed rivals better handicapped.
TOTNES ran into a progressive rival last time out at Newbury over 2,000m, but it was a performance that signalled Andrew Balding’s filly was still in good form. The heavy ground may not have been ideal for her there and now back on a better surface, she should be capable of another good run.
SELECTIONS: 7. WHISPERING WORDS, 6. RED DANIELLE, 2. LADY ALARA, 1. MADAME AMBASSADOR & 5. TOTNES
1ST DOUBLE SELECTIONS (4 unit bets):
S2-1: Multiple – 7. WHISPERING WORDS & 6. RED DANIELLE
S2-2: Multiple – 2. ZOULU CHIEF & 10. WOODHAY WONDER
S2-2 2yo Allowance
In juvenile allowance races like this 1,200m event, it’s often best to stick with the highest rated runner.
That happens to be ZOULU CHIEF, who was thought good enough to contest the G2 Coventry Stakes over 1,200m in June following an impressive maiden win at Newbury over 1,200m. That proved a bridge too far, but the Heather Main-trained runner has won on his last two starts since, first at Windsor and then in a competitive nursery handicap at York over 1,200m. All three of the horses that finished in behind have since won, with the runner-up successful in G3 company, so it looks like very strong form and should mean ZOULOU CHIEF is hard to beat here.
WOODHAY WONDER has also achieved plenty in four starts to date, winning twice including in a valuable race last time. Between those runs, she was far from disgraced in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes over 1,200m at Newmarket (July Course) in July. She comes out third on the figures and is entitled to plenty of respect.
The Edward Bethell-trained RICH GLORY has only had three starts to date and on the second of those he managed to win at Nottingham over 1,216m, before failing to follow up under a penalty in what looked a strong novice event at Carlisle over 1,165m in July. He’s been given a break since and if coming on again, he looks to have the ability to be involved in the shake up.
DRAMA is another contender that comes here after three runs and one win. James Ferguson’s colt won well on his second start at Windsor over 1,211m, beating INVINCIBLE AURA into second. He failed to run up to form on his last start at Newmarket (July Course) over 1,200m when attempting to make all the running in a race won by WOODHEY WONDER. That was run in torrential rain which had an effect on the ground, so it may be worth forgiving that effort.
INVINCIBLE AURA is still a maiden after four starts but there have been plenty of signs that his time to win could be close, including when narrowly losing out in a sustained battle with a progressive rival in handicap company at Pontefract over 1,200m last time. The application of a first-time tongue tie might help bring about a bit more improvement from Marco Botti’s runner and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him involved in the finish.
SELECTIONS: 2. ZOULU CHIEF, 10. WOODHAY WONDER, 8. RICH GLORY, 11. DRAMA & 13. INVINCIBLE AURA
2ND DOUBLE SELECTIONS (4 unit bets):
S2-2: Multiple – 2. ZOULU CHIEF & 10. WOODHAY WONDER
S2-3: Multiple – 2. VERA VERTO & 1. CLOUDBREAKER
TREBLE SELECTIONS (27 unit bets):
S2-2: Multiple – 2. ZOULU CHIEF, 10. WOODHAY WONDER & 8. RICH GLORY
S2-3: Multiple – 2. VERA VERTO, 1. CLOUDBREAKER & 4. QUEEN EMMA
S2-4: Multiple – 3. INSPIRAL, 8. MEDITATE & 4. MQSE DE SEVIGNE
S2-3 3yo+ Fillies & Mares 0-105 Handicap
A competitive fillies and mares handicap over 2,400m, with the majority of the field looking evenly matched on ratings. Irish raider VERA VERTO is an interesting contender on the back of her five-length victory at Listowel over 2,400m last time. It was some performance to lead from start to finish in testing ground and while she’s up in the weights, she’s still very well-handicapped.
Frankie Dettori is a very interesting jockey booking on William Haggas’ QUEEN EMMA. The Italian jockey doesn’t ride for Haggas all that often but the strike rate is not bad, so they are a partnership to be respected. QUEEN EMMA could easily be much better than her current mark, particularly as she comes into this race in good form having won two of her last three. Those came at Lingfield over 2,400m and Goodwood over 2,398m and she was only just touched off at Doncaster last time over 2,379m. That looked a pretty hot race and there should be more to come.
This is LONG AGO’s first try in handicap company and she should find it easier than the Listed Lyric Fillies’ Stakes over 2,051m she ran in last time. She won two novice races over 2,000m and 2,045m at Chelmsford and Nottingham previously and on pedigree she should have no issues with the extra 400m here. Sir Michael Stoute is a master at improving these sorts of horses, and she has to be respected given she could easily be way better than her opening handicap mark.
CLOUDBREAKER is another who steps back into handicap company having run in a Listed race last time. She was soundly beaten by NOVAKAI in the Listed Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes over 2,400m, but had plenty of talented fillies behind her, so the form looks solid. She was also a close fourth in the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial Stakes over 2,000m at Newbury earlier in the season, so back in calmer waters, she might have too much class for her rivals.
Given the form DIVINA GRACE is in she has to be considered. She’s won her last two at Bath over 2,325m and Newmarket over 2,400m and was probably better value than the winning margins have suggested. Subsequent rises in the weights make her life tougher, but she’s a progressive type.
SELECTIONS: 2. VERA VERTO, 1. CLOUDBREAKER, 4. QUEEN EMMA, 3. LONG AGO & 5. DIVINA GRACE
3RD DOUBLE SELECTIONS (4 unit bets):
S2-3: Multiple – 2. VERA VERTO & 1. CLOUDBREAKER
S2-4: Multiple – 3. INSPIRAL & 8. MEDITATE
S2-4 Sun Chariot Stakes
Even though the 1,600m G1 Sun Chariot Stakes hasn’t completely eluded Frankie Dettori, you have to go back to 1992 for his sole win in the race. This year, however, the retiring jockey has a very solid chance of signing off with another, as he rides short-price favourite INSPIRAL. Back to her best to land her second straight G1 Prix Jacques le Marios over 1,600m at Deauville in August, the John & Thady Gosden-trained daughter of FRANKEL is hard to oppose.
On ratings, French raider MQSE DE SEVIGNE looks her biggest danger. After a largely disappointing 3YO campaign, the SIYOUNI filly has been in fine form this season, scoring back-to-back G1s and not finishing outside of the first two in five starts. She beat high-class British filly VIA SISTINA over 2,000m on heavy ground in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet last time out and also had enough class to win over 1,600m in the G1 Prix Rothschild before that. She deserves her place in another G1, but the likely quicker ground is a worry.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained MEDITATE has had a quiet second half of the season so far and could be a filly to keep on side as autumn approaches. She was asked to make up a lot of ground when eventually finishing fourth in the G1 1,600m Matron Stakes last time and can be expected to take a step forward given it came after a break. Before that, she finished down the field in the G1 Prix Jean Prat over 1,400m but was bumped when leaving the stalls so that run may be best ignored. Though versatile in terms of ground, her best efforts have come on a quicker surface over this 1,600m trip, so conditions should suit.
Yet to cut it at the top-level but open to more improvement is 3YO COPPICE. She won the 1,600m Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier this year and wasn’t disgraced in the 1,600m G1 Falmouth Stakes on her next start. She got a bit worked up before the race and showed signs of inexperience during it. After a break, she finished down the field in the 1,600m G3 Atalanta Stakes, but had a clear excuse as her saddle slipped, and then went on to win the 1,600m Listed Rosemary Stakes. We’re yet to see the best of her.
HEREDIA should also be on the shortlist having been supplemented for this race. There’s no doubt she arrives here in good form after back-to-back wins over 1,634m and 1,600m trip and I can see her going well.
SELECTIONS: 3. INSPIRAL, 8. MEDITATE, 4. MQSE DE SEVIGNE, 2. HEREDIA & 7. COPPICE
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