“Krypton Factor was prevented from running as he went through the front of his starting stall. The ridiculous rule states that once he performed this heinous act, he could not run, despite coming all the way from Bahrain”
On his last start at Royal Ascot in the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes run over today’s journey, he was third to Lethal Force and Society Rock.
That form was given a massive boost when the first two filled the same two places in the July Cup seven days ago.
In the Poptelecom Handicap (1.50) run over a mile at Newmarket, Bunbury Cup runner-up Es Que Love will set a strong pace and that will set the race up for SAM SHARP to swoop late up the hill and grab the gold.
This veteran landed a 14-runner handicap at York over nine furlongs last month when rated 86 where the runner-up Silvery Moon, the third Maven and the fourth, Ginger Jack, have all subsequently won competitive handicaps . Racing off a revised perch of 92, Ian Williams’ beast can follow up.
Just as Mrs Couch is about to serve up dinner, the Group One Darley Irish Oaks (6.15) is run over a mile and a half at The Curragh.
Strength Ralph Beckett’s Epsom heroine Talent will go off favourite on the strength on her win at the Surrey venue, but the form of that race has more holes in it than Muirfield.
The ground in County Kildare is going to ride a lot faster than at the famous Downs, so I’m going to back RIPOSTE, who bounced off the quick surface when taking the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot over today’s trip.
This daughter of Dansili hails fom the same family as the great Frankel and showed a bright turn of foot to trounce her toiling rivals by just over two lengths. She lost a few lengths with a tardy start, which makes her success more meritorious.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Riposte is progressing at a rate of knots and Lady Cecil saddled a nice three-year-old winner in Mighty Yar at Sandown on Wednesday even ing.
Richard Hannon has won the Weatherbys Sprint (3.50) at Newbury more times than VJ Singh has been the top Fijian at the Open.
The fairer sex also boast a great strike-rate in this rich race and they have been successful in 13 of the 21 runnings, so LILBOURNE LASS has a lot going for her.
This filly hacked up by just under four lengths at Bath over the minimum trip on her last start in June, so the fast conditions will suit her.
The runner-up Majestic Alexander has since landed a conditions event at Windsor and the filly who was second to her Along Again obliged at Lingfield on Wednesday, so the form is a solid as a choc-ice in my freezer.
With just 8st 1lb on her back, Jimmy Quinn has been drafted in and I can remember this strong lightweight jockey riding Kingsgate Native to capture the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in 2007.
Housed in stall one, my selection will be racing on the far side, but that didn’t stop If Paradise winning in 2003 for Hannon.