Fran Berry looks ahead to rides at Newmarket and Chester

Horse Racing

Thu July 13, 2017 · 7y ago

Fran Berry looks ahead to a strong-looking book of weekend rides including Medieval on day two of Newmarket's July Festival on Friday.

It's great to be in action at Newmarket this week and Desert Skyline ran a particularly good race when second to Raheem House in the Bahrain Trophy on Thursday.

He was much sharper at the start this time, which has been a bit of a problem so far this season, and he handled the step up in trip well.

I'd imagine he mightrun with a pair of cheekpieces next time but it won't be the St Leger as he's already been gelded so that's off limits.

I've been knocking on the door mostr of the week and it's worth reflecting on Princess Keira who ran a brilliant race first time up at Nottingham.

She was quite green as you might expect and it took a while for the penny to drop but she finished off strongly and ran into a horse with very good form, so it was a great start.

I think the plan is to go for a fillies' maiden at Sandown in a couple of weeks' time where she might take all the beating with a little bit of luck.

I'd been getting in the money a lot but it was good to get a winner at Bath on Wednesday on my first ride for Ron Harris.

It was a nice pot too and Union Rose won quite well having slipped down the weights to a competitive mark.

Onto Friday and I ride Cosmopolitan Queen for David Elsworth in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes.

I rode her on her second start at Kempton after her debut run at Newmarket was clearly needed and it still took a while for her to get the hang of what was required.

This is a big step up in class for her into a Group Two but she is a filly with some potential and she shows plenty at home. She's one worth watching further down the line, no matter what she shows here.

I'm looking forward to getting on Medieval for Paul Cole in the big 10-furlong handicap for three-year-olds.

He finished ninth at 100/1 in the Britannia at Royal Ascot and I think the step up in trip will suit him very well. He came home strongly at Ascot to be close up on his side of the track and that experience could bring him forward again.

Looking back at last summer, he was actually fourth to Caravaggio in the Coventry and I think there could be a nice race in him this year.

Mark Johnston's Starlight Mystery goes up to seven furlongs on her handicap debut in the Price Bailey Nursery Handicap.

She was down the field in the Albany but promises to be suited by seven furlongs and while she may look a little more exposed than some of her rivals here, she's certainly in the right hands when it comes to tough two-year-olds that thrive on their racing.

I really liked Global Giant first time out here last month and he ran a very nice race to be third, despite running green. He came home well and he's a nice type of horse for the Weatherbys EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.

Hopefully if he's gone the right way since that debut outing then I think he should be there with every chance on Friday.

I'm heading to Chester on Saturday as while earlier in the week it looked like I'd be sticking with Newmarket, my agent just felt there might be more chances of a winner in Chester and it's worked out well with five rides on the day for a variety of different trainers.

I'm on debutant Ginbar in the Stella Artois/EBF Stallions Novice Stakes and it's never a bad thing to be on a Tom Dascombe-trained juvenile at this track, it's a bonus that he's been drawn one too.

Pixeleen isn't drawn badly either in the MBNA Make Good Stuff Happen Fillies' Handicap.

She won at Bath last month and comes here in good form. Trainer Malcoln Saunders is actually a man I've ridden winners for in the past - going way back I rode Indian Maiden to win a couple of Listed races for him so it's good to be linking up again.

Jallota needs to come back to top form in the Sportingbet City Plate Stakes but you can excuse any horse a bit of a middling run at Royal Ascot and if he's back to anything like his run at Haydock in the John Of Gaunt I can see him right there with every chance.

Getting a good draw over seven furlongs at Chester is crucial and I'm confident he can play a part.

Parys Mountain won last time out at Hamilton and the fitting of a hood looks to have brought about improvement in this horse.

He's hit form now and is still open to further progress so should be another in with every chance in the West Way Nissan Handicap.

I've also got good reason to believe Modernism can make his presence felt in the CSP Audio Visual Handicap as he's slipped to a mark (79) from which he can be competitive.

He didn't run badly at the May meeting and the fact he's owned by Dr Marwan and trained by Ian Williams tells me he should give me a good spin around there.

The big one back at Headquarters on Saturday is the July Cup and, a bit like the Coral-Eclipse last weekend, it's a big clash of generations, this time for sprinters.

The weight for age can be a big factor and Caravaggio is a very worthy favourite but the older sprinters are clearly smart too at the moment.

I put up The Tin Man here before the Diamond Jubilee and I think he could represent a bit of value again. He looks so tough now and it was only his second run of the year when he won at Ascot so he might just have improved again.

The sprint division is extremely strong at the moment anyway so it should be a fascinating race.