Martin Dixon of The Horse Watchers takes you through the team's runners this weekend, including Penzance who contests the John Smith's Cup
Haydock was abandoned last week so he goes to York without having run since Royal Ascot. It might be that York isn't a track that suits him as well as the likes of Epsom and Goodwood, but he's got a good draw in stall three, there should be a strong pace he can sit in behind and there's some ease in the ground - it will certainly be slower ground than at Royal Ascot where it was too fast for him. He goes there in good form and we're hoping for the best but from a mark of 101 he's going to need to be better than ever to win. He's never won off a mark as high as this.
He probably needed the run a little bit at York last time as he'd been off for two and a half months after AW Finals Day at Newcastle and he may have felt that little break taking its toll in the last couple of furlongs. But he travelled well and ran well for a long way and we were pleased with him. He wasn't beaten far and it was a run that suggested strongly that he can be as effective on turf as on the all-weather.
It gave us a lot of confidence that he can go and compete in these races on the turf. He's been given a nice draw in stall three which is going to help him as it makes things straightforward for Ali [Rawlinson] to ride him in his usual way. His recent work has been good and we're hopeful of a decent run but we're very aware that it's a very competitive race. He's earned the right to have a pop at these races and he's in good form, has had a feel for the track and fingers crossed he can do himself justice. I don't think he's without an each-way chance.
We're hoping the ground stays on the soft side and doesn't dry out as that's important to him. Providing the ground stays soft, a good test over a mile should suit and we've switched the cheekpieces for a visor as we didn't think he travelled as well at Carlisle last time. We're hoping that slightly more severe headgear can help him hold his spot when the pace is quickening. He's a well-handicapped horse, conditions should be right for him and I'd say he'd have a strong each-way chance with a reproduction of his last run. He's definitely capable off his mark.
A new recruit
We bought a three-year-old colt Royal Zabeel at the Newmarket July Sale. He was with Kevin Ryan initially and then had one start for James Tate. He was very impressive as a two-year-old at Pontefract and that earned him a pop at listed company which was probably just beyond him. His latest run from a mark of 83 in a useful handicap at Pontefract was a good one and he was a bit unfortunate not to finish closer as he got stopped in his run a couple of times up the home straight.
He's a very lightly raced horse who has had only five starts and we think he'll keep getting better with time. We could potentially step him back up to seven furlongs or maybe even a mile. He's going to Mick Appleby's and will be gelded and we'll take our time with him, probably bringing him back on the all-weather in the winter.
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