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Oisin Murphy rides Coltrane in the Ces on Saturday

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By Oisin Murphy

Sporting Life Plus

Sat October 10, 2020 · 4y ago

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy looks ahead to his rides at the Cesarewitch meeting at Newmarket on Saturday including Coltrane in the handicap feature.

After the last week it’s really important to get my head down and keep on riding winners. I’ve ridden five to victory in the last seven days and I don’t feel I’ve left any behind, although I have had plenty of seconds in the same timeframe, as well.

It’s an exciting time of year with the well-bred maidens stepping out, we’ve got lots of Lope De Vegas and Galileos to run in the next few weeks, a lot of them will be babyish and they might need their runs, but this is the time of the season you discover the stars of next year.

As for Newmarket on Saturday, it’s mainly about the here and now with a few for the future thrown in for good measure, all being well. I’ve some good mounts so fingers crossed I can get some more winners on the board and keep up the pressure in the jockeys’ championship.

Saturday rides

Wobwobwob – 1.10 Newmarket

A breeze-up filly, she’s run over a variety of distances and steps back up to seven furlongs in the Dubai Nursery Handicap. I actually think she’s badly handicapped, but I suppose she might’ve run into one that was very well handicapped last time. Hopefully she’ll run well, Adrian Keatley does very well with his small string.

Recovery Run – 1.45 Newmarket

He’ll improve for stepping up to 10 furlongs in the Zetland Stakes, he’s a son of Nathaniel. He’s not particularly highly-rated, but none of them are. I thought Lone Eagle of Martyn Meade’s might improve for the step up in trip as well, I rode him at Goodwood in August. We ran Berkshire Rocco in this race last year and he went from strength to strength, so hopefully it will be a nice port of call for this horse, too.

Maximal – 2.20 Newmarket

It’s great to get on Maximal in the Group Three Autumn Stakes for Sir Michael Stoute and Juddmonte. He’s obviously highly thought of having gone off favourite on all three starts. He bolted up at Sandown last time and, while the opposition could be quite hot, I’m looking forward to riding this half-brother to Jubiloso.

Tactical – 2.55 Newmarket

The Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes looks tough with some top juveniles amongst a big field. Fivethousandtoone deserves to go off as one of the favourites, we’ve always thought a lot of this horse and I think he’ll improve from his Mill Reef run. I’m back on Tactical for the Queen and he’s had a very consistent season. He got a bit stuck in the mud on bottomless ground at Deauville but I wouldn’t expect conditions to be as testing at Newmarket and he could improve going up a furlong.

Coltrane – 3.35 Newmarket

I’m not too worried about Coltrane’s stall of 34 in the Cesarewitch. He falls out of the stalls anyway, so at least I won’t get stuck behind traffic immediately. It would be nice to jump as well as I can and give me the opportunity to sit where I’m comfortable. I have a high opinion of this horse, I still think he’s well-handicapped and he’ll be a deserved favourite. There are loads to fear, obviously, it’s a cavalry charge, but you can never rule out the jumps trainers in this race and Leoncavallo has been in good form for David Pipe, so he’d be one of the main dangers to my fellow.

Sunday Star – 4.15 Newmarket

Sunday Star goes in the Listed race over six furlongs and she’s highly-rated. I’m please Ed Walker has put me on her instead of Maygold, William Buick is on her. My filly ran quite well at Baden-Baden last time out and she has form on the Rowley Mile, so I’m hopeful she’ll go well.

Darain – 4.50 Newmarket

We don’t know about Darain on slow ground but you certainly think he’d handle it judging by his breeding. It’s a competitive Group Three over nine furlongs, he’s got blinkers on for the first time, we just need to know where we are with him going into his four-year-old career. It’d be nice to round off his three-year-old campaign on a high note, he’s obviously beautifully bred and he drops down three furlongs in trip from his Voltigeur run, so we’re going to learn plenty either way.

Friday rides

Achelois – 12.45 Newmarket

I was happy with her first run at Newbury. She’s a daughter of Zoffany and looks very straightforward, I’m sure she’ll handle the ground. You never know what you’re going to meet in these Newmarket maidens, but we’ve been happy with her at home since her debut and I’m hoping she’ll go well.

Nebulosa – 1.15 Newmarket

It’s a similar thing with this filly although she has had the two starts. David Probert was on her at Newmarket last time and she ran well, I was on one of Ed Walker’s, Sunset Bay, so I’m getting up on her this time for the first time. She’ll be up there in the betting and I’m hoping she’ll be bang there in the race, as well.

Method – 1.50 Newmarket

I sat on him on Tuesday and he felt very good, I was pleased with him. Obviously this is very slow ground and we don’t know how he’ll handle it, but he’s a son of Mehmas so we’re hopeful. He had excuses in the Middle Park last time and having won on him at Newbury I’m confident he has the speed for this test, dropping back to five. It’s a very deep race and I respect Acklam Express so we’ll see how we go.

Foxtrot Lady – 3.00 Newmarket

I was sat watching her Sceptre Stakes win on the TV having been suspended for the St Leger meeting so it’s good to get back on her now in the Challenge Stakes. It’s a while since she ran on ground this soft, so it’s fingers crossed on that score. This is a strong race and Happy Power looks the one to beat to me, he’ll relish the ground and looks a likely favourite.

Seattle Rock – 3.35 Newmarket

She’s an outsider for Jeff Smith in the Group One Fillies’ Mile and it would be great to get some black type for her and get her in the first three. It’s a tall order but her pedigree suggests she should improve for the extra furlong. I think Shale looks tough and progressive and she deserves to be favourite, while Indigo Girl is a sister to Journey so she should love the ground.

Brilliant Light – 4.10 Newmarket

I’m really looking forward to this ride in the Old Rowley Cup Handicap. His work has been solid and, though he isn’t proven on ground this soft, he’s a son of Sea The Stars and I think he’ll be fine. He could improve going up in trip and though it’s obviously a competitive race, full of progressive types, I really like this horse.

Romsey – 4.45 Newmarket

I ride Romsey in the Group Three Darley Pride Stakes. She ran very well in the 1000 Guineas when fifth to Love and she hasn’t run since, I’m not quite sure why. Hughie Morrison’s horses are in good form and she might well enjoy going up in trip, so I’d like to think she has a very good chance.