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Alcohol Free goes for the Cheveley Park on Saturday

Oisin Murphy: It's good to be Free | The champion jockey on his Cambridgeshire meeting rides

By Oisin Murphy

Sporting Life Plus

Sat September 26, 2020 · 4y ago

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy goes through his rides ahead of Saturday at Newmarket including Alcohol Free and The Lir Jet.

SATURDAY NEWMARKET RIDES

Alcohol Free – 2.25

The key thing in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes is that I don’t see a lot of pace in the race and Alcohol Free is very straightforward.

That’s something to bear in mind so we’ll see how it pans out, many of the fancied horses like to sit back so it’s something I’ll be aware of.

Alcohol Free has trained very well at home since her second in the Dick Poole at Salisbury, she’s a tough filly who I really like.

This is a Group One and they’re tough to win, but I fancy my filly has a very good chance. I hope I’m not wrong.

We’ve been very lucky with No Nay Never fillies in the past at Andrew’s and she’d be the best one we’ve had yet.

The Lir Jet – 3.00

It looks a really hot renewal of the Group One Juddmonte Middle Park.

Obviously I had to give up the ride on Method to ride The Lir Jet and Frankie’s come in for my rides on Martyn Meade horses in the past, like Advertise, and I never get back on them again!

This could be a similar scenario but never mind, that’s racing.

Minzaal was very good at York, while Supremacy galloped them into the ground at Goodwood.

I’ve got to reverse Curragh form with Lucky Vega on The Lir Jet and he’s no forlorn hope to do so. Lucky Vega has disappointed since and should be suited by coming back to six, but my fellow has been freshened up since going to Ireland.

Ratings don’t lie, however, and it’s clear The Lir Jet has to step up. Hopefully he can produce a career-best and Michael Bell has been really pleased with him, so we’ll give it our best shot.

Bell Rock - 3.35

The bet365 Cambridgeshire should really suit Bell Rock.

He obviously likes this track and Goodwood doesn’t suit him as he hits a flat spot, the gaps close in front of him and the race is all over.

Hopefully he can find some space from stall 24. It’s hard to know where’s the right and wrong place to be in advance but we’re drawn beside Al Rufaa and Tempus who have very strong form.

I don’t think the outsiders have much of a chance in this, the market leaders look most progressive and I think it’s between the top six in the betting.

Bell Rock deserves to be among that number and the one I fear the most is Al Rufaa, as his form is very progressive, you can forgive his last run and John Gosden has a great record in the race with this type of improving three-year-old.

Sinjaari, Sir Busker and Tempus all have chances, too, but fingers crossed for Bell Rock. He’s a bit of an enigma and doesn’t win often, but he’s a good horse and this test should be ideal.

Sunset Bay – 1.15

I’m on Sunset Bay in the opening fillies’ maiden on Saturday.

She looked very green on debut at Goodwood first time out but stayed on well into fourth behind Neptune’s Wonder, who I ride later on the card.

Hopefully she can improve from that but it looks another hot maiden. Ralph Beckett has a Frankel out of Arabesque and there’s another Frankel full-sister to Quadrilateral, trained by Roger Charlton, one of many well-bred rivals.

It’s the sort of race that throws up future stars so it should be a good one to watch.

Neptune’s Wonder – 4.10

She won well at Goodwood last time and she’s drawn in stall one in the fillies’ nursery – I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.

I like her, she’s a tough Kodiac and she improved hugely from first to second start so I’d expect her to be one of the favourites.

Mystery Angel looks a big danger to me, she could’ve been let in off a light weight off a mark of 72 so it will be interesting to see how she goes.

Kameko (right) wins the Joel Stakes under Oisin on Friday

FRIDAY NEWMARKET RIDES

Kameko – 3.35

Kameko’s in super form at home ahead of the Group Two Shadwell Joel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

I sat on him on Wednesday when he breezed along nicely. Everything’s gone well and hopefully the ground dries out a bit after the 17mm of rain they had the other day. It dries quickly at Newmarket so fingers crossed.

He’s drawn besides Benbatl and I’ve only ridden against him once given I’m normally on his back. It’ll be tough giving him a pound and he’s in good form, too.

Top Rank deserves to take his chance, he’s come through the grades well, Tilsit was impressive at Goodwood and Regal Reality is a good horse but is getting a bit older. It’s a very good race for a Group Two, probably because of the limited opportunities for this type of horse at the moment.

Kameko deserves to be top of the betting with Benbatl, though. He likes the track, he’s in super order and I can’t wait to get back on him over a mile. Fingers crossed he can get his head back in front.

Roscioli – 1.15

This looks a very hot maiden, there are some very well-bred horses in there.

Charlie Appleby has a strong hand, Sir Michael Stoute has a beautifully-bred Le Havre horse, so it will be tough.

Roscioli ran well at Sandown on debut, we think he’ll improve from that and I think the form will work out well, it already is, really, with The Kodi Kid bolting up on his next start.

If he can use his experience and improve from it he should go very well, we have a decent opinion of the horse.

Bounce The Blues – 1.50

I’m looking forward to Bounce The Blues in the Listed Tasleet British EBF Rosemary Stakes. She ran really well at Doncaster first time out for Andrew.

I think you can upgrade that performance and she looks like she’ll improve for stepping up in trip as she hit the line strongly.

We’ve been pleased with her since she arrived and hopefully she can keep progressing. She looks to have a super chance in this race.

Volcanic Sky – 4.10

This 1m4f trip could suit Volcanic Sky in the Listed Eqtidaar Godolphin Stakes.

He ran very well at York behind Summer Moon over two miles and I just felt he didn’t quite get home that day. He dropped back to a mile and six at Doncaster but he’s back over a mile and a half here and that should suit.

It’s a very good renewal of the race, I was impressed with Aloe Vera on her two starts and she’s an interesting opponent after a long time off the track. Loxley has an obvious chance and Laafy was tough last time out.

I think it’s an open contest but Volcanic Sky has a chance, even if he does have a bit to find on ratings.

Piece Of History – 4.45

Piece Of History is a really nice horse in the Shadwell Farm Handicap.

Obviously he’s had his issues and has been slightly disappointing this year, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.

I certainly don’t think he’s badly handicapped off 91, he’s come down a little bit in the weights and I think he’s got a good chance in an open race.

His Sandown run wasn’t bad at all considering he was in a big field and had a tough trip round on his first run for over six months.

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