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Timeform Daily View | Thursday preview and tips
We provide an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Thursday.
Three points of interest
Doncaster two-year-old form put to test in Somerville Tattersall Stakes
The Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes (15:20) for two-year-olds over seven furlongs is the main event on the opening day of Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire meeting. Aidan O’Brien has won this three times, most recently with Wichita in 2019 ridden by Ryan Moore. Moore has won the race three times too, his latest success coming on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Nostrum two years ago. O’Brien and Moore team up again this year with Monumental who looks very much the one to beat judged on his excellent second in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster twelve days ago.
Taking a big step forward from the form he’d shown in maidens – he’d got off the mark on his third run, at Gowran – Monumental was just run out of it late on at Doncaster after travelling well and looking the potential winner before going down by half a length to Bay City Roller. Blinkered for his last three starts, and again here, Moore partners Monumental for the first time and his mount is the clear pick on form, 6 lb ahead of his nearest rival on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Monumental’s chief rivals Symbol of Honour and The Waco Kid also ran at Doncaster last time, in the listed Flying Scotsman Stakes twenty-four hours before the Champagne. Both showed improved form to finish second and third respectively behind Benevento but they’re stepping up in grade here and will need to progress again to trouble Monumental.
Lonsdale Cup runner-up Al Nayyir drops in class
The Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes (15:55) looks a good opportunity for the well-travelled Al Nayyir to get his head in front for the first time this year. He made his debut at two with Charlie Appleby but soon parted company with Godolphin before being trained in Dubai and then France for much of his career, winning five races.
However, he’s now back in Britain and ran a cracker on his first start back in this country on his debut for Tom Clover when going down by just a short head to Willie Mullins’ Melbourne Cup hope Vauban in the Lonsdale Cup at York last month, looking the stronger stayer of the pair. Al Nayyir was sent off at 33/1 on that occasion despite another very good second earlier in the year at still longer odds when beaten two lengths behind Ballydoyle’s Tower of London in the Dubai Gold Cup. Last year’s Rose Bowl winner Trawlerman, dual Yorkshire Cup winner Giavelletto and one of France’s best stayers Sevenna’s Knight were among those further back.
Al Nayyir receives weight here from main rival Harbour Wind, another on course for the Melbourne Cup and no match for Sevenna’s Knight at Longchamp last time, while he has the beating of another leading contender Night Sparkle on York form. A dual listed winner in France last year, Al Nayyir heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 3 lb.
Baltic bidding for six-timer
It was on the corresponding day last year that Baltic got off the mark, winning on his handicap debut at Pontefract when fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. The big, well-made son of Frankel was starting off in handicaps at a modest level, from a BHA mark of just 58, and he has certainly proved a lot better since. Not seen out again until Doncaster in May, Baltic has remained unbeaten in another four handicaps this year for Harry Charlton so that he contests the mile and a half handicap at Newmarket (16:30) from a mark of 82.
Subsequently successful at Yarmouth and twice at Newcastle, Baltic battled well for a neck win over Tryfan for his latest victory at the end of July, leaving the impression that he still had something left at the line. Given a short break since, Baltic’s limits still don’t appear to have been reached and, off a 4 lb higher mark than last time, he looks capable of conceding weight all round, topping the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb with a ‘p’.
Tip of the Day
Classic Encounter – 17:05 Newmarket
Flags: Horse In Focus, Top-Rated
Unexposed three-year-old Classic Encounter looks to be starting his handicapping career from a potentially lenient mark and is an interesting runner in the concluding mile handicap at Newmarket on just his second start for George Boughey.
Trained by Charlie Appleby at two and out of a very smart half-sister to Godolphin’s top-class middle-distance horse Ghayyaith, Classic Encounter was runner-up in maidens on his last two starts for his former stable.
Sold subsequently for 120,000 guineas and given a nine-month break, he shaped very well on his first start for his new stable when fifth in a novice at Newcastle earlier this month, putting in some good late work after getting caught further back than ideal. Heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb, he gets the vote.
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