The Coral Sprint at Newmarket has been quite a successful event for me in the past with some useful three-year-olds competing over six furlongs.
Trainer Roger Charlton sets us a poser by running both Stomp and Stars Above Me. The latter was all the rage for a Newmarket handicap at the Guineas meeting and looked to be travelling easily with a furlong to travel. She did not find as much as Buick expected and changed her legs in the closing stages, perhaps resenting the quicker ground.
The going is expected to be just on the fast side of good on Saturday so it should be a close call in a re-match with the winner Nova Champ. The going is also a slight concern with Stomp who burst through to win easily at Lingfield having previously won on soft going at Windsor. Stomp has been raised 8lbs but that may not be enough to prevent him completing a hat-trick.
Parbold is yet another that might prefer easier ground when he lines up in the King Charles II Stakes. He didn’t run badly on his seasonal debut but I remember Richard Fahey saying that the going was a bit quick for him at Royal Ascot last year. He’s top rated on official figures but there is just a lingering doubt in my mind.
Ahead of him at Newmarket was Aeolus, a colt by Araafa trained by Ed McMahon. He looked a shade unlucky to beaten just half a length into third after meeting trouble in running. He was second to shock 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder at Doncaster on soft ground in October, a far better run that it appeared at the time. He looks the form choice.
Punters of a certain vintage will remember a horse called Miner’s Lamp rattling off a sequence of handicap wins for Robert Sangster, Barry Hills and Steve Cauthen. The name is now carried by another useful colt by Shamardal who runs in the blue of Godolphin.
He ran well enough here when second to Zee Zeely to suggest that he can go one better in the 5.15 race on Saturday. There are a few promising types in opposition including seven-length winner Talmada. To be fair it was only a four-runner race but her third to Bright Approach at Newbury was a fair effort and she is set to receive 8lbs from Miner’s Lamp. That could be decisive.
Aeolus 2.55 Newmarket at 4-1 William Hill
Stomp 3.30 Newmarket at 3-1 BetVictor
Talmada 5.15 Newmarket at 9-4 BetVictor
