Racing tips: Victoria Road can be Saxon Warrior’s first Class 1 success as a Sire

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Friday's horses were all extremely poor other than The Platinum Queen who ran an excellent race to finish second in the Nunthorpe. She showed that she is still very inexperienced by how she jolted out to the left when Hollie got after her. Either way, it was a big run for a 2yo, but the winner was immense. 

York 4:10

I put up SUMMERGHAND in the big handicap at Ripon last Saturday. Based on that run, I think he is a horse who is still very capable of mixing it in the competitive sprint races like today. He finished fourth in the Great St Wilfrid last week, but he had a lot against him that today, so the fact he finished as close as he did is a credit to the horse.

He was slowly away last week, which is never ideal in a sprint race as you're immediately on the back foot. He managed to get involved, but the draw was a concern when I put him up, and it proved to be a hindrance for him as the side he was on (only four runners) was miles behind the other side, and he didn't quite have the pace on his side to drag him into the race. Also, the ground might've been slightly quicker on the other side, so on that basis, he ran a belter to finish fourth.

He has been dropped 1lb for that run, which isn't much, but it'll help for sure. Back on a track where he has run plenty of good times before, I think he is capable of going very close in this IF he gets a good pace to aim at and IF he gets the gaps needed. I'm hoping he gets both, as if he does, then I rate him a serious challenger in this and a great EW bet with the enhanced places on offer.

York 4:45

I was tempted not to back ROCKET RODNEY in this race, but the more I look at his form and his recent runs, I find it very difficult to go against him. I tipped him up when he won a Class1 Listed race at Sandown at the start of July. The form of that race has started to work out quite nicely with the runner-up winning a Listed race since and the fourth has come out and won a Class 2 handicap at Glorious Goodwood. Rocket Rodney won that race at Sandown with relative ease, so it goes to show what kind of ability he has.

He is a horse who stays this trip very well, shown by the fact he stayed on strongly up the Sandown hill and on a stiff track like Ascot where he finished behind Little Big Bear by a neck in the Windsor Castle. That horse is the best 2yo of this season, there's no doubt about that, and you'd have to say when Rocket Rodney faced him he wasn't the horse he is now, but it's still a good piece of form to get as close as he did. I think York will be fine for him as he has a very good cruising speed, and he should be able to go the gallop set by a couple of these front runners.

I was tempted by Rousing Encore as I put him up at Royal Ascot. He was keen at Royal Ascot and they are dropping him back in trip, which I think is the correct choice, but I'm not sure if he's going to be good enough to beat Rocket Rodney. He can definitely be in the places though.

York 5:20

I'm trying to stay away from some of the big-priced horses for today, as yesterday's were horrendous. However, I think COCKALORUM has been aimed at this race for quite a while by his trainer Roger Fell.

He has raced in this race the last three times, but on the two most recent occasions he has run with plenty of promise, finishing fourth and third off marks 86 and 99 respectively. He races off a mark of 87 today, which is effectively a mark of 82 as young apprentice Jonny Peate takes off 5lbs. The booking of Jonny is a real statement of intent in my opinion as Jonny is a very capable rider, and has ridden a couple of masterclass front running rides in his short career to date. Cockalorum has been used aggressively in the past, and I think off a low weight and at a track which he enjoys and can be hard to peg back if getting an easy lead, I think he could run a big race at big odds.

My pace maps in recent times have been all over the place and when I've been certain a race would unfold, the complete opposite happens, so I'm not delving too deep into it but he is a horse who likes to go forward and from Stall 6 I can see them making use of him.

Chester 3:05

Loft is an interesting runner in this, and the one you have to say they all have to beat considering he has been given a British rating of 110, but is he a shoe-in as much as his rating suggests? I think not.

You can get around 2/1 – 5/2 on a price for Loft, so that goes to show that the bookies don't fancy him either, as surely he should be touching a shade of odds-on with his form figures. The one I think could improve and put a dent in Loft's chances of winning this is the 3yo RIVER OF STARS. Improvement is needed to win this, but I think that improvement is possible for the lightly raced filly of Sea The Stars. I think Chester could suit her running style as she likes to race up with the pace, and we've seen on many occasions across the years, that sort of position is where it pays to be at Chester.

She has some decent form from the Newbury Maiden she finished runner-up in. The winner has since won again in a Class 2 handicap, producing an RPR of 105 in the process. Eternal Pearl was back in third in the Newbury Maiden, and she has gone on to frank the form a number of times, winning a Group 3 last weekend at Deauville is the best of the bunch, but also beating Rose Of Kildare the time before isn't bad either.

River Of Stars went on to win a Novice at Lingfield on the AW the time after, and that is also a good indicator that she'll enjoy Chester as she handled Lingfield with no problems, which has a good amount of tight turns.

Ralph Beckett won this race last year with a 3yo, so he knows what's needed to land this contest.

Sandown 2:05

I think this race is between the 3yo's at the bottom of the weights in the shape of Fonteyn and GRAND DAME. I have opted for the latter, but I do think it's close between the two of them.

They have clashed before, which saw Fonteyn come out on top at York earlier this season. Though some will find it hard for Grand Dame to reverse that form, I think it is definitely possible as Grand Dame had very little experience when they met, with that being her second start, compared to Fonteyn who was running for the fourth time. Since then, they've both run well, but I think Grand Dame's recent win showed the potential she has and how she has improved with the experience under her belt. She managed to win a Class 1 Listed race by 3.25L to Oscula in second place, and I thought the way she lengthened away from the field was impressive, considering she was keen in the early stages. That was over today's course and distance which is another tick in my book.

Fonteyn ran well in a Group 1 at Glorious Goodwood, which is obviously the best form in this race, but she might've been flattered to finish as close as she did. I think the drop in trip is a good idea for her, and I expect her to be fighting out for the first place, but I think there's more potential with the Gosden horse.

Sandown 3:50

A horse who I will be backing over and over again until I think he is finally caught up with the handicapper is VEE SIGHT. I thought he ran a great race to finish fourth at Goodwood in a competitive handicap when you consider the ground he made up and the way he had to race. We all know Goodwood is a tough place to race from the rear, and Vee Sight had to do it the hard way. He was held up miles off the pace and had to make his run down the outside where he did make up ground, but it looked like he didn't handle the track to my eyes as he lugged to his right and he did run in snatches. He is still well-handicapped off a mark of 82 I am convinced of that, so I will be giving him another chance today back at a track he has already won at. It's strange that they haven't put him up in trip as he looks in need of it already, but they must think he is good enough at 10f, and if Ralph Beckett thinks that, then I believe he can win too. He is currently at an EW price and there are enhanced places in this race, so I'd recommend taking advantage of it, as he'll probably need luck in running again.

Deauville 4:00

For my final selection of the day, I am heading over to France for a Listed race for 2yos.

There are a couple of Irish and British hopes in this and I think Aidan O'Brien's VICTORIA ROAD offers good value at current odds of around 3/1. It's not a surprise to see this son of Saxon Warrior stepping up to a mile, as on breeding he is expected to excel over this trip as his dad did. Saxon Warrior was a late shower as a 2yo, and he made his debut over a mile, so like I said it's not a shock that his son has been running on strongly over 6 and 7 furlongs and looked in need of this extra furlong already in his career.

I think the run at Naas was a very eye-catching run in the Auction Race. He was in the midfield but stayed on powerfully to grab fourth and he was hitting the line extremely well. I think the form of that race will work out nicely, like that kind of race normally do. He went on to win the next time around over 7f and that was a good effort considering he was giving the runner-up 11lbs in weight and he showed his battling qualities that day as well as his stamina over that trip also. I think you'll get decent odds on this colt as he doesn't have the usual profile of a Ballydoyle horse with tonnes of 1's next to his form and he looks more ‘exposed' than normal, even though I think he isn't exposed, he just needs this trip to show what quality he has.

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