Black-Type Analysis: Ballydoyle Holds Strong Hand In Both The Churchill Stakes and Phoenix Stakes

[Wandering Eyes]

Friday, Tipperary, post time: 17:47, COOLMORE STUD CHURCHILL STAKES-Listed, €27,000, 2yo, 7f 100yT

Field: Brussels (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Empty Wallet (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), Maximum Scepticism (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Suspicious Mindz (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), Thesecretadversary (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Time Bender (Ire) (Gustav Klimt {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Brussels was one of the few Ballydoyle juveniles who didn't deliver in his black-type assignment, but the July Stakes form behind Zavateri looks good now and he deserves credit for racing up with the pace and sticking at it. Thesecretadversary was up against Italy and Humility before inexplicably finding a way to get beaten again at Ayr last month and the jury is out, while Maximum Scepticism who is by the sire after which the race is named made his trip to England a winning one last time and has scope to improve. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 16:00, KEENELAND PHOENIX STAKES-G1, €210,000, 2yo, c/f, 6fT

Field: Do Bronxs (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Power Blue (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}), Puerto Rico (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Green Sense (Ire) (Starman {GB}), True Love (Ire) (No Nay Never).

TDN Verdict: If allowed to run against each other, Gstaad and True Love will offer an exciting poser given how impressive they were at Royal Ascot. Ryan Moore is booked for the former, one of the best winners of the Coventry in some time who could be on course to do a “Johannesburg” and attempt the clean sweep of Europe's premier juvenile six-furlong contests in 2025. Since dominating the Queen Mary, True Love has followed up in style over course and distance in the Railway and her three-pound allowance could swing matters. It looks as if there is a gap between the Rosegreen pair and the Robert Papin winner Green Sense, while we know there is a sizeable one separating them and the consistent Power Blue and Puerto Rico. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Haydock, post time: 15:00, THE BETFRED ROSE OF LANCASTER STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, 10f 100yT

Field: First Conquest (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Certain Lad (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}), Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), Haunted Dream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Okeechobee (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Royal Dubai (Fr) (Seahenge), Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Back at the trip over which he took Royal Ascot's Listed Wolferton Stakes, Haatem holds pole position from the three-year-old Detain who needs to recapture the form of his Prix du Jockey Club third. Eight pounds weight-for-age will help Juddmonte's runner, who is joined by the operation's Okeechobee, another who needs to get back on track after a disappointing start to the campaign. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Newmarket, post time: 15:40, THE NEWSELLS PARK STUD SWEET SOLERA STAKES-G3, £60,000, 2yo, f, 7fT

Field: Dance To The Music (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Midnight Tango (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Princess Petrol (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Sapphire Steps (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), True Test (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Venetian Lace (Ire) (Masar {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Withdrawn from the Princess Margaret last month, Dance To The Music bids to make up for that lost opportunity taking on the experienced Midnight Tango who was fourth in that Ascot contest. Princess Petrol impressed in a novice at Ascot last time and may be the most progressive of the other unexposed types. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:25, FBD HOTELS AND RESORTS PHOENIX SPRINT STAKES-G3, €42,000, 3yo/up, 6fT

Field: Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Big Gossey (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}), Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), King Cuan (GB) (Tasleet {GB}), My Mate Alfie (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Spycatcher (Ire) (Vadamos {Fr}), Tango Flare (Ire) (Fulbright {GB}), Nighteyes (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), Black Forza (Complexity), Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Fregada (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Lady With The Lamp (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Art Power's record in Ireland reads 1111164, but this is his seasonal debut and is a tough assignment at his veteran stage. To varying degrees, last year's wonderkids Kind Of Blue and Babouche are threatening to go the wrong way along with Ides Of March and when you add in the likes of Bucanero Fuerte, Vespertilio and Black Forza this is definitely the most interesting race of the day. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Deauville, France, post time: 13:58, PRIX DUBAI RACING CLUB (PRIX DE REUX)-G3, €73,200, 3yo/up, 12 1/2fT

Field: Marquisat (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}), Rashford (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Uther (GB) (Camelot {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Revived this term, Simca Mille could be on the way back to his prime which would be bad news for these rivals. In his last five starts, Sevenna's Knight has finished fifth in the Arc and runner-up in the Royal-Oak and Vicomtesse Vigier and the strength of the older brigade here makes life tough for the three-year-old Uther, who has flattened out after his win in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Noailles in April. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Deauville, France, post time: 14:33, PRIX DE LA VALLEE D'AUGE-Listed, €54,900, 2yo, 5fT

Field: Graft (Ire) (U S Navy Flag), Pen And Sword (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), First Legion (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Valasara (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Miss Yechance (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Wateen (Ire) (Profitable {GB}), Shine On Me (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Sixth in the Queen Mary and fourth in the Duchess Of Cambridge, Shine On Me forms the spearhead of a typically-strong British challenge on a Deauville August two-year-old race along with the Listed National Stakes runner-up First Legion. The Aga Khan Studs are represented by Valasara, who beat the subsequent winner Repel on debut over six here last month but who as a member of the all-conquering “V family” may find this on the sharp side. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Deauville, France, post time: 17:35, PRIX MICHEL HOUYVET-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, 15fT

Field: Asmarani (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}), Dschingis Spirit (Fr) (Dschingis Secret {Ger}), I Got Rhythm (Fr) (Telecaster {GB}), Allure (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}), Hotheaded (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Starlord (Fr) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Espoir Avenir (Fr) (Montmartre (Fr), Golden Weaver (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Zingaro (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), Sapodilla (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Through The Flames (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Andre Fabre has four in here, with the G3 Prix du Lys fourth Hotheaded perhaps the pick, but they all have to step up markedly to get to the level of the G3 Prix Hocquart runner-up Asmarani. Disappointing in the Queen's Vase when last seen, he will be more comfortable in these waters. [Tom Frary].

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