Newmarket July Meeting Preview – Day 2

[Wandering Eyes]

The Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes is the first black type race on day 2 of the July meeting, where Mark Johnston’s Main Edition looks likely to start favourite. The daughter of Zoffany is unbeaten in three racecourse appearances including when a game winner of the Albany.

Charlie Appleby’s Le Pelosa was the victim of Main Edition success in the Albany when going down by a mere neck. Bearing in mind that this was only her second racecourse appearance, with was a run full of merit. The daughter of Dandy Man has also previously clashed with Chaleur who she beat by 3 lengths on debut at Kempton.

Ralph Beckett’s Chaleur has since franked the form by comfortably winning a Leicester novice event. It will be intriguing to see if Le Pelosa can frank the form with the well-bred Kalud Abdullah owned filly.

Others of note are the Aidan O’Brien trained Gossamer Wings along with Albany fourth and fifth Angel’s Hideaway and Pretty Pollyanna.

Selection: Le Pelosa

A competitive 1m 2f handicap breaks up the two Group races and once again it’s a race that Mark Johnston has a prolific record in having won three of the last four renewals. It’s hardly surprising given his enviable record with three-year-olds.

Poet’s Voice and Communique are his two representatives this year and will have the able assistance of Joe Fanning and Champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa respectively. Both disappointed when last seen at York and in truth need to show improved form to feature.

The ante-post mover in the race has been Sir Michael Stoute’s Zaaki, he finished a close up third behind Hunting Horn when last seen in the Hampton Court Stakes at the Royal meeting. Hunting Horn didn’t hurt the form when running well in Belmont last weekend and he must be a threat to all concerned.

Wissahickon is the current favourite for the race and John Gosden’s inmate justifiably heads the market. The American bred colt is three from four on his career and seems to be on a real upward curve following a snug victory last time out at York.

Selection: Zaaki

The Group 1 Falmouth Stakes is the feature race and has been won by some Queens of the turf over the years including dual winner Soviet Song, Goldikova and more recently Roly Poly. Seven horses are set to emulate some of these greats, with the field headed by Godolphin’s outsider Arabian Hope.

The red-hot favourite for the race is Jessica Harrington’s 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes winner Alpha Centauri. The manner in which she won the Coronation Stakes was so impressive and she broke the track record in the process. She has her favoured quick underfoot conditions again on Friday and it’s very hard to see past her.

Threading who was trailing in the wake of Alpha Centauri in the Coronations Stakes re-opposes here but I really can’t see her over-hauling a six-length margin. In reality, the biggest threat to Jessica Harrington’s stable star could come from Clemmie. Aidan O’Brien’s filly was the Champion European two-year-old last season following victory in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes.

She’s been beaten on both starts this season behind Alpha Centauri but if she could recapture some of the top tier form that she showed last season, she may just be the surprise package.

Selection: Alpha Centauri

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