28th September 2012

A winner on the board yesterday will hopefully signal a return to form for the weekend. Day 2 of the Cambridgeshire meeting is a truly class affair with plenty of the year's top horses coming together, with a particular focus on some potential female superstars.

13.15 Newmarket

A very intriguing Group 3 to kick off proceedings, but it is hard not to be impressed by POWER OF LIGHT's win at Newcastle a fortnight ago. Admittedly that wasn't the best race, but the ease with which she dismissed her opposition suggests that she will be one of the principals in this race. If anything that race will have helped her race fitness as it was so easy for her. She is entitled to progress from that and this will give more of indication where she ranks in this division. Connections themselves know they have to step her up in grade to see how good she is and this drop to 7 furlongs shouldn't be a problem. It is essential at Newmarket to see the trip out so her proven performance over a mile bodes well. The same cannot be said for Jamesbo's Girl who takes the step up after holding on well last time at Doncaster. Although that run suggested she could go further, she is overlooked. Califante is disputing market leadership with the selection and being the choice of Hughes and two seconds behind Go Angelica and The Gold Cheongasm all bode well. However the Godolphin team are going to know to some extent how close their filly is to Certify, a horse who has seen off a couple of these or their conquerors, just like Califante with Go Angelica, so again the Godolphin filly is preferred. Waterway Run will most likely go off towards the front, and it will be an extremely brave effort to lead this from start to finish. Ultimately she may not have enough to do that, and instead Light Up My Life is most feared to give the selection a scare. Beaten by Certfy and Newfangled on two of her starts this year, she has won the other two and should confirm running with Waterway Run. Although a long way behind Go Angelica, which suggests Califante should be feared most, she's entitled to improve and the drop in class and distance will help. Annie's Fortune is the highest rated in the field but beaten by Califante when receiving a 7 pound claimer, there's little to suggest she can overturn that form. 7/2

13.45 Newmarket

Bonnie Brae once again heads up the weights, but will once again wish for softer ground and has to be discounted. Dank and Ladys First are very closely matched, and the 3 pounds the latter receives should be enough to swing this in her favour. However out of the runners of that last race at Sandown, FALLS OF LORA has to be preferred. Travelling supremely well before being badly hampered, with the clear run I'm sure she will get in this race to avoid any mishaps, she should see off those she previously raced, especially with a 7 and 4 pound swing in her favour respectively. The newcomer to the mix is the highly progressive Thistle Bird. The 4 pounds she has to give to Falls Of Lora should ultimately prove too much and ideally she could do with faster ground. Irish History has been accounted for time and time again by this group whilst Valencha and Chigun are interesting each way propostions. 7/1

14.20 Newmarket

Another great race on the card and straight away Penitent can be discounted for the lack of proper give in the ground which is undoubtedly essential to his performance. Fanunalter is usually a shock winner, and although it may not be as big a shock if he were to win today, he may just have had the race to suit last time and does seem to win when the race turns into a bit of a mess. That's something that Most Improved certainly knows about, after getting caught up in the mess that was the Prix Du Jockey Club and clearly not right last time out. Although expected to bounce back, and clearly a class act, I'll be looking to take him on as you don't know which horse is going to turn up. Side Glance probably deserves a win sometime soon but this looks tough. Ultimately it may come down to the filly in the race, JOVIALITY, who can be forgiven a poor run on unsuitably soft ground at Newmarket before coming back to form with a third behind I'm A Dreamer last time. She did well that day to get close over a trip that would have suited the eventual winner more and John Gosden's filly can add another big pay-cheque to her season after a great win at Royal Ascot. Buick knows exactly how to ride her and she's been given plenty of time to be spot on for this. Virtually all the other runners warrant respect but Premio Loco seems to save his best for tracks other than Newmarket these days, Sovereign Debt may just get found out at this level, whilst Trumpet Major is expected to perform much better than last time. 5/1

14.55 Newmarket

After a great appetiser with the first race, the main fillies to follow take each other on in this Group 1 contest.  CERTIFY bids to follow in Lyric of Light's footsteps and win this after landing the May Hill at the St Leger meeting a fortnight ago. Although not winning by the margins expected, she always seemed in control against Purr Along and this should wrap up a glorious day for Godolphin and continue this horse's march towards 1000 Guineas favouritism. This is certainly her sternest test so far, with Ollie Olga laying her claim down for next year's classic. It's strange that Ollie Olga finds herself so far behind Sky Lantern in the betting for that market despite beating the subsequent Group 1 winner last time. However on form through that horse, Certify should have enough to warrant favouritism here. Roz is a very interesting runner having previously beaten Purr Along well, and the 10/1 available with some bookmakers on her looks very overpriced. The other runners should be outclassed here. Barzalona retains the ride on the highly rated Certify and he's becoming a big race jockey. Although this may not have the enormity of the Leger or Derby, in terms of this filly's future career, this is a must win. Evens

16.00 Newmarket

Godolphin race two in this in the form of Songcraft and Retrieve, and of the two, the latter's form is preferred who has had an almost impossible task conceding weight in big handicaps to some horses who could arguably give him a decent run off levels. The step up in distance in theory shouldn't be too much of a worry as he has been staying on in his prior races, but ultimately Godolphin are probably going to come up short again in their own race. Sea Of Heartbreak interestingly runs today rather than yesterday which suggests connections feel this is a more winnable race, especially off bottom weight receiving nearly a stone from Harris Tweed, who is no doubt going to run his usual tactics and go out all guns blazing. The Godolphin horses therefore may just get found out as this will feel like further than 1m4f for the horses, which may stretch Retrieve's stamina whilst Songcraft just held on over further last time. As a result it could fall nicely into the lap of the 2010 St Leger winner ARCTIC COSMOS. I fancied him before he got withdrawn the other week, and if he lines up here he will be doing so to win rather than make up the places. Something was clearly amiss in the Yorkshire Cup, and his run on soft ground can be forgiven. He hasn't been kept in training for the fun of it, and the team behind him will be relishing the prospect of seeing him back on the racetrack. Proud Chieftain will look to produce a shock again but won't have the race all to himself this time, and a tentative bet is on Buick to steer his mount home first. 13/2

Good luck!

The Horse Whisperer