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CHAMPIONS STAKES DAY AY NEWMARKET
Saturday 14th October
Last Updated :Sunday January 07, 2001 09:34:33 PM
1:40 JOCKEY CLUB CUP CLASS A (GROUP 3)
"The 4 Long Pole" ~ The first event on Champion Stakes day is a real toughie, with all the runners entitled to close inspection. Persian Punch, Royal Rebel, Churlish Charm and Rainbow High, have all been running against each other, and again you'd expect there to be little between them. It may though pay to go with the three year olds Alva Glen, Jardines Outlook, and Samsaan who all have shown form good enough to figure here if they are on song. Jardines Outlook, who FURLONG TO GO has supported throughout the season won nicely here last time out, and gets the call. Samsaan could be a big price on what he's done, and is a confident eachway alternative
No*1 CHOICE ~ Jardines Outlook,
(E/W) Alt. ~ Samsaan
2:15 VICTOR CHANDLER CHALLENGE STAKES CLASS A (GROUP 2)
"The 4 Long Pole" ~ Considering the entry at the five day stage, the final field for the Challenge Stakes is very disappointing, never mind. Kabool, Cape Town, Warningford, Mount Abu, and Misraah, look the main protagonists, with the progressive Mount Abu, a head winner over One Won One at Goodwood last time getting the vote
No*1 CHOICE ~ Mount Abu [R*ecommended],
(E/W) Alt. ~ Blue Mountain
2:55 Tote Cesarewitch Showcase Handicap Class B
"The 4 Long Pole" ~ 32 runners galloping across the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk countryside.... One of the peculiarities of Newmarket is that it doesn't have a round course, so for some of these, getting to the start may be an achievement for horse and jockey! I looked at the field and ringed Barba Papa, Tryphaena, Ansar, Eastwell Hall, Heros Fatal, Dominant Duchess, Prairie Falcon, Turnpole, Laffah, Alhawa, Ravenswood, Spirit Of Love, Quedex, Christiansted, Renzo, Fletcher, and I Tina, varying levels of chance. I think the Irish have an extremely strong hand, and it wouldn't surprise me if their representatives Barba Papa, Tryphaena, and Ansar dominate at the finish. Ansar my tip when just getting touched of in the Chester Cup gets the vote. Two long shots that I think will go well are Ravenswood who lost his way a bit midway threw the season but has a good lightweight jockey booked. The same can be said for I Tina who appears to want extreme distances, and therefore may go well despite being well out of the handicap
No*1 CHOICE ~ Ansar
(E/W) Alt. ~ Ravenswood
LONGSHOT? ~ I Tina
3:30 DARLEY DEWHURST STAKES CLASS A (GROUP 1)
"The 4 Long Pole" ~ The prices shown in our overnight papers are as follows;
2/1 Tobougg,
7/2 Mozart,
5/1 Noverre,
6/1 Vacamonte,
10/1 King's Ironbridge,
14/1 Chianti, and Freud,
16/1 Tempest, and Volata,
200/1 Cashel Palace.
You can and should take a simplistic view of this race and side with Tobougg, as he is the only horse proven at this level. His smooth success over Bad As I Wanna Be in the Prix de la Salamandre looks good form, through that he looks capable of defeating Noverre who returned to his best in the Champagne Stakes last time out. Youre guessing whether Vacamonte is back to his best or whether Mozart is really up to this. If I want to take a chance it would be with Vacamonte's conqueror last time out Kings Ironbridge who stayed on well that day and looks to have a strong eachway case
No*1 CHOICE ~ Tobougg [R*ecommended],
(E/W) Alt. ~ Kings Ironbridge
4:10 DUBAI CHAMPION STAKES CLASS A (GROUP 1)
1 0-36060 Almushtarak 7 9 2 K Mahdi
2 3/3-6230 Border Arrow 5 9 2 I Balding
3 4-66624 Gold Academy 4 9 2 R Hannon
4 5-22512 Greek Dance 59 2 Sir Michael Stoute
5 32-1124 Indian Danehill 4 9 2 A Fabre
6 11-2122 Kalanisi 4 9 2 Sir Michael Stoute
7 4-11114 Montjeu 4 9 2 J Hammond
8 125-101 Slickly (FR) 4 9 2 Saeed bin Suroor
9 02-0130 Shiva (JPN) 5 8 13 H Cecil
10 055543 Barathea Guest 3 8 11M Channon
11 050451 Compton Bolter 38 11G Butler
12 111-201 Distant Music (USA) 3 8 11 B Hills
13 112-400 Lermontov (USA) 3 8 11 A O'Brien
14 64-1312 Alshakr 3 8 8 B Hanbury
15 2-1124 Love Divine 3 8 8 H Cecil
BETTING FORECAST AS OFFERED IN THE MORNING PAPERS: 11/8 Montjeu, 9/2 Kalanisi, Love Divine, 6/1 Greek Dance, 8/1 Shiva, 10/1 Indian Danehill, 16/1 Distant Music, Slickly, 50/1 Alshakr, 66/1 Border Arrow, 100/1 Almushtarak, Barathea Guest, Compton Bolter, Gold Academy,
Lermontov.
"The 4 Long Pole" ~ A fascinating renewal of the Champion Stakes, mainly of course due to Montjeu's presence in the field. Many have been writing his epicanthi or making excuse for what occurred in the Arc de Triomphe. Since I selected Sinndar naturally I take the view that he was out manoeuvred tactically by the Oxx camp, and also came up short again the better three olds, something that I certainly was questioning before the race. A sign of how differently he is now perceived is the number of horses prepared to take him on here today.
Because this trip is short of his best, Lermontov ironically Aidan O'Brien's only runner, will set the pace for Montjeu. I'm not sure how effective he'll be quite frankly , and it would make Montjeu's task all the more harder if he misses the break. Assuming he gets out and sets a sensible pace who are the likely dangers for Montjeu fans .......
Love Devine, who form in the Prix Vermeille looks rock solid after Egyptband' s good effort in the Arc. Kalanisi and Greek Dance through their efforts with Giant's Causeway must be considered... Indian Danehill and Slickly would have eachway claims on some of their recent efforts, then there's Shiva, who is as good as they come on soft ground, as she is ordinary on a fast surface. what about last year's champion two-year-old Distant Music, on a recovery mission after a wasted season on the sidelines....
I'd be surprised if this is won easily so who wants it the most? .... I'm afraid that two substandard efforts this term, and poor form against quality three year olds make me question how much Montjeu really will have to offer tomorrow ... I hope he proves me wrong but I'll pass him over. With the ground drying up I'm going to give Kalanisi the vote as I think if push comes to shove he's has proven his battling qualities, even in defeat. He can wear Shiva down who I think has a lot going for her and is likely to make a bold bid
No*1 CHOICE ~ Kalanisi
(E/W) Alt. ~ Shiva
LONGSHOT? ~ Slickly
4:45 OWEN BROWN ROCKFEL STAKES CLASS A (GROUP 2)
"The 4 Long Pole" ~ The penultimate race on the card is a trappy two year old fillies event. Ameerat, Small Change, Autumnal, Imagine, Katherine Seymour, and Lilium, look the ones to concentrate on. Ameerat, second to behind Karasta in the May Hill at Doncaster, and Small Change, so promising when winning her debut at Ascot look the 'form horses' However I'm gong to stick with Lilium, who I've selected on both starts thus far, and after winning a run of the mill maiden at Warwick can here and beat Nasifah by a neck only just getting up in the final strides. Lilium can improve on that and has eachway pretensions at the very least
No*1 CHOICE ~ Lilium (E/W)
Alt. ~ Ameerat
5:20 NGK Spark Plugs Handicap Class C
"The 4 Long Pole" ~The final race is impossible... Rayyaan, Pays D'Amour, Mornings Minion, Royal Result, Al Muallim, Lady Boxer, Royal Artist, Arpeggio, Boldly Goes, Lord Pacal, Miss Kirsty, Norfolk Reed, Premier Baron, Prince Babar, Captain Scott, and Mister Superb, are amongst those with chances. I selected Lord Pacal to win the Ayr Gold cup, and considering his bad draw he ran creditably to finish 12th of 28, 6lengths behind Bahamian Pirate who franked the form when winning yesterday. In a complex race he'll do for me. Captain Scott who does go well fresh, and who the market normally speaks volumes is the eachway alternative
No*1 CHOICE ~ Lord Capal
(E/W) Alt. ~Captain Scott
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