Stipulate: drops back in trip to 1m having raced over 1m2f on his last start
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
THE Lady Cecil-trained Stipulate is the 4-1 favourite to give Warren Place a first Listed winner in the Ian And Kate Hall Macmillan Ganton Stakes at York since the death of Sir Henry Cecil.
York was the scene of Frankel’s emphatic Juddmonte International success, the race in which he recorded his joint-highest RPR and Lady Cecil, Tom Queally and Khalid Abdullah team up again with Stipulate.
“He’s got blinkers on for the first time to help him concentrate. He’s consistent and is very capable of winning and we hope the headgear can do the trick,” said Lady Cecil.
The day’s other Listed contest is at Sandown, where Morawij heads the betting for the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Scurry Stakes.
Roger Varian’s three-year-old was sixth in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock on his seasonal debut and his trainer said: “Morawij is in really good form, has a good draw and breezed nicely on Wednesday.
“It’s a competitive race and he has a penalty but I think he has come on a bit from his run in the Temple Stakes. He is the one to beat.”
Today’s key pointers
Crackenthorp and Jacqueline Coward bid for their third successive victory in the Queen Mother’s Cup (2.05 York), having won from a very wide stall and a middle draw. The gelding is also back down to his last winning mark.
The 2.25 at Musselburgh has a history of producing an above average juvenile sprinter. Bryan Smart’s record in the contest is two winners from the three he has sent – his other finished last of five in 2012 but was sent off market leader. He has Lexington Rose entered this time.
Beware of the favourite in the Charity Sprint Cup (3.50 York), as in five of the last six seasons it has failed to place let alone win. Ancien Regime in 2008 finished third when the 5-1 market leader, while the last four cam home in 12th ,19th, 17th and seventh.
One would have guessed that the Neil Callan/Kevin Ryan partnership would have done well in 5f and 6f handicaps at York, but since 2008 they are 0-18, meaning Pea Shooter in the 5.20 at York has a big negative to overcome if the booked rider takes the mount.
Pointers courtesy of Raceform Interactive
Saturday going report
Bath: Firm
Hexham: Good, Good to Firm in places
Leicester: Good, Good to Firm in places
Limerick: Yielding to Soft
Lingfield: Turf course – Good to Firm; All-weather – Standard
Musselburgh: Good to Firm, Firm in places
Sandown: Round course – Good, Good to Firm in places; Sprint course – Good to Firm, Good in places
York: Good to Firm, Good in places
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