Take the Rising Mountain Road to Ces glory
THERE are two days of high-class racing from Newmarket to look forward to this week, with Future Champions Festival beginning on Friday.
The feature on day one is the Group One Fillies’ Mile (2.57pm), where unbeaten Godolphin filly Musical Times is likely to go off a very short price and take plenty of beating.
Saturday’s card appeals more from a punting perspective, with the big betting race being the historic Cesarewitch Handicap (3.40pm).
Last year’s winner Beylerbeyi looks set to return to defend his crown and could take plenty of stopping, having chased home Caballo De Mer in the Group Two Doncaster Cup when last seen.
Caballo De Mer beat Scandinavia in last weekend’s Group One Prix du Cadran at Longchamp, so that is clearly top-notch form.
Ian Williams’ six-year-old will line up 10 pounds higher in the weights than last year though, and for that reason he’s passed over in favour of two at bigger odds.
Jim Goldie’s MOUNTAIN ROAD won a two-mile handicap at Thirsk in May and since then has run good races to finish third at Ascot’s Shergar Cup meeting and then second in a competitive stayers’ handicap at York’s Ebor Festival.
It was that last start that was particularly eye-catching, as he made up plenty of ground in the final two furlongs to be beaten just a length by a strongly fancied rival in Small Fry.
While he has taken a four-pound rise in the weights for last time, he should remain competitive off a mark of 92, and a price of 14/1 looks a worthy each-way play at this stage.
Another to add to our position in the race is Joseph O’Brien’s DAWN RISING, who finished second to Beylerbeyi in this contest last season.
He is set to run off the same mark as last year, so has a sizable swing at the weights with his reopposing rival.
While his form this season leaves plenty to be desired, he hinted at a potential return to form when running on at the finish in the Irish Cesarewitch last time out.
Ground conditions could be quick for the time of year and that should suit this nine-year-old, who was a winner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot three years ago on firm ground.
Ryan Moore was in the saddle that day and it’s interesting he has been booked again, which will be the first time he has partnered the JP McManus-owned gelding since that victory.
He has already shortened in the market to 8/1, which indicates that this race has probably been the target for a while, but that price is still worth taking.
Two high-class prospects in Aidan O’Brien’s Darkness Falls and Charlie Appleby’s Desert Castle are set to clash in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes (3.00pm).
The latter readily disposed of Darkness Falls’ stablemate Sergei Diaghilev in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, a performance that saw him installed as favourite for the 2000 Guineas, and he might prove to be the leading two-year-old colt this season.
BREACHER finished third behind Desert Castle at Doncaster and could give that form a boost when he runs in the Group Three Autumn Stakes (2.25pm).
Co-trainer William Muir hasn’t disguised how much he likes this horse, and prior to Doncaster he had already substantiated that opinion when finishing a close-up third in Group Three company at Sandown, following an impressive success on debut.
Considering his level of form, a price of 25/1 looks much too big.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Breacher e/w 2.25pm Newmarket
Mountain Road e/w 3.40pm Newmarket
Dawn Rising e/w 3.40pm Newmarket