Lucida to lead the line at Newmarket’s July Meeting on day two
Published:
We’re ditching Ryan Moore for day two at Newmarket, despite sticking with him on Thursday, and the fact that he racked in a treble on Ladies Day last year, but we are still hopeful.
The action on the July Course continues thick and fast, with another seven contests to get your teeth into.
Deciphering the contests looks even more tricky than useful, so it’s nice that Ladbrokes’ are rewarding any shrewdies that pull out a winner at 4/1 or bigger with a free bet.*
There will be no free bets for us here at Ladbrokes News, but we are having a go at finding those victors nonetheless.
The intermediate trip of 7f looks spot on for Brian Meehan’s filly here. She was only beaten 3l by Osaila at Royal Ascot, and drops down in trip and class, as well as the weights, with a 1lb slide.
Prior to that run in the Sandringham Handicap she finished in fifth behind subsequent 2000 Guineas third Bossy Guest, so the form of her two most recent runs certainly stacks up.
She raced far too keenly when supported in a conditions race at Salisbury over this trip, but now more mature she can strike off a workable mark.
Her handler has been please with how she has trained on from her juvenile campaign, and looks a solid each way bet to run well.
This race looks a red hot renewal, but with Lucida the sole three-year-old near the head of preceedings, her 9lb weight allowance should make all the difference.
The Godolphin-owned filly was thundering home at Ascot in the Coronation Stakes but couldn’t get past French raider Ervedya, while the staying power of Legatissimo denied her in the Guineas. That weight differential will certainly aid any situations like that on the July Course.
This year’s crop of three-year-old fillies seems to be an above average generation, and the daughter of Sharmadal has more than held her own against the best of them.
Jim Bolger’s filly always seems to run her race, and against plenty of opponents with questions to answer, needs to be backed.
He may have been off the track for 288 days, but the form of Valley of Fire’s juvenile races looks rock solid.
A maiden win, despite running green, at York saw triple winner and 90-rated Third Time Lucky nearly 3l back, Wlliam Haggas’ colt showed a real turn of foot after starting slowly.
Then came the best form in his short career to date. Despite suffering interference late on, a third placed finish in the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes saw him finish ahead of Kool Kompany (113), and just 1¼l behind subsequent Group 3 winner New Providence (107).
Stamina seemed to run out when upped in trip at Newmarket in September, when well backed in a Group 2 on the Rowley Mile, but back down in trip, class and with a handy opening mark of 95 can strike if fully wound up.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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