Nick Luck’s Blog: Meditating on Newmarket, Ascot and Redcar

Saturday, Newmarket

WHISPERING WORDS looks a very sound market leader at 5/2 in the TV opener at HQ on Saturday (1.30pm). She was blocked in her run when making a stylish move last time, and looks very well treated on the balance of her form, including her very comfortable defeat of Doom, who has won since and is now rated only a couple of pounds he inferior. The step up in trip will help, as will Ryan Moore.

ELDERFLOWER might just be another debutante in a sales race worth having a crack at (2.05pm) at 22/1. Zoulu Chief aside (and he’s a pretty short price), these are just a fair bunch, and this well-bred filly is a huge price given her pedigree and her connections, who have introduced some seriously smart two-year-olds at this stage of their careers at this track. A guess? Somewhat. But an educated one, nonetheless.

MEDITATE comes with risks, but must be an each-way play against Inspiral in the Sun Chariot on ability alone (3.15pm). It was this time last year that she really came to herself, showing that devastating turn of foot to win in America. Prior to that, she showed good form here, as she did when running respectably in the Guineas despite unsuitable conditions. I thought there was quite a bit to like about the run back in first time blinkers – she was considerately handled that day behind a very good winner, and she might repay that now with conditions to suit. 8/1.

Saturday, Ascot

ZUDU SPIRIT looks an interesting runner in the Rous at Ascot (1.50pm) at 12/1. A perfectly solid sprinting filly in France, she’d not need to improve much to be in the three here, and is a double figure price. Her breeding suggests that better ground might suite her, and clearly the switch to George Boughey since her recent change of hands is not going to be a negative.

L’ASTRONOME is another big priced one at 18/1 in the Cumberland Lodge (2.25pm). A horse considered to be of Group One calibre when with Francis Graffard, he lost his way, but there was loads to like about his staying on third on his first start for Hugo Palmer, where he looked like he was enjoying the game for the first time in a while. He should certainly not be four times the price of Al Qareem on that basis, while neither of the two Shadwell market leaders is the most bankable.

ANNAF has another big day in him in the Bengough (3.00pm). That was a huge effort to win the Portland, which has been well franked by the runner-up’s Ayr Gold Cup win. What is more, this wasn’t out of the blue, as he’d run off his face when third in the King’s Stand here. He has a particularly good understanding with this rider, and looks respectably priced as well at 4/1.

BIGGLES is worth another chance in the big handicap (3.35pm) at 12/1. He’s a really talented horse on his day, as he showed when bolting up in the Bunbury Cup. A combination of keenness and very gluey ground undid him last time, but he’s shown terrific form at this track more than once, and will appreciate a return to a bigger field.

Saturday, Redcar

FLACCIANELLO might upset favourite Dragon Leader in the William Hill Trophy at Redcar (2.45pm) at 9/2. She wasn’t too far behind him at Doncaster, but is clearly really thriving on the evidence of an improved performance at Ayr. Any prevailing ease in the ground will be massively in her favour and against the market leader.