Nick Luck’s Blog: Dreaming of Paradias at Newmarket

Newmarket, Saturday

AL MUSMAK looks a decent price at 11/2 for the Royal Lodge on Saturday (1.50pm). Assured when comfortably defeating Macduff last time, he lost out only to the freakish Rosallion, who struggled on soft at Doncaster, at Ascot. He might just have seen the front a shade soon that day, but this should set up nicely, and he can confirm himself a smart prospect.

SOPRANO is the answer to the Cheveley Park (2.25pm) at 5/1. The Dick Poole is a nice stepping stone to this, and she surely would have won that with any kind of luck. Her previous defeat at Sandown looks something of a golden form line, and she should get plenty of pace to chase under a patient ride from Danny Tudhope.

RIVER TIBER can reverse Morny placings with Vandeek in the Middle Park (3.00pm). While the Crisford runner is out of the top drawer, this ground will be notably quicker, and the selection showed his effectiveness on a sounder surface at Ascot. 2/1.

PARADIAS is a sporting shot with all the places in the Cambridgeshire (3.40pm) at 28/1. His pedigree doesn’t really have him down as a middle-distance horse, and the way he ran at York strongly suggests that cutting back in trip will suit. His wins have both been on nice ground over this sort of trip, and he’s not so much higher than when cruising through his race at Sandown earlier in the year. Rossa Ryan is an excellent booking here.

Chester, Saturday

THE GRAND VISIR could enjoy a return to Chester in the Watergate Cup (2.05pm) at 15/2. He’s still very live in handicaps of this sort of mark, likes it here and won’t really mind what the weather does. He ran as well as could be expected at Doncaster and this is his easiest task for a little while.

ARECIBO has claims of coming back in the Haydock feature (2.40pm) at 10/1. The handicapper is cutting some serious slack – he’s over a stone lower than the start of the year, and five lower than when a good second at this track two runs back.