Best bet for the horse racing Friday 5th August
You know it’s been a dry few months when Newmarket's watered gallop has been shut because of a lack of available water! The continuing dry spell has forced Jockey Club Estates to close the gallop, prioritising water use for the town's two tracks, the July course and the Rowley Mile. The regular Gallops have been unusable for two months apparently and with this closure the Al Bahathri Polytrack strip is going to be in for increased usage. They race again on the July Course on Friday evening and I am on one.
Best bets for the horse racing at Newmarket
I need to have a word with Charlie Appleby and the team at Moulton Paddocks. As any regular reader will know I do like a Godolphin owned two-year-old making debut at Newmarket; they seem to save their best for their ‘home track’ and it is a theory that has made me a few quid down the years. Well, old Charlie boy has entered two in the 7f British Stallion Studs EBF 'Newcomers' Maiden Stakes at 6.35 which muddies the waters somewhat. City Of Kings is by Kingman out of Horseplay a top-class mare in her day winning up to 1½m including the Lancashire Oaks, was also fourth in the Oaks at Epsom. He should prove decent but may be better over further as he matures with plenty of middle-distance stamina on the Dam side. Local Dynasty is by Dubawi out of Really Special (Shamardal - Rumh) who was a 6f-1m winner in her career up to Listed class, including winning at both starts at two and the UQE 1,000 Guineas Trial. She is herself a half-sister to high-class trio Yibir, Wild Illusion and Wild Crusade (all three by Dubawi out of Rumh) and it’s a family Godolphin know well. This one's year older full-sister Swift Spirit has won a race in France and I will be amazed if the colt doesn’t win a race or two. James Doyle rides, Buick is off to the States, and he is the one to be on at 9-4.
Be lucky