Best bets for the horse racing this weekend at Newbury Saturday and Cologne Sunday
It is a big day up at Ayr on Saturday with the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup the main dish of the day. As I said in a post at the start of the week, for me, the best racing this weekend, with apologies to Ayr, is actually at Newbury where they host a Group Two and a couple of Group Three’s. That is where I am concentrating. They also race at Chelmsford City, Catterick, Newmarket and Wolverhampton.
The first of the Pattern races at Newbury is the 1.45 the Group Three 5f Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes. Equilateral won a Listed heat, tipped by me, the other day showing a good attitude to get up in the shadow of the post at Doncaster. As I said that day he has been racing at the top table and I think he can get his head in front again here. Ryan Moore rides again and I have 7-2 about him doing so. Dakota Gold has been putting together an impressive sequence but this is a step-up in class again. He might just give the selection the perfect tow into the race.
At 2.20 they face 1m3f for the Group There Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup Stakes which was formerly known, somewhat farcically, as the Arc Trial. Pondus is interesting getting the weight-for-age but I think he would prefer it softer underfoot. Desert Encounter arrives off the back of two G.3 wins so has to give them all weight but still looks the best bet. He has track and trip form, good-firm underfoot is fine and he is looking as good as ever despite being seven. I have a bit of the 6-4 taken with Power on Thursday.
The two-year-olds take centre stage at 2.55 for the Group Two 6f Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes. Mystery Power has two wins from three starts the defeat being last time in what is working out to be a very strong Vintage Stakes – winner Pinatubo blowing all comers away since plus Positive, Lope Y Fernandez and Platinum Star all winning subsequently. The No Nay Never colt has to give them all weight off the back of his G.2 Superlative Stakes win but on all known form unless there is a big improver in the field he should be able to. I took 7-2 again with Power on Thursday. Pierre Lapin is the most likely improver having won well on debut and as the saying goes the colt could be anything. The bunch he beat that day though are all now rated in the 70’s and 80’s so he wasn’t exactly highly tried. Malotru was fourth in the G.2 Gimcrack Stakes last time plugging on late suggesting a place here is the best he can hope for.
I am again having a bet on Sunday, it’s becoming a regular occurrence, and this Sunday I shall be looking to the Vaterland, Germany. Best Solution is off globetrotting again and is due to run in the 1m4f Group One 57th Preis von Europa out at Cologne on Sunday at 4.10. The 5yo won Group One races last year at Hoppegarten and Baden-Baden in Germany plus Caulfied in Australia as well as a valuable handicap in Meydan Dubai and the G.2 Princess Of Wales's Arqana Racing Club Stakes at HQ here in the UK. Below his best in the September Stakes last time but trainer Saeed bin Suroor was telling everyone he would come on for the run. Pat Cosgrove is booked to ride as usual and I will be backing him as and when the Bookies chalk-up as he is a top-class performer on his day. G.1 Deutsches Derby winner Laccario, third behind Ghaiyyath last time at Baden-Baden, might be the danger getting the weight-for-age.
Be lucky