Saturday, 21st of September, offers another appetising menu for racing fans, with quality contests spread across the seven British and Irish meetings.
Scotland sets the stage for the biggest betting heat of the day in the Ayr Gold Cup, but the pick of the action from a quality perspective is the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.
First run in 1972 and named in honour of the sensational Derby, Eclipse, and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, this £100,000 contest never fails to attract a promising cast of up-and-coming stars.
The 21st Century roll of honour features the names of future Group 1 winners Excellent Art, Dark Angel, Awzaan, Ribchester, and Harry Angel and, looking at the current list of entries, it would be no surprise if a similar talent emerged from the latest edition.
With 19 runners remaining in the race at the five-day stage, we look at the market leaders and interesting outsiders for this prestigious 6f contest.
The Market Leaders
Powerful Glory – 3/1 with bet365
Trainer: Richard Fahey
Sire: Cotai Glory
By Cotai Glory and out of a Kodiac mare, Powerful Glory is all speed on the breeding page and moved well enough at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up sale to convince Blandford Bloodstock to sign a cheque for £190,000.
Making his debut in a Pontefract Maiden in August, Powerful Glory made a dent in that purchase price when claiming the £11,000 winners prize money in some steal. Keen to get on with things, the colt was allowed to take the lead after 2f and simply blew his rivals away en route to a 5½l success.
Not too much has come out of that race, but third-placed Dash Dizzy won next time to give some substance to the form. This race was mentioned as the main target in the aftermath of that contest by Richard Fahey, who appears to hold this one in high regard.
Ides Of March – 3/1 with bet365
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Sire: Wootton Bassett
Yet another talented sort to roll off the Coolmore production line, Ides Of March is bred to excel over 7f to 1m in time – sire Wootton Bassett landed the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere over 7f, whilst dam Nickname picked up a Grade 1 win in the US over a mile. However, both parents won over 6f as juveniles and Ides Of March certainly isn’t short of speed.
Looking in need of the experience when fourth on debut, he then faded to finish third behind The Lion In Winter over 7f. Back to 6f next time, he broke his maiden at the Curragh when slamming Monumental by 3l before returning to that track to win the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes in a canter.
Given that form and his connections, we would expect to see him start favourite if taking up this engagement. However, O’Brien has never won the Mill Reef and rarely targets the race – making a shot at next week’s Middle Park Stakes a more likely option.
Cool Hoof Luke – 9/2 with bet365
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Sire: Advertise
Andrew Balding landed the 2023 Mill Reef with Array and has a solid chance of doubling up with this son of the Group 1 winning sprinter Advertise. Having landed his maiden at the first time of asking, Cool Hoof Luke was pitched into the Group 2 Coventry Stakes on his second start – running a cracker to be beaten only ¾l in fourth. 7f proved a trip too far in the Vintage Stakes, but he bounced right back when getting on top late in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes last time. That’s amongst the strongest form on offer, but he may need to improve again to defy a 3lb penalty.
Shadow Of Light – 5/1 with bet365
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Sire: Lope De Vega
Like fellow powerhouse trainer Aidan O’Brien, Charlie Appleby is yet to claim Mill Reef gold but may bid to put that right with this son of Lope De Vega. Two from three in his career to date, his sole defeat came when a ¾l second to Cool Hoof Luke in the Gimcrack. That doesn’t leave him with much to find, particularly as he raced away from the main action that day and will be 3lb better off at the weights.
Symbol Of Strength – 13/2 with bet365
Trainer: Adrian Paul Keatley
Sire: Kodiac
Kodiac sired the 2018 winner of this event and has sound claims of adding to that tally in 2024. Hailing from the Yorkshire yard of Adrian Paul Keatley, Symbol Of Strength fluffed his lines when blowing the start on debut but rebounded to score in a low-grade event at Ayr on his second outing.
Stepping up from Class 5 to the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes looked a tall order, but the mount of Conor Beasley belied odds of 80/1 to finish third – only a length behind Cool Hoof Luke. Last time out at Kempton, he proved that effort was no fluke when getting up late to land the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes. His form is right up with the best of these, but he may wait for the Middle Park Stakes if the word soft enters the going description.
Outsiders Worth a Second Look
Star Anthem – 25/1 with bet365
Trainer: Clive Cox
Sire: Starspangledbanner
Successful with Harry Angel (2016) and Wings Of War (2021), Clive Cox boasts a solid recent record in this contest. Star Anthem flies the flag for the Lambourn trainer in 2024 and may be a little underestimated in the market.
Losing out by just a neck on debut, he put that right with an emphatic success in a Class 4 event at Bath. He then ran a stormer to go down by only 2l in the Coventry Stakes. Tapped for toe on the good to firm ground, he stayed on resolutely to hit the line well. Unlike Symbol Of Strength, this son of Starspangledbanner shouldn’t be inconvenienced if the forecast heavy showers arrive.
Sarab Star – 16/1 with bet365
Trainer: Jack Channon
Sire: Zoustar
Mick Channon won this race twice during his training career and son Jack bids to keep the family tradition going in 2024. Raced just once to date, Sarab Star must have shown plenty in his homework, as he was backed as though defeat was out of the question ahead of that Salisbury event in August. Sent off at just 8/11, he did win, but only just – scraping home by a short head from Good Banter.
However, he did well to win at all that day, having displayed his inexperience when hurdling a path midway through the race, drifting markedly left when hitting the front, before showing a good attitude to get back up. Sure to be more streetwise with that run under his belt, he’s open to plenty of improvement and not to be dismissed lightly.
Billboard Star – 25/1 with bet365
Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton
Sire: Advertise
Sharing a sire with Cool Hoof Luke, Billboard Star appears to be priced solely on his effort behind that rival in the Gimcrack last time. A 15 length last of 10 performance certainly leaves him with work to do but he looked to have a legitimate excuse that day, with the colt appearing to become unnerved when sandwiched between horse at the 2f poll.
If we draw a line through that York effort, this half-brother to the Listed winning sprinter Chipotle comes right into contention. Back in July, Billboard Star finished second to Whistlejacket in the July Stakes – ahead of subsequent Vintage Stakes winner Aomori City. His effort last time out in the Richmond Stakes also reads well. 1½l adrift in fourth that day, he may have gone very close had he not been badly squeezed for room close home. He will need a big career best to land this but is worth considering each way.
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
Paul Harrison
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