Sharp Riposte ticks enough boxes to make it third time lucky in a 2-y-o Novice Stakes over six furlongs of Newcastle tapeta this afternoon; no ‘cert’ by any means but Marco Botti’s charge, again mount of Luke ‘workaholic’ Morris, certainly meets median requirement given his second effort on ‘soft’ Haydock four weeks ago represented improvement.
Luke, aboard this Bated Breath colt first up at Nottingham three weeks earlier, wasn’t available and Daniel Muscott took the reins, steering Sharp Riposte into third place (again!) three and a quarter lengths behind Richard Hannon-trained Tacarib Bay; runner-up was heavily-backed favourite Kingmax, highly-regarded by Roger Varian.
Fifth was subsequent winner, Mot And The Messer which, to all intents and purposes, confirms the value of my time-handicap computation. That’s so vital in my book.
Whether or not Sharp Riposte will be favourite depends on the confidence behind once-raced Mark Johnston’s Boondoggle, beaten more than five lengths last week at Ripon by heavily-backed favourite, Mot And The Messer!
Unfortunately none of seven other races afford opportunities for profit but on the ‘good to soft’ Newmarket July course similarly-profiled, twice-raced Maybury will definitely carry my wedge in a Maiden Stakes over six furlongs on the back of a remarkable effort last time out, at Epsom!
Drawn widest in the ‘coffin box’ Maybury, realistically, was ‘never at the races’ so to speak under ex-champion jockey Silvestre de Souza and trailed a frenetic pace ‘early doors’ only to pick up down the straight with the ‘pocket rocket’ Brazilian all action with the Adaay gelding; in the closing stages they stormed down the outside to grab third only four lengths behind Oscula, a creditable third at Royal Ascot last week since when the racing has been poor qualiy..
HQ maidens are always difficult to win because of the sheer class which they attract but William Jarvis-trained Maybury achieved a time-handicap mark which wins this-type race nine times out of ten and is napped with confidence. I’d love to own him!
Plotting ‘road maps’ for progressive juveniles was a labour of love during twenty years of ownership which yielded about sixty winners worldwide and included a vexing head defeat of Cragside in the group ‘Cornwallis’ at Ascot where my jockey surrendered a winning position by dropping his whip and trying to retrieve it close home; cost me millions!
Richard Hannon’s yard is beginning to hit form and what beats Malathaat in the sixteen-runner 3-y-o Fillies’ Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs will win; Ryan Moore takes over from injured stable jockey Rossa Ryan, aboard thirty-three days ago when this Frankel filly was third in a fast-run race over a similar distance on the Rowley Mile course. This is an urgent mission, she needs to prevail, for stud purposes
A patent is advised for readers who need to know this mid-summer day signals yet another birthday; I’m hoping it will be memorable., for all of us!
Selections, Newcastle, 2.35 Sharp Riposte; Newmarket, 1.50 Maybury (nap); 3.35 Malathaat.
Jeffrey Ross, horse-racing correspondent for WMN since 1983 when winning the most prestigious racing journalist award, Sporting Life Naps Table, before winning it a record number of six times collectively in the Racing Post, the current ‘trade’ paper, including 2019