Neptune fancied to strike
The seven-year-old looks to have been laid out for this decent prize on the back of a run on the Flat at Pontefract last month.
Not surprisingly, he cut little ice in a 10-furlong affair that featured representatives from such luminaries of the level as Jarvis, Gosden, Stoute and Cecil.
But in his day job he has been most progressive since first stepping foot on a racecourse in January, landing back-to-back wins at Wetherby, the latest of those coming in June.
Flexible as regards underfoot conditions, a mark of 120 for his handicap bow leaves him with a bit to find on figures but also nicely at the right end of the weights, with Fearghal Davis taking an additional 3lb off.
Domtaline can land the Weatherbys Bank Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle. The three-year-old French-bred made a ruthless British debut earlier this month at Chepstow when he sluiced home by 25 lengths, jumping pretty coolly from the outset.
Ragsah can secure another deserved success in the EBF Bosra Sham Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket. Godolphin’s filly has only won once this season, but that statistic would have been increasingly bolstered had Lady Luck been on her side.
Saeed bin Suroor’s juvenile has finished second on three other outings, including on her debut behind Sweet Cecily, who re-opposes in this Listed heat. Although no match for Richard Hannon’s representative on that occasion, she has improved out of sight since that pipe-opener in June.
Her second-place finish in the Firth of Clyde at Ayr neatly emphasises that point, as Ragsah finished a brave second, staying on strongly inside the final furlong. Her best effort to date, however, was in the Group One Cheveley Park, over course and distance, in which she finished fourth from a wide position.
That effort was all the more laudable as her path was blocked two furlongs from home before she discovered daylight and galloped strongly towards the line.
While seemingly destined to get a mile next season, she is certainly not short of pace and looks the stand-out selection in this eminently winnable affair. Crucially, the chestnut daughter of Shamardal will be able to handle whatever conditions come her way at Headquarters.
