Newmarket: Maljoom Back In The Joel

There is a persuasive argument that Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio) was denied champion 3-year-old miler status only by injury last term and it is therefore a relief that William Haggas has managed to get Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's still-unexposed colt back to the races after a too-long lay-off of 472 days. While his success in Cologne's G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen last May was creditable, it is his stirring display in subsequent defeat in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. that marks him as a high-class performer at this trip. Desperately unlucky not to have readily upstaged the trio that finished in front of him headed by Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), he is the one to watch on a quality-rich card as Newmarket's Cambridgeshire meeting gains momentum.

Also in the Joel, a traditional stepping stone to next month's QEII, is another who contested last year's St James's Palace in Mighty Ulysses (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}). While Saeed Suhail's member of the Gosdens' crew was just a head behind Maljoom in fifth there, he boasts none of the exhilarating sectionals of his fellow Newmarket resident but at least has a fitness edge on him as they re-engage. Only seen four times since then, he has still mustered a win in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at last year's July Festival and a share of the spoils in Salisbury's G3 Sovereign S. last month.

While Maljoom and Mighty Ulysses probably have the most upside in the field, they will be tested by the rock-solid India-bound Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on what could be his career finale and Shadwell's title-holder Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who is a true Rowley Mile specialist. The relative of Thursday's star performer Alyanaabi (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has won four of his five starts on this course, with his sole reversal coming in the 2021 G1 2000 Guineas.

Last Friday Watch

Newmarket-3.00

Ylang Ylang

She is one a recovery mission after her last run in the Group 1 Moyglare.

But prior she looked very good at Leopardstown. The drop to Group 2 should be easier for her to get back to winning ways.pic.twitter.com/9o0dCWP5bK

— Richard Long Racing (@richardlong1990) September 27, 2023

Ylang Ylang Takes On Shuwari In The Rockfel

Newmarket's other Group 2 on Friday is the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel S. which guarantees a berth in the $1-million GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, so it is perhaps no accident that Ballydoyle have opted to send their TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) across the Irish Sea. Having bettered her compatriot Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. over this seven-furlong trip in July, the 1.5million gns Book 1 sensation dropped to last as that subsequent G2 Debutante S. winner got closest to Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. With her flop resulting in the withdrawal of City Of Troy in the following race on the rain-hit Curragh card, she is due a fresh start on this quick surface which should see her able to amply express herself.

Ryan Moore is happy to wipe the slate clean. “Ylang Ylang clearly didn't fire as expected last time out but horses have off days, as we have seen in high-profile races this season, and they can often bounce back quickly,” he said. “Certainly, if my filly returns to the form of her Leopardstown [run] she is probably the one to beat on this expected better ground.”

Through Fallen Angel, it is possible to gauge how good the Sangsters and Ballylinch's unbeaten Shuwari  (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) is or might be, having mastered the Moyglare heroine in Sandown's Listed Star S. over this trip in July. That came on soft ground and connections of the runner-up have since stated that they had the tactics wrong, so the Ollie Sangster trainee has something still to prove. The bad news for her opponents here is that Sangster is expecting the faster surface to improve her.

“Her first two runs were pretty straightforward, she looks a lovely filly and I think the better ground will bring out the best in her,” he said. “We wanted to run her in the Prestige at Goodwood, but she suffered a small setback which ruled that out. So she's not as battle-hardened as some of the other runners in the race, but that can't be helped and we're hopeful she can carry on improving.”

Alcantor At Home In The Thomas Bryon?

Withdrawn from the recent G3 Prix des Chenes, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) returns to the scene of his impressive debut at Saint-Cloud to contest Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie won 12 months ago by Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). Andre Fabre has been happy to experiment with trip where the relative of Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) is concerned, but this mile looks more the ticket rather than the six furlongs over which he was put in his place by White Birch Farm's re-opposing TDN Rising Star Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) at Chantilly in July.

Opposing the home-trained team is Nathan Bennett's Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill S. winner Warnie (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}), who upstaged the subsequent G2 Beresford S. winner Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) in that extended seven-furlong Tipperary contest last month. With so much proven talent in attendance, The Aga Khan's Compiegne scorer Saganti (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) is going to have to be smart to make the jump up in a fascinating renewal.

Hukum Handed Wide Draw For Arc, No Woes For Ace Impact

Shadwell's Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was on Thursday handed stall 14 for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, with the long-time favourite and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in the middle in stall eight. Wide draws are notoriously difficult to overcome in the autumn showcase and the Owen Burrows-trained G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. hero will have to emulate the feats of Golden Horn (GB) in 2015 and Dalakhani (Ire) in 2003 if he is to defy the unfavourable post position.

Angus Gold was left to reflect on the poser and said, “Golden Horn had a lot of tactical speed, he went forward and stayed out wide and got a brilliant ride. There is no point making a fuss about it, as there is nothing we can do. We'll just have to work around it, see how he breaks and go forward and hope to slot in somewhere.”

Burrows added, “Jim [Crowley] isn't too concerned. If I had the choice, I'd rather be in a bit from there but he's fairly versatile and it is what it is. He's in a good spot in himself and similar to how he went into Ascot. It looks like good ground, so that's suitable.”

   Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's Ace Impact is next door to the G1 St Leger winner Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), with Ballydoyle's supplemented entry in seven. Juddmonte's Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has the inside stall, while Jean-Louis Bouchard's G1 Grand Prix de Paris-winning TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) is in two.

Your voices have been heard!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy as we bring HUKUM'S 2021 win in the Cumberland Stakes back to life! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/pZ8YCUdHla

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) September 27, 2023

Task Force Ready For Middle Park Examination

   Thursday also saw the draw for Newmarket's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. and G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. on Saturday, with the former contest featuring the G1 Prix Morny winner and third Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and the sponsors' unexposed TDN Rising Star Task Force (GB) (Frankel {GB}). A son of the 2009 Cheveley Park heroine Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy), the Ralph Beckett-trained Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy winner was the subject of an upbeat bulletin from jockey Rossa Ryan.

“He has done everything right so far and his listed race at Ripon is working out really well,” he said. “Quite a lot impressed me about him the last day, as his win didn't really feel like a race, it felt more like a piece of work as he was doing it that easily. He has a very good cruise control and hopefully he can use that at the weekend. He has definitely come forward with his racing. He was a small bit of a handful before racing, but he is now figuring things out.”

Of the 13 fillies engaged in the Cheveley Park, Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's G2 Lowther S. winner Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) occupies favouritism, with a welcome runner from France in another of Wathnan Racing's acquisitions in the unbeaten Criterium d'Ete scorer Jasna's Secret (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). George Boughey is hoping that Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's hard-working Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) can make an impact on the back of a career-best third in the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S. “She looks better than ever,” he said. “She is a very balanced filly, which is so key at Newmarket, and she won on her debut at the track. I think she has got to have a lively chance. She has run over seven furlongs before and it would be lovely if she could get that bit further and aim for a Guineas preparation, but the fact we have put her in a Cheveley Park rather than Fillies' Mile shows where we are at the moment.”