GEORGE BOUGHEY: Weekend Preview

A busy couple of days ahead with runners at Chester, Ascot and Wolverhampton, and there are a few we’re hopeful can go very close, writes GEORGE BOUGHEY.

It was good to get on the board at Chester on Thursday on what was an interesting day on course. I’m now down at the sales in France for the Arqana Breeze Ups.

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FRIDAY

EL BURHAN – 1:30pm Chester

He’s in as good a form as we could possibly have him. We would, however, need a bit of ease in the ground and if it’s too fast, he won’t run. He’s in the York race next week and there are other options for him, so there’s no need to force it. He’s drawn well, he’s a course winner, and if conditions are suitable, hopefully he can run a big race.

EXOTIC BABY – 4:35pm Ascot

He’s first-time gelded and in first-time cheekpieces. His work through the spring had been strong but he disappointed and just wasn’t applying himself, so this is a bit of a fact-finding mission. He’s drawn nicely and we’ll leave it to Patsy (Cosgrave) to ride him as he finds him. He’s always looked a nice horse who could be competitive off this mark, so we’ll learn a lot from his turf debut.

CHAMPIONE – 4:45pm Chester

She’s in terrific shape and I thought she, along with McMurray who won yesterday, were probably the standout horses for the week. She’s drawn well in seven and deserves her place towards the top of the market. It’s her first run on turf and she’s not a filly who takes a huge amount of work, so it’s always been a bit of a learning curve with her. That said, she’s in as good a nick as we can have her and we go there very hopeful.

LIGHTKISS – 7:30pm Wolverhampton

She ran with credit on debut and is the type who should improve with time. We haven’t done a huge amount with her since that run, just allowing the track to educate her. She’s strengthened up physically and looks a nice filly going forward. She’s drawn wide, so hopefully Jack [Callan] can get some cover and we can see natural improvement from her. I do think she’ll be better on turf in time and she’s still very much a work in progress.

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SATURDAY

WATERFORD CASTLE – 3:30pm Ascot

He was probably unlucky not to win at Newmarket three and a half weeks ago and I think he’s in a better place now than he was then. If he’s going to make the step up towards Royal Ascot, he needs to start putting things together, because his work has always suggested he’s better than the bare form. The cheekpieces go on for the first time and hopefully they can eke out a little bit more from him. We go there with what I’d call a very solid winning chance.

TRYST – 4:05pm Ascot

We’re pleased to get her back on turf, which we think will suit her much better. She probably should have won at Wolverhampton last time when clipping heels and getting unbalanced, yet still made up plenty of ground afterwards. She shapes like a filly who’ll stay ten furlongs, and being by Siyouni, she’s got a lovely action that should help her see it out. We’ve always thought she was well treated and she’s trained nicely into this. The Gosdens obviously have a very progressive filly at the top of the market, but we’re hopeful ours can be competitive.

Best Chance: It’d be a toss-up between Champione and Waterford Castle I’d say!

⭐ HORSE RACING MARKETS ⭐

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