GEORGE BOUGHEY: Weekend Preview & Best Chance

I’m over in America this weekend for the sales and the opening weekend of Belmont Park, but we’ve got a busy couple of days back home with eight runners across Friday and Saturday, writes GEORGE BOUGHEY.

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FRIDAY

POWDER MONKEY – 6:15pm Wolverhampton

It didn’t surprise us when Powder Monkey won last time. He’s a horse who had always threatened to win a novice, but it just hadn’t really come together for him.

He’s got a wide gate to overcome and Billy will have to be at his best, but if he can get a nice position, I think he should be very competitive again.

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SATURDAY

MCMURRAY – 1:20pm Ayr

We thought McMurray was a horse for the Britannia earlier in the summer, but he had a little setback and we’ve had to be patient with him and he’s since been gelded.

He’s drawn eight and should be able to jump into a nice position. He has always suggested he can keep progressing off this sort of mark and has a brilliant attitude. He does have to take on horses who are race-fit from running through the summer, so it remains to be seen whether he’s sharp enough first time back, but he’s got a lot in his favour.

RADIANCE – 1:50pm Newmarket

I was a bit disappointed with Radiance earlier in the year. She had a setback in the spring and took a while to come back to us. It didn’t happen for her at Lingfield, but she was much better at a big price last time and that didn’t surprise us at all.

The hood comes back off, Billy keeps the ride and I think this speed-favouring track should suit her. I think she should run very well and hopefully she’s a filly we can step up in grade as the autumn comes through on slower ground. I couldn’t be any happier with her.

EL BURHAN – 1:55pm Ayr

El Burhan is a course-and-distance winner and we’re slightly running out of options for him. He’s going to be in the horses-in-training sale and it was really a case of running here or waiting for something like the November Handicap.

He’s in great shape. It may well have been too quick a turnaround for him last time when he just didn’t seem to fire. I do think a mile and a quarter with the blinkers on should suit him. It’s obviously a step up in grade and they’ll go that bit faster, but I think he could run better than his market expectation.

HAVANA FLASH – 2:00pm Chester

Havana Flash hasn’t had the most typical campaign for one of mine, running in a maiden and then a stakes race, but she’s had a bit of a break since then and has done well physically.

I think she goes here with a really good chance. She’s drawn nicely in three and the ground wouldn’t worry her if it was slow. She probably presents as one of our best chances of the weekend.

AWAKEN – 2:50pm Chantilly

I was really pleased with Awaken in a competitive Prix de Lieurey at Deauville last time. We’ve won that race a couple of times in recent years and I thought it looked a warmer renewal this year. It looked like a proper race in the paddock.

I was pleased with the way she switched off and found the line. She possibly could have done with more on the front end and I think stepping up to nine furlongs is well within her reach. Alexis Pouchin takes the ride and I couldn’t be any happier with her. It’s competitive, but there are only eight runners and we’re looking to get some more black type. I think she’s capable of doing so.

ELECTRIC ARC – 4:55pm Newmarket

Electric Arc was better at Lingfield the other day, but she’s obviously no superstar. Pat Cosgrave said she was still woefully green despite having done plenty of work through the summer, and she didn’t handle coming down the hill at Lingfield.

Hopefully, racing in a straight line at Newmarket will allow her to find a better rhythm and she can improve again on what she showed last week.

ZATSGOOD – 5:30pm Newmarket

Zatsgood has been a little bit of an enigma, but his work has always been very good. He possibly lacks a little bit of resolve late on, although he has been a very consistent performer and has run to his mark a number of times recently.

If he can do so again with the help of Henry Callan in this amateur riders’ race, he could be very competitive. He’s arguably in the form of his life and I couldn’t be happier with the horse. It’s great to give Henry a go in Highclere’s colours on a big day.

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Best chance

Havana Flash – 14:00 Chester

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