ITV Friday Newmarket And York Preview - 24/09/21

The first big race of the day on the Rowley Mile is the Listed Rosemary Stakes over a mile and Fooraat for Roger Varian looks a big player.

The four year old daughter of Dubawi looked a bright juvenile back in 2019 when winning her debut at Newcastle in gritty style.

From there she returned last season and won nicely in June winning a Novice Stakes over a mile at Chelmsford by seven lengths.

However, since then she started to lose her way being upped in class and being slightly found out by better horses.

Returning for her four year old campaign she finished a good second in a Listed event at Kempton, but then went into the Group Two Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot and could only finish midfield.

Last time out she gave one of the best runs of her career when a narrow third in the Listed Lyric Fillies' Stakes behind Alpine Star.

Dropping back to a mile is a positive and this filly has always threatened to have a race like this in her.

The first race of the day from York on ITV is the Class 2 Handicap over six furlongs and Cairn Island for Kevin Ryan takes the eye.

The three year old for Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum was an expensive purchase at 525,000gns and at the back end of his juvenile career went on to show his true ability winning two nice events at Ayr and then over this course and distance at York.

At the start of this term he needed both his runs in handicap company, finishing fourth on seasonal debut behind the likes of Creative Force, Significantly and Jumby who have all franked the form, with the fifth being the smart Rohaan aswell.

He then flopped at Chester not handling the track but last time out off a mark of 90 got off the mark for the season at Newmarket when winning six furlong event easily.

Up 3lb for that win he still looks on a fair mark going back to a track he handles well.

Next up is the Group Three Princess Royal Stakes over 1m4f and we can't look past the favourite Albaflora who heads into the event with leading form.

The daughter of Muhaarar has has some decent runs to her name over the last few years with a head loss over 14f in a Listed event at Ascot before subsequently landing the Listed Buckhounds Stakes at the same track next time out when dropped back to 12f on her seasonal re-appearance.

She was then sent to Epsom for the Group One Coronation Cup but was well-beaten into fourth and off the back of that went to Royal Ascot when putting up a fair effort into fifth.

The form of that race has obviously worked out, but next time out she could only finish third behind the star mare Wonderful Tonight in the Lillie Langtry Stakes.

However, she gave one of her best runs of the season last time out when chasing home the superstar Snowfall in the Yorkshire Oaks, only going down by four lengths and now down to a Group Three she should dominate.

She normally likes softer ground but proved last time out she can handle this surface aswell.

The final event from York on Friday afternoon is the Class 3 Handicap over seven furlongs and the Grant Tuer trained Lion Tower looks a nice each way price at 7/1.

The gelding has been highly consistent this season running seven times and going on to place six times, winning three of those events.

Having started the year off a mark of 71 and now runs off 89 he has been a very progressive animal that is sure to take another step forward for this event.

Having won nicely at Musselburgh last time out he is 3lb higher for this run but should take it in his stride.

One of the feature events on the card is the Group Two Rockfel Stakes over seven furlongs and the horse who makes the most appeal is the Andrew Balding trained Majestic Glory.

The two year old is a beautifully bred daughter of Frankel that cost 350,000gns who has been seen four times to date and of late has really started to show how good she can be.

She made her debut back in July needing the run at Windsor, but off the back of it then finished a neck second in a good Fillies' Maiden at Newbury.

Since then she has not looked back landing back to back events at Newmarket over six and seven furlongs, with her latest win coming in the Group Three Sweet Solera Stakes.

She saw off Wild Beauty for Godolphin that day and she has since gone on to take a Group One in Canada with the minimal of fuss.Strong form claims.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Group Two Joel Stakes and looking to land it for a second year is the Saeed bin Suroor trained Benbatl.

The son of Dubawi was impressive on his first run of last season in this event, finishing third behind Guineas winner Kameko with his handler explaining his six year old lacked a little bit of race fitness.

With slight complications he wasn't seen again last term and returned at Goodwood this term in the Group Two Celebration Mile and having ran a cracker he went down by a short head.

Having had that run he should improve massively and looks a big contender, holding some superb Group One form throughout his career.

We are hoping the favourite Master Of The Seas may need the run after the break and if that is the case then Benbatl is the value.