ITV Racing Tips: Return to Newmarket offers Mother Earth space to reclaim top filly status in Sun Chariot
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There will be a mini-exodus across the Channel this weekend for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but armchair punters should find there is plenty to stay at home for.
Saturday’s fayre doesn’t match the glamour of Paris in the Autumn but there are some competitive prizes, including a Group 1 race, among the TV action from Newmarket, Ascot and Redcar.
It’s always busy on the Rowley Mile this time of year and a week after the Cambridgeshire meeting, the Sun Chariot Stakes, a mile race for top females whose headline acts are Snow Lantern, Mother Earth and No Speak Alexander.
Ascot’s twin highlights are the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes and the Bengough Stakes while Redcar gets rare terrestrial airtime as the cameras venture to Teesside to show the Two Year Old Trophy.
The in-form Hurricane Ivor, who has won on successive Saturdays, goes for a hat-trick at Newmarket in the Rous Stakes and there are some fascinating handicaps too.
Coverage begins at 13:30 on ITV4 and we have previewed the three most significant races of the day in our ITV Racing Tips.
Hukum, beaten at long-odds on last time out, has another chance to add a third Group win of the campaign.
The Hardwicke Stakes third who won the Silver Cup at York and Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, for a second time, has run consistently all season and after going down by a neck to Hamish at Kempton, connections said he had made a noise.
He is running in a tongue tie this time which might help, but it may not be enough. Under a penalty he looks vulnerable to any number of opponents, the best of which could be Title.
As a three-year-old Title gets 9lb off Hukum and he looked ready for a return to group company when he won a Doncaster handicap by four and a half lengths on his first run since being gelded.
There is a chance for No Speak Alexander, Mother Earth and Champers Elysees to reprise their Matron Stakes clash in which they filled first, third and sixth respectively and there is a high chance that won’t be the finishing order this time.
The 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth got no room to be able to respond to the winner’s burst at Leopardstown and Champers Elysees was also affected. Snow Lantern, who beat Mother Earth in the Falmouth Stakes and is trying to emulate her dam Sky Lantern in this race, could have a say too.
But the Ballydoyle filly had excuses on the July course and this could be Mother Earth’s moment to reaffirm herself as Europe’s top filly miler back at the scene of her Classic triumph.
Champers Elysees and Tahlie, who will both race in the stripes of Japan’s leading owner-breeder Teruya Yoshida, should run well at each-way odds.
There is a big pot on offer for this Redcar showpiece which is known to attract the odd decent sprinter, notably Limato in 2014.
There would appear to be nothing of his calibre in this year’s renewal with the betting headed by Vintage Clarets, who finished third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He hasn’t hit that level since but nevertheless offers some of the best form in this race. Hopefully this will be the day Chipotle returns to the winners’ circle.
The Windsor Castle Stakes winner was very unlucky when favourite for the Super Sprint at Newbury and things have not gone right for him since.
His last two starts have been in the Nunthorpe and Flying Childers Stakes and, provided he stays 6f, should find this a less challenging task.
ITV Racing Schedule, Saturday 2nd October
13:45 Newmarket – 1m2f Fillies’ handicap
14:05 Ascot – Rous Stakes
14:20 Newmarket – October Auction Stakes
14:40 Ascot – Cumberland Lodge Stakes
14:55 Newmarket – Sun Chariot Stakes
15:15 Ascot – Bengough Stakes
15:35 Redcar – Two Year Old Trophy
15:50 Ascot – Challenge Cup
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
