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Definitely Maybe

Sea Moon promoted to head of Leger market after York stroll

Alex Hammond Posted 25th August 2011 view comments

What a week we enjoyed at York with some success on the tipping front too. Most notably the performances of Sea Moon (who we tipped up in the Great Voltigeur) and Blue Bunting in the Yorkshire Oaks.

After his impressive win Sea Moon is now 5/4 favourite with Sky Bet for the Leger next month and if he keeps improving at the rate he already has he will be hard to beat. However, Blue Bunting looks likely to take her place in the line up too and although I'm not sure she can beat Sir Michael Stoute's colt, she is tough and won on the Knavesmire despite being in season.

Irish star: unbeaten filly Maybe (r) goes in the Moyglare Stud Stakes

Irish star: unbeaten filly Maybe (r) goes in the Moyglare Stud Stakes

Mahmood Al Zarooni's filly is 4/1 2nd favourite for the final classic of the season. If she were to win at Doncaster she would become the first filly to do so since User Friendly in 1992 and the first since Oh So Sharp in 1985 to win the Guineas and the Leger.

Richard Hughes rode Sea Moon at York, deputising for the injured Ryan Moore, but he looks like being claimed to ride Census for Richard Hannon (a 5/1 chance) which leaves Sir Michael Stoute looking for a jockey. It will be fascinating to see who gets the ride, but in his quest to win another jockey's championship Kieren Fallon would be a great third choice, he has been riding a few for the stable in recent weeks and of course was a very successful stable jockey for Stoute a few years ago.

Godolphin plan repeat Celebration bid for Poet's Voice

Moving onto this weekend and the feature race is the Celebration Mile at Goodwood. The race has lost a bit of its gloss owing to the fact that both Strong Suit and Zoffany miss the Group 2. Richard Hannon is concerned about the ground for the former with rain having hit the Sussex track with more forecast and the stable will instead be represented by Dubawi Gold. Famous Name is also out of the race.

The feature race this weekend is the Celebration Mile at Goodwood and I'm with last year's winner Poet's Voice.

Alex Hammond
Quotes of the week

That makes it incredibly hard to look beyond last year's winner Poet's Voice - a 5/4 shot with Sky Bet - for Saeed bin Suroor and Frankie Dettori. He hasn't run since his well beaten effort in the Dubai World Cup in March (too keen over 1m 2f) but although he hasn't won after a break, he has run well and that doesn't bother me. The rain that has fallen will be right up his street too so that's another positive.

If you don't fancy backing him then you could do worse than an each way bet on Premio Loco for Chris Wall who has his team in better form after a quiet spell in the summer. At 7/1 he is an each way price and his 3rd to Canford Cliffs and Rip Van Winkle in last year's Sussex Stakes confirmed his liking for the track. He hasn't had a busy year and was unlucky at Salisbury last time out. I'm with Poet's Voice though with the significant absentees.

Maybe fancied to extend her unbeaten sequence in Moyglare

In Ireland on Sunday the feature race is the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes a race for 2 year-old fillies over 7 furlongs. Aidan O'Brien runs his unbeaten filly Maybe who was last seen winning the Group 2 Debutante Stakes over this trip. Significantly though she beat another of Sunday's rivals La Collina on her penultimate outing and there were no hard luck stories for the runner up.

However, La Collina caused a bit of an upset against the colts in the Phoenix Stakes (6 furlongs) last time out beating the favourite Power who won the Coventry at Royal Ascot.

The result of this race will have a bearing on the betting for next year's 1000 Guineas and at the moment Maybe is Sky Bet's 4/1 favourite with La Collina 8/1.

I find it really hard to pick one over the other as both fillies have their merits. Maybe has a load of untapped potential and was an easy winner under overweight when beating her rival on her penultimate start, but you can't argue with the form of La Collina against the colts last time out albeit over a furlong shorter. I wouldn't put you off either, but think I'm just with Maybe...maybe!

Beverley sprint looks a Dunne deal for Easterby raider

Other horses to keep an eye out for on Saturday are Captain Dunne in the Beverley Bullet. He ran well in the Nunthorpe last time out, but Group 1 level is just too much for him. Dropping back to this Listed grade he can make his presence felt.

I also like Mac's Power who runs in the Chris Blackwell Memorial Stakes at Newmarket. James Fanshawe's horse was 3rd in the Steward's Cup at Goodwood last time out to Hoof It and is running here before a tilt at the Ayr Gold Cup for which he is 10/1 favourite with Sky Bet at the moment.

Selections:

Saturday:

Poet's Voice, Celebration Mile, Goodwood @ 5/4 with Sky Bet

Mac's Power, Chris Blackwell Memorial Stakes, Newmarket

Captain Dunne, Beverley Bullet, Beverley

Sunday:

Maybe, Moyglare Stud Stakes, The Curragh

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