David John and Will Hayler join Sky Bet's Johnnie Simpson to look back upon the racing action and forward to Newmarket.
1) What a weekend for Richard Fahey, but how was it for you? Were you celebrating the victory of the unbeaten Don’t Touch in the Ayr Gold Cup or licking your wounds?
David John: Sprint handicaps are not really my thing to be honest, although I did back Coastal Bluff in this race back in the day, but was soon put off a few years later when one of Guy Reed's was swinging away on the bridle two furlongs out behind a wall of horses and basically never got a sight of the front. And he would have won a minute! So I didn't have an interest in the race but I was delighted for Richard Fahey, who had targeted this race with the horse from some time ago. An astonishing piece of training to keep him unbeaten to date.
Will Hayler: It was a case of wrong-one-itis all day long as I backed no less than four Richard Fahey-trained losers on Saturday and left Don't Touch alone all week on the basis that it was too short in the betting. I was left a little unclear afterwards as to whether it had been a carefully-hatched plot or just a happy a coincidence that the four 'Touch' horses all turned up on the Ayr card ready to run for their lives - a little bit of both, I suspect - but fair play to Fahey for once again raising the bar with these big handicap prizes and for helping some punters who like a cheeky Lucky 15 to go so close to hitting the bullseye. Having a Group Two winner for Godolphin on the same day isn't going to do any harm to his ambition of attracting more big-money owners to the yard either.
Johnnie Simpson, Sky Bet racing trader: It was indeed! It was some training performance whichever way you look at it, but from a bookmaker's point of view it was a disaster and the only saviour was Innocent Touch getting beaten in the last. We would have been looking at paying out a substantial seven-figure sum if that had won!
2) Was there a horse that caught your eye over the weekend and could yet pay us out before the end of the Flat season?
JS: Melvin the Grate for Andrew Balding. His close second in the mile handicap at Ayr can be marked up given how the race was run. He was the only horse to come from off the pace and only just failed to get past the game Mutasayyid. I'd imagine he'll be out again over the next few weeks and should make up for the near-miss this Saturday.
DJ: Priceless was having her second run in the Firth Of Clyde Stakes and was probably undone by her inexperience when finishing third behind Shaden and Hayley Turner. The fact she was sent off favourite despite the step up in grade suggests an expectation that there will be more still to come before the end of the campaign and she was undeniably impressive first time out.
WH: Plenty caught my eye but I think Bateel, an easy winner of a handicap at HQ on Saturday, rates a particularly nice prospect. Her trainer David Simcock took a typically long-term view immediately after the race in suggesting that would be it for the campaign - so she's not really one for 'this season' - but she looks destined for plenty of black type in 2016. Keystroke ultimately finished well beaten in the last race at the same track, but he remains interesting too. Perhaps the nice all-weather prizes over the winter might appeal to connections with him.
3) What did you make of John Gosden’s thoughts on Saturday about the options available for Golden Horn and Jack Hobbs? What do you think will end up where and is your money down yet for either race?
JS: There was me thinking I was on a nice ante-post wager for the Arc in the shape of my 40/1 on Jack Hobbs!. Big John seems to have other ideas by the sounds of it and it appears the Champion Stakes will be his next start instead. Golden Horn has had some campaign this season and all credit to Gosden and his team for that. He's contested nearly every major Group 1 this season and I'd been tempted to give the Breeders Cup a go for Golden Horn. Why not give him a go in the Classic - Epsom Derby Winner v US Triple Crown Winner v British/Irish Guineas Winner... he's got nothing to lose! Leave the Arc to Jack Hobbs, I'd say. But then, I would.
DJ: Typically helpful views from Gosden as he tries and keep the racing fraternity in the picture. I guess he is as much in the dark as we are in terms of what conditions will be like but the weather does seem a bit more autumnal lately and there is every chance we will see ground on the soft side for the Arc. I just can't see Golden Horn going there as he is such a good mover and so much better on top of the ground. With Treve looking bullet-proof once again at just the right time, I don't think Gosden will relish the prospect of standing in the unsaddling enclosure after the race having to confirm his fears to the owner/media that the Derby winner got stuck in the mud. He has a fine record preparing horses for the Breeders' Cup so I would be tempted by that option if the horse were mine.
WH: Poor Johnny G is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. As my friend above says, of course he wants to keep his options open until he absolutely has to play his hand with both horses, but at the same time we punters are desperate for a clue as to which way he is leaning. My interpretation of his quotes was that an Arc/Breeders' Cup double bid was possible with Golden Horn if the ground is right, leading to a definite Champion Stakes plan for Jack Hobbs, but that soft ground would see Jack Hobbs run in the Arc and Golden Horn line up in either the Champion or in Kentucky. What seems to have been forgotten in recent weeks is that Gosden made clear his feelings only a few months ago that Keeneland would certainly not suit Golden Horn, so my guess is that the Breeders' Cup will only come into play if we get enough rain to see both Longchamp and Ascot bypassed.
4) The Cheveley Park Stakes, the Middle Park Stakes and the Royal Lodge Stakes all take place at Newmarket, along with a host of other top-class action. Which horse are you most looking forward to seeing in action?
JS: Mark Johnston's star filly Lumiere in the Cheveley Park. She looked top-class on debut and although slightly disappointing when beaten at York next time, that run can be excused given her market weakness and rain-softened ground. I fully expect her to finish a lot closer to Besharah, if not reverse that form on Saturday.
WH: Hey, I was going to say Lumiere! I've lost no faith after that York defeat, where she battled on impressively in a contest where the tactical plan simply didn't work out. Other than that, I'd like to see Time Test prove his International run all wrong and with the Joel Stakes on Friday by about 10 lengths. Particularly, if I've bought the distances.
DJ: Can I say Lumiere too? Please? Sorry to be repetitive but she did very little wrong on the Knavesmire against a battle-hardened rival in Besharah, who has had plenty of racing. I think that one could start to plateau a bit now while there looks to be loads more to come from Lumiere. Granted fast ground, it would be great to get the chance to see that electric turn of foot again she showed at HQ on debut.
5) What wins the Betfred Cambridgeshire?
DJ: Michael Bell trains a horse could Franklin D, who caught my eye when I was Ascot at the start of the month. He was well fancied for the closing mile handicap but was totally unsuited by the way the race played out in an odd affair which saw the early leader go streaking clear and almost pinch victory as the majority of field waited far too long to go off in pursuit. He needs a handful to come out and may end up in the consolation event - but wherever he turns up at Newmarket this weekend he is worth a second glance.
WH: Earth Drummer was a big eyecatcher at York and previous winner Educate keeps shaping as if the ability is still there if it can be coaxed out of him, but I'm going to be boring and say the favourite Bronze Angel can make history and win it for the third time. He just looked like a horse who was right back on his A-game when scoring at Doncaster last time.
JS: I've not had a proper look yet and with the draw and ground such an uncertainly at this stage it's hard to make any sort of a call - but one of my colleagues on the trading desk is very, very sweet on Gm Hopkins so I'll go with that for now!.