Sir Could Strike Back Up In Trip At Newbury

The Irish Oaks is the big race of the day on Saturday and it looks one of the worst renewals in recent history. Only seven fillies have been declared and Aidan O’Brien runs three, including market leader Magic Wand. Sea Of Class travels across the pond to try and break the Ballydoyle stranglehold on the race and she is a fascinating contender. If she stays the 12f trip she should be thereabouts but I won’t be having a bet on the race. I do think Mamba Noire is overpriced in the Minstrel Stakes and at 16/1 I will be backing him each way.

 

Sir Chauvelin deserves a change in luck.

However, my main fancy tomorrow is a horse that regular readers will remember from Royal Ascot when he was an unlucky 2nd for us at 66/1. Sir Chauvelin finished down the field in a race won by his stable mate Euchen Glen at York last time but that was over 10f and he is a horse that needs 12f at the very minimum to be seen at his best. He had previously run a cracker in the Northumberland Plate over today’s trip of 16f when 3rd off 97 behind handicap blot Withhold.

He probably got himself too far back at Newcastle and he had to switch very wide in the home straight to make his challenge. The winner and runner up had already flown but he fared best of the hold up horses and stayed on well to nick 3rd by half a length. He was also a very unlucky loser over 12f when denied a clear run at Royal Ascot and as he proved that day he relishes rattling quick ground.

The 6yo son of Authorized has yet to win over further than 13f on the flat and his last victory on the level came over 12f at Hamilton last May off 94. Given his ability it is amazing he hasn’t won another race since, but hopefully Saturday is the day the drought ends. He is only a pound higher than for his fine efforts at Ascot and Newcastle, George Downing does really well when riding for Jim Goldie (2 wins 2 top 4 finishes from 5 rides in 2018) and at odds of 18/1 I think Sir Chauvelin is capable of going very close if he gets a rub of the green.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 2.25 NEWBURY: SIR CHAUVELIN E/W @ 18/1