Rosallion holds the key to Lockinge glory at Newbury
WE’RE now firmly into the Flat season and the big races arrive thick and fast, with high class action coming up from the Lockinge meeting at Newbury this Saturday.
The Lockinge Stakes (2.35pm) is the first Group One contest of the season run over a mile for four-year-olds and over, giving us a chance to see many of last year’s Classic protagonists line up against their elders.
The best form in this race lies with ROSALLION, the winner of two Group One contests last season in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He was unlucky to not complete the Guineas double last season, just going down to Notable Speech who reopposes here.
The selection did however put the English Guineas winner firmly in his place at Ascot, strengthening his credentials as a proper Group One fast-ground performer.
If lack of match fitness proves no issue, the 2/1 on offer looks a very fair price.
The London Gold Cup (2.00pm), a competitive handicap for three-year-olds over one mile and two furlongs, is a race it often pays to follow the form of throughout the season.
The current field boasts several unexposed types, who will undoubtedly be competing in higher company this season, however I’m going to side with the William Haggas-trained ARCHIVIST, who is one of the more exposed horses in here on the face of it.
Brought along steadily last season by Sir Michael Stoute, he’s arguably unlucky to not have a win next to his name yet.
He has bumped into the now 105-rated Seaplane, before going down to Smoken, who is a warm order for today’s Group Three Musidora Stakes at York.
Now tackling longer trips, his mark of 86 could seriously underestimate him and 5/1 represents value.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Archivist 2.00pm Newbury
Rosallion 2.35pm Newbury