PLAY IT STRAIGHT WITH GER
Lyons’ star looks the each-way Answer against Dewhurst hotshot Native Trail
STRAIGHT ANSWER is the value call against favourite Native Trail in the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes (2.55) at Newmarket.
Ger Lyons introduced the son of Kodiac in a Curragh maiden in August, and Straight Answer got his career off to the perfect start with a length-and-a-quarter victory.
Then Straight Answer took a giant leap forward in the Listed Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse a month later.
Sent off the 2-1 market leader in a field of seven, my selection lengthened away to beat Glengarra by five and a half lengths.
Colin Keane’s mount gives the impression he is a long way from the bottom of the barrel, and Straight Answer will make sure the hotpot doesn’t have things all his own way.
Native Trail’s connections should take the Group 2 Emirates Autumn Stakes (2.20) with COROEBUS.
When William Buick took the Charlie Appleby trainee to the front with two furlongs of the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes to run here two weeks ago, the contest looked as good as over.
But Godolphin’s son of Dubawi, successful at Newmarket in August on his racecourse bow, idled in the closing stages and was collared close home by neck scorer Royal Patronage.
It was surely inexperience that was the bay’s undoing, and he is expected to justify short odds.
Aidan O’Brien has captured two of the past four runnings of the Group 3 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes (1.45), and the master of Ballydoyle has another strong candidate in BLUEGRASS.
Galileo’s son showed the benefit of his debut sixth at the Curragh at the start of August with a length-and-a-half margin at the home of the Irish Classics 19 days later – and there is plenty more where that came from.
At York, MR LUPTON is capable of springing a shock in the Coral Sprint Trophy (3.15).
It’s true that the Richard Fahey sprinter needs to leave behind below-par efforts on his last four visits to the track.
But Mr Lupton has no fewer than four Knavesmire triumphs on his CV and now competes from a mark 1lb lower than for the last of them, gained May.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained BAY BRIDGE is expected to shrug off a 147-day absence in the Play Coral Racing-Super-Series For Free Handicap (2.37).
His four-length supremacy in the London Gold Cup at Newbury in May hinted at great things to come – and Richard Kingscote’s mount has had just four career outings.
He has already been a great moneyspinner in his first campaign, and EVER GIVEN can carry on the good work in the Listed Coral Rockingham
Stakes (2.02).