Gallipoli can gain Ascot rewards
Gallipoli ran a cracker at Newmarket last week, only to be edged out on the line, and compensation awaits at Ascot tomorrow.
Richard Fahey’s charge was a winner in June and August, but those victories were punctuated by a couple of defeats, meaning his rating has ricocheted around the mid to high 80s.
He turned up to Headquarters on a perch of 86 on Saturday and looked set for victory when he collared Vale Of Kent with a couple of furlongs to run, before that rival rallied again in the closing stages.
Vale Of Kent eventually proved a neck too good, but Gallipoli deserved plenty of credit in defeat and he gets to line up in the Racing Welfare Handicap on a mark of 86 again, ahead of a 3lb rise.
St Leger form will be key for two contests at the Berkshire venue, kicking off with th e L i s te d Te e nte c h No e l Murless Stakes.
Andrew Balding’s charge is head and shoulders above his rivals here with a rating of 116, and he has shown himself to be among the best in the three-year-old staying ranks this term.
Second in the Queen’s Vase and fourth in the Great Voltigeur demonstrated Berkshire Rocco had the necessary credentials to head to Doncaster with a live chance, and so it proved as he outran his generous odds of 16-1 to just lose out in the shadow of the post.
Beaten a neck by Galileo Chrome, Berkshire Rocco had raced prominently in the early stages and rallied admirably when headed. A similar effort in this lesser company can see him hit the target for the first time in over a year.
Tyson Fury also lined up in the Leger, where he was very much up against it on just his second career outing.
Although he was ultimately only ninth of the 11 starters, the feeling from connections wa s h e wa s f a r f ro m d i s - graced and he retains plenty of potential. The trip might also have stretched Richard Spencer’s charge and it is far too early to be writing him off yet. Coming back to the much calmer waters of the Charlie Waller Trust Novice Stakes over a mile and a half can help him return to the winner’s enclosure.
Coolanly placed twice on his initial foray over fences last term and can get off the mark in the Visit attheraces.com Beginners’ Chase at
Fontwell. A Grade Two winner over hurdles, there were high hopes for Coolanly over the bigger obstacles as he was a point to point winner a few years ago, but his jumping let him down a bit on his first two attempts. It transpired Coolanly was perhaps up against it his chasing bow as winner Esprit Du Large went on to claim a Grade One, while on his second run, tactics went against him. Fergal O’Brien could still have a promising chaser on his hands.