Masar can find Derby form
MASAR can take a giant leap forward to land the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes (3.35) as Newmarket’s July Festival gets underway today.
The New Approach colt made history when delivering Sheikh Mohammed a first Derby triumph in Godolphin’s colours with a one-and-a-half-length margin over Dee Ex Bee at Epsom in June of last year.
That proved to be Masar’s final start of 2018 – the Charlie Appleby trainee went to Dubai to recover from a leg injury.
Appleby chose the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot for Masar’s comeback but his return to action got off to a bad start with a stumble when leaving the stalls, almost causing James Doyle to be unseated.
By the final furlong, Masar had recovered to bear down on the leaders, only for the lack of a recent run to take its toll.
That fifth place behind Defoe leaves Masar with work to do with third home Mirage Dancer.
But, with that run under his belt, the four-year-old is expected to turn things round and get back to winning form. The bookies have overlooked
CLASSY MOON in the Group 2 Tattersalls July Stakes (2.25) – so make them pay. The £220,000 breeze-up buy made his debut at Carlisle last month, and justified marked confidence when bearting Ventura Moon.
There is much improvement to come and it’s interesting that his handler Karl Burke chooses this as his next assignment.
Michael Bell hopes to tackle the St Leger with EAGLES BY
DARE, who is taken to book his place in the Doncaster line-up by landing the opening Group 3 Bahrain Trophy (1.50). Richard Fahey’s GABRIAL
THE WIRE has won three of his last four outings and should give another good account in the bet365 Handicap (3.00).