Turf Talk: Chance for Epsom Derby hopefuls to impress at Newmarket

Capulet, right, in action at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin earlier this year. Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Harrogate Advertiser horse racing correspondent Jeff Garlick’s latest weekly column.

There is some top-class racing at Newmarket on Saturday with three top juvenile races offering lots of clues for Classic hopefuls in the 2024 season.

The Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile is usually contested by horses that are likely to end up in the Epsom Derby next year. Nine-times Derby winner Aidan O’Brien had six entries in this race on Tuesday with the best of them likely to be Capulet.

Being a son of Galileo, he has all the attributes to make up into a 12-furlong horse next year. A win on Saturday will elevate him to the top of the ante-post betting.

The Middle Park Stakes is a noted trial for the Two Thousand Guineas and again O’Brien is strongly represented.

His River Tiber was third to VanDeek, who re-opposes on Saturday, at Deauville on very soft ground. He had a troubled run that day and is better judged on his win in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Cheveley Park Stakes is the equivalent race to the Middle Park, but for fillies. Relief Rally did this column a favour when winning the Lowther Stakes at York in August and that is by far the best form on show.

Whether she trains on to get a mile next year is debatable but she should have too much speed for her rivals on Saturday.

The Cambridgeshire is the first leg of the ‘Autumn Double’ which is completed with the Cesarewitch in two weeks’ time. Roger Charlton’s Greek Order has been all the rage for this race ever since he won a ten furlong handicap at Newbury in August. He lost a shoe that day yet still won by four lengths.

However, backing a 4/1 shot in a 35-runner field makes little appeal, so I have gone with Oviedo.

Julie Camacho struck a blow for small Yorkshire stables when winning the Ayr Gold Cup last week so hopefully Oviedo can strike for Middleham based Edward Bethell. His recent second at York certainly gives him a fighting chance.

Garlick’s Goodies: Saturday Newmarket 1:50 – Capulet; 2:25 – Relief Rally; 3:00 – River Tiber; 3:35 - Oviedo.