Instant Return?

Purchased by Godolphin after his highly promising second in the G2 Gimcrack S. at York, Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) bids to justify that expenditure in Saturday’s G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. Still a maiden entering that six-furlong contest at York’s Ebor meeting Aug. 22, the bay had the re-opposing Raucous (GB) (Dream Ahead) two lengths behind in third when runner-up to Ajaya (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) after the place-getters had done some damage to their prospects by bumping leaving the stalls. “Ribchester is in good form, although the ground will be something of an unknown,” trainer Richard Fahey commented. “It was on the easy side of good when he won at York, but this looks as though it will be a fair bit softer. We will give him a chance on the ground and see what happens.” Raucous’ conditioner William Haggas said of him, “He’s still quite a raw, immature horse, but we do like him. I just hope he’s strong enough and ready enough for a race like this in this ground. He handled soft ground well when he won at Newmarket, but he only got going in the last half-furlong and that was on a stiff track. It was all a bit fast for him at York, but he ran well.”

Alongside Ribchester, the boys in blue are also represented by the initially exciting but now exposed Log Out Island (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). After a series of only fair efforts in decent company, the bay put in a much improved run last time when third under forcing tactics to stable companion Gutaifan (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the five-furlong G2 Flying Childers S. at Doncaster Sept. 11. “Log Out Island has had a busy season, but he ran one of his best races so far in last week’s Flying Childers at Doncaster and, though he was reverting to five there, we know that six is not a problem,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “The most encouraging thing about his performance on Town Moor was how well he battled. People have sometimes questioned his attitude, but he really knuckled down and rallied at Doncaster and he has a definite chance in what looks an open renewal.”

Until he is beaten, there is no quantifying how good Ceffyl Racing’s King Robert (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) could be and he had the subsequent Weatherbys Hamilton £300,000 2-Y-O S. winner Mr Lupton (Ire) (Elnadim) back in third when doubling his tally in a conditions event over this trip at Chester Aug. 2. “He has been very well since his win at Chester and goes to Newbury in good form,” trainer Bryan Smart said. “He works really well at home and I have been impressed with how much he has improved since his last run. He handles soft ground, as he proved at Carlisle, but I wouldn’t want it too soft.”