MAGICAL Memory won the six-furlong handicap on the first day of Newmarket’s July meeting last year off a mark of 96. The handicapper raised him 9lb for that win, but he got to race in the Stewards’ Cup – an early-closing race – under just a 6lb penalty, so he was 3lb well-in, and he duly won that as well.

This year, Magical Memory has won the Group 3 Abernant Stakes and the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes, and he is among the favourites for the Group 1 July Cup this afternoon. But his serious upward trajectory began with victory in that six-furlong handicap on the opening day of the July meeting last year.

On Thursday, Dancing Star won that six-furlong handicap. Coincidentally, the Andrew Balding-trained filly was racing off a mark of 96, the same mark as the mark off which Magical Memory raced last year. We don’t know yet what the handicapper is going to do with her, he may not raise her by as much as 9lb, but he may raise her by close to that. Either way, she will get to race in the Stewards’ Cup under a 6lb penalty, off an effective mark of 102, Magical Memory’s winning mark last year.

In the long term, Jeff Smith’s filly may not go on to scale the heights that Magical Memory has scaled, but she may get close. She continues to progress.

In the short term, the Stewards’ Cup is reportedly the plan, and the 14/1 at which you can currently back her for that race – at an idiosyncratic track at which she is one for one, over the Stewards’ Cup distance – looks fair.

Quote of the week

“KIEREN was one of my heroes when he was riding, and he is still one of my heroes now.”

Mark Enright