Newmarket Saturday

1.15 Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes (Group 3) 1m 1f

Damysus couldn’t handle the Derby but had shaped like a progressive sort at around a mile and a quarter earlier in the season and was right back on track when winning on good ground at Deauville last time. In taking the Listed Prix Nureyev, he posted a better effort than was apparent at the time, and both the fifth and sixth from that race have been successful in Listed company subsequently. That requires a reappraisal of the depth of the Deauville race and suggests that Damysus has done enough to think he can land this Group 3 affair.

1.50 Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes (Group 3) 1m 2f

Lone Eagle won this race a few years ago before going down narrowly in the Irish Derby, and that horse’s half-sister Limestone was an impressive winner at Listowel last time. Prior to that, she was no match for Endorsement at Tipperary. I rate that form quite highly and the first two give the impression they will be worth following at a mile and a quarter and further next season. Endorsement certainly looked like stamina was his strong suit when winning that one-mile, one-furlong contest at Tipperary. The question is whether the son of Wootton Bassett will be as effective on the unseasonably fast ground at Newmarket. That isn’t easy to gauge, but he’s a very promising sort and I’m happy to have Wayne Lordan on board.

Stablemate Pierre Bonnard won with a bit to spare over a mile at Dundalk last time and also looks the type to keep progressing, with a pedigree (Camelot half-brother to Park Hill third Crepe Suzette) to suggest that a mile and a half and further will suit in time.

Dundalk form isn’t always easy to weigh up, and most will view the booking of Christophe Soumillon as a sign of intent. The impression is that the stable can dominate the finish and that this might be a decent renewal of the Zetland.

2.25 Emirates Autumn Stakes (Group 3) 1m

The Autumn Stakes is full of likeable and improving juveniles and is perhaps a race best watched rather than getting heavily involved in, but I must pass on a positive report on Hankelow, who took the eye in the preliminaries at Doncaster last time before running a cracker to be beaten just a nose by Avicenna.

He was collared right on the post on Town Moor, and didn’t get a chance to respond to the winner’s challenge and I believe he may well have found more had he been challenged earlier. That form is good enough to give him a chance here, but it’s the prospect for further improvement at a mile that makes him most appealing, and he will appreciate the lively surface.

3.00 Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1) 7f

Distant Storm was too free in the Acomb at York on his penultimate start when asked to go forward early and he looked much improved when landing the Somerville Tattersall Stakes here over course and distance last time, allowed time to find his stride and settling much better as a result. This represents a stiffer test, but the Godolphin colt looks right out of the top drawer. He’ll need to be to beat the likes of Zavateri and Gstaad, and is well found in the market already, but he just gets the nod in a strong renewal.

3.40 Club Godolphin

Cesarewitch Handicap 2m 2f

The turnouts for some of this autumn’s big handicaps have been disappointing, with neither the Cambridgeshire nor the Cesarewitch close to filling, and that has allowed a couple of three-year-olds to make the cut when that hasn’t been easy in recent years. Both have good claims, with only marginal preference for Belgravian over Pole Star.

The former is 5lb lower here than when a creditable third in the course and distance Cesarewitch Trial last month and, while beaten eight lengths by Reverend Hubert there, he shaped very well and is capable of reversing form on 8lb better terms. He has been most progressive all season and arguably gave the leaders too much rope before staying on again at the finish last time. A stronger pace is likely here and there is no reason why he can’t progress again.

Pole Star is proven in good handicaps at a mile and three-quarters and, while it could be argued that his progress has stalled after a pair of unplaced efforts in the Melrose and at Haydock, he’s simply lacked pace to sustain a challenge in relative speed tests and continually shapes as if likely to stay much further on the flat. This is a fine chance for him to test that theory, and he merits a saver as a result.

York Saturday

1.30 Coral Rockingham Stakes (Listed) 6f

Going stick readings on Friday suggested the fastest ground is in the centre of the course, with the stands’ side faster than the far side, but Friday’s results didn’t suggest much had changed since the last meeting. New readings are certainly something worth checking before racing, but even if the centre is favoured, it shouldn’t be an inconvenience for those with pace unless isolated on a wing.

Division is of obvious interest, having shown impressive raw speed to win his last two races from the front. He’s not achieved as much as some of his rivals yet, but wasn’t fully extended to land short odds at Yarmouth last time and looks well worth his place at a higher level. He’s drawn to lead in the centre, a positive with the highest going stick reading coming in the middle of the track.

Flying Comet is likely to track the selection and looks a big danger to my eye, having improved throughout the campaign. It was soft when he was third to a couple of future starts in the Mill Reef at Newbury last time, but I don’t think underfoot conditions are an issue, and he also looks to be drawn well, given how this race looks like unfolding. He gets the vote based on price, which appears to underestimate his chances, and he may not have finished improving just yet.

2.05 Coral ‘Pipped At The Post’ Handicap 1m 2f 56yd

Erzindjan picks himself here following three eye-catching runs. The first two of those were over course and distance, but he ran even better when faring best of those to race stands’ side in the Cambridgeshire last time (beat the others on his side of the track by upwards of four and a half lengths) and looks ahead of his mark on that evidence. He got going a little too late here on his penultimate start, but had previously finished best of all when fourth in the valuable John Smith’s Cup here in July.

He has shown that he can be vulnerable in a slowly-run race as his acceleration isn’t instant, but he coped well with the drop to a mile and a furlong at Newmarket, and will be hard to beat if Tom Marquand can keep him a little closer to the leaders than has been the case here.

3.15 Coral Sprint Trophy

Handicap 6f

If the low numbers are advantages, and the Rockingham should give clues in that regard, then there is little doubt that the prolific Gweedore is overpriced, and he shaped as if just needing the run on his return from an absence in the Ayr Silver Cup last time out. My gut feeling is that stall 1 won’t be the advantage it might have been, but the gelding has the speed to lead and tack across, which would offset such concerns. I’ll be backing him if the clues are that he’s well-berthed, but that decision is one to be taken late.

Hammer The Hammer looks the pace key in the contest, and he’s drawn to make the running in the centre, making me think that those he pulls into the contest may get the best of things.

Of those, I’m inclined to give another chance to Dark Cloud Rising, who hasn’t been the money-spinner I suggested after winning well on his return at Pontefract, but who was nonetheless better than ever when beaten half a length by Eternal Sunshine at Thirsk in August, and probably found the run coming too soon turned out quickly there last time. He was attempting to concede 20lb (including Lauren Young’s claim) to Jim Goldie’s progressive mare on the former occasion, and looks fairly treated given her subsequent victory in the Portland Handicap and luckless effort in the Bronze Cup. The weight differential here is just 10lb and Dark Cloud Rising is taken to turn the tables.

I’ve had a discussion about whether Gstaad is a speed horse or a stayer who needs more use made of him. I thought he was outstayed by Zavateri in the National Stakes but an esteemed colleague argues that he lacks acceleration in a finish, and is likely to show better form when ridden as if his stamina is assured. We should get the answer to that conundrum here, assuming he races on the front end, but while I respect the argument, I’m yet to be convinced.

Recommended

Endorsement 1.50 Newmarket 1pt win @ 5/2 (Ladbrokes, Coral - 9/4 general)

Hankelow 2.25 Newmarket 1pt win @ 5/2 (general)

Belgravian 3.40 Newmarket 1.5pts e/w @ 10/1 (general - 5 places; Hills ¼ odds)

Pole Star 3.40 Newmarket 1pt e/w @ 18/1 (Bet365, Coral - 5 places)

Erzindjan 2.05 York 1pt win @ 3/1 (general)

Dark Cloud Rising 3.15 York 1pt e/w @ 18/1 (Bet365, 6 places - 14/1 general)