Siskin can shine in red-hot renewal of Middle Park

Siskin could step up in trip

The son of First Defence began a so-far flawless campaign when winning on his debut in a maiden at Naas.

His next step was a foray into Listed company at the Curragh, where his class began to emerge as he took the Marble Hill Stakes by two and a half lengths.

The Group Two Railway Stakes followed over the same course and distance, and provided a third successive win – with some ease from fellow Middle Park contender Monarch Of Egypt.

The two met again at the Curragh last month, on soft ground for the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes – in which Siskin duly prevailed again, by three-quarters of a length.

He faces a line-up stacked with potential and no small achievement already.

It includes Andre Fabre’s French raider Earthlight, runaway York winner Mums Tipple and Champagne Stakes hero Threat – both representing Richard Hannon.

But Siskin has proved he can handle the big occasion and varying ground, which may yet be handy – given a still uncertain forecast.

The Cambridgeshire card gets under way with an intriguing edition of the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes.

Several appeal strongly here as long-term prospects for next year – none more so than Kameko, who may prove the boss on this occasion.

Andrew Balding’s colt runs in the Qatar Racing colours worn, among others, by the brilliant but ill-fated Roaring Lion.

Balding may well have similar aspirations on the track for the son of Kitten’s Joy.

Victory this weekend is not necessarily critical to those plans, against opponents such as Highland Chief, Pyledriver and Surf Dancer, who have all performed with great promise in their so far short careers too.

But Kameko may just be a step ahead of them at this stage, following his highly-encouraging maiden victory and then tenacious effort to finish runner-up in a Group Three on his return to Sandown late last month.

It is class all the way at Headquarters, and the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes is the juvenile fillies’ chance to earn Group One-winning status.

As befits elite standard, Raffle Prize is unlikely to find it easy against another deep field – but two successive Group Two wins and then a neck second against the colts behind Earthlight at the top level in France make Mark Johnston’s filly a most worthy favourite.

Frankie Dettori will be riding her for the fourth time, and the Italian also has a shot at pulling off a second consecutive success in the headline bet365 Cambridgeshire Handicap.

Dettori had plenty to spare on John Gosden’s Wissahickon 12 months ago, and the same often unstoppable partnership bids to follow up with Lord North.

A gelding operation was the response to an apparently recalcitrant effort from Lord North when he was eighth and last behind stablemate King Of Comedy in a Listed race at Sandown in May.

He returned this month with a creditable runner-up spot in an Ascot handicap, beaten by an in-form opponent from an in-form yard – and with Dettori called on for the first time, he may have a little in hand in a nonetheless typically competitive renewal of the famous race.

There is a chance the worst of the rain may stay away from Newmarket – but that has not been the case at Haydock this week, and the ground on Merseyside is therefore heavy.

Barristan The Bold has most often raced on quicker surfaces, but also twice performed well in the mud at Chester, so he can perhaps keep going when others falter in the Download The App At Virgin Bet Handicap.

Similar reasoning gives Ptarmigan Ridge a shout in the following Maureen Smith Nationwide Vehicle Contracts Handicap.

Then on Chelmsford’s evening card, the combination of a long trip from Darren Bunyan’s Kildare yard and the booking of rising star Cieren Fallon points to a decent showing from Snow Patch in the closing Racegoers Club Handicap.

SELECTIONS:

CHELMSFORD: 5.

20 Vincenzo Coccotti, 5.

50 Thunderoad, 6.

20 Star Of Southwold, 6.

50 Tropics, 7.

20 Kitaabaat, 7.

50 Swift Wing, 8.

20 Snow Patch.

CHESTER: 1.

35 Strait Of Hormuz, 2.

10 Confrontational, 2.

45 Stone Soldier, 3.

20 Gossip Column, 3.

55 Toronado Queen, 4.

30 Kvetuschka, 5.

05 Wolf Prince.

CURRAGH: 1.

25 Yale, 2.

00 Gustavus Weston, 2.

35 Cityman, 3.

10 Caesar’s Comet, 3.

45 Bashiyr, 4.

20 Kastasa, 4.

55 Miss Clash, 5.30 Eria.

HAYDOCK: 1.

30 Craylands, 2.

05 Barristan The Bold, 2.

40 Ptarmigan Ridge, 3.

15 Saaheq, 3.

50 You Owe Me, 4.

25 Mondain, 5.

00 Sputnik Planum.

MARKET RASEN: 1.

40 Absolute Jaffa, 2.

15 Zeb Spirit, 2.

50 Beautiful Ben, 3.

25 Monty’s Award, 4.

00 Storm Rising, 4.

35 Baby Ted, 5.

10 Inexorable.

NAVAN: 1.

45 Jon Ess, 2.

20 Wooster, 2.

55 Theatre World, 3.

30 Lowtown Charlie, 4.

05 Fred The Foot, 4.

40 Nambour, 5.

15 Bombay Blue.

NEWMARKET: 1.

50 Kameko, 2.

25 Raffle Prize, 3.

00 SISKIN (NAP), 3.

40 Lord North, 4.

15 Folk Dance, 4.

50 Mild Illusion, 5.

25 Vitralite.

RIPON: 1.

55 Be Prepared, 2.

30 Gold Souk, 3.

05 Lathom, 3.

35 Baron Bolt, 4.

10 Tammooz, 4.

45 Kaafy, 5.

20 Isabella Brant.

DOUBLE: Siskin and Kameko.

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