Judicial team eye Chipchase tilt

Hoping the mercury does not rise too much, though.

Connections of Judicial are hoping temperatures do not get too hot to slow down the Tapeta surface ahead of the Betfair Backs Racing Welfare Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on Saturday.

The heat can affect into the all-weather track which would inconvenience a fast-ground performer like Judicial.

The eight-year-old would have been a leading contender for the all-weather sprint championship at Lingfield on Good Friday had racing not been shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But he made a pleasing seasonal debut when runner-up to Far Above in the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket when racing resumed earlier this month.

That race was over five furlongs but he had been impressive when winning over six at Lingfield in November and that is the distance of the Chipchase.

“He’s training well and he wants the extra furlong nowadays so we’ve put him in on Saturday,” said Steve Brown, husband and assistant to trainer Julie Camacho.

“The only thing we’re apprehensive about is if the track is riding very slowly which it can do when the temperatures are hot. The horse is in good shape and raring to go.

“It is such a difficult time in terms of planning. The only race for him in July is the Coral Charge which he won two years ago but he’d be dropping down to five.”

The Camacho team also have high hopes for another sprinter, Makanah, who won the five-furlong handicap at Newmarket that preceded the Palace House.

“He’s a horse we’ve nursed along and we like him,” said Brown.

“The difference is he wouldn’t want the ground too quick, but we feel he’s a progressive horse and he’s a little bit short of options.

“There’s a heritage handicap in the second week of July at Ascot and we’d look at two races at York – a handicap and the City Walls.

“We might keep an eye on that because Copper Knight, the horse he beat at Newmarket, won it last year. If it cut up it’s a race we might consider. When he won at Newmarket it was raining on the day.”

Brown can see the Mayson gelding being a force as the season progresses.

“It was nice to see he had improved again from four to five. He’s relatively young for a sprinter and you might find him in a better grade of race towards the end of the year,” he said.

“He ran a good race in the Portland when he was inconvenienced by the draw. It will be those sort of races we’ll be looking at for him.

“He ran really well in the extended five-furlong handicap at York when he was beaten a length by Dakota Gold. The talent is there and it will be interesting to explore how far he can go.”

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