Matchbook Ambassador Hugo Palmer gives a positive outlook of his runners at Thirsk and Newmarket Saturday
Angel Of Delight goes in a fillies’ novice stakes at Newmarket. I was a little bit disappointed with her on her racecourse debut at Lingfield in early June. She was slowly away and she never really got to the leaders. She went a little bit weak as she went through a growing phase after that, but she’s ready to run again now, and I’m sure that she will improve as the year goes on.
Blonde Warrior runs in the seven-furlong handicap. We wanted to run him at Chester last week, but the ground was just too soft for him. He was entered again at Chester on Sunday, but he’s going to take his chance here.
Newmarket can be a good front-runners’ track, the Rowley Mile course maybe more than the July Course, but the track should still suit him. He’s in really rude health, and I hope that he can run well.
We run two in the Laura Barry Memorial Novice Stakes at Thirsk, Beauty Of Deira and Happy Face.
I suppose that it is a little unusual two run two horses for the same owner in a novice stakes, but these races are difficult to find. It is the right race for both horses.
Beauty Of Deira has run twice and she has been second twice. She looks tremendous though, she is in good order at home, and I am looking forward to seeing how she gets on.
Happy Face finished fourth at Newmarket on her racecourse debut two weeks ago. I expect that she will come on from that experience, and I am looking for her to run a big race too. Of the pair of them, you’d have to think that Beauty Of Deira would be our number one, but you never know with these things. There may not be much between them.
Power Of States runs in the 12-furlong handicap. He’s in great order. I’m really, really happy with him. We could have gone to Goodwood with him, but we’ll try to take it steadily, and a 0-80 handicap at Thirsk is the right call for him. He will enjoy the give in the ground.
He is a horse to keep in mind for the autumn. Chris Hayes rode him at Newmarket last time, and he told me afterwards that he thought he was a horse that could make hay when the ground softens. His work this week has been really pleasing, and I will be disappointed if he does not run well.
The ground just went against Arbalet in the International Handicap at Ascot on Saturday. If it had been a £15,000 handicap, we might not have run, but it was a valuable prize and we were ready to run, so we decided to take our chance. He has come out of the race well though. There could still be a big race in him when we can get back on better ground.
