Turf Talk: Watson homes in on double at Newmarket

Lady Aria may prove a cut above her rivals in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Bosra Sham' Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket.
Jockey Jason Watson pictured with The Champion Apprentice Jockey trophy at Ascot last month. PIC: Julian Herbert/PA WireJockey Jason Watson pictured with The Champion Apprentice Jockey trophy at Ascot last month. PIC: Julian Herbert/PA Wire
Jockey Jason Watson pictured with The Champion Apprentice Jockey trophy at Ascot last month. PIC: Julian Herbert/PA Wire

Michael Bell’s Kodiac filly has kept significantly better company than the majority of her eight rivals and should really have them covered in the six-furlong centrepiece of Friday’s card at HQ.

It took Lady Aria four attempts to hit a winning note, before she did so with ease at long odds-on in a Haydock maiden at the end of September.

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It is what she achieved before then, though, that sets her apart here.

After outrunning her 10-1 starting price over course and distance in a narrow defeat against previous scorer Firelight, Lady Aria was unable to get off the mark down to five furlongs at Chepstow. But she nonetheless graduated with honours to Group Three level, improving past Firelight in the process, when only Yourtimeisnow could beat her in the Shadwell Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury.

She has fine prospects of a second successive career success. Her jockey Jason Watson may be in for a fruitful afternoon – because he teams up again with Danzan in the Heath Court Hotel Conditions Stakes.

On the face of it, after a seven-month break during which Danzan was gelded, Andrew Balding’s three-year-old faces a tough assignment to concede 22lb to likely favourite Madkhal.

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But class, experience and maturity can count for plenty, and Danzan proved that with predictably easy back-to-back Polytrack victories over this six-furlong distance at Chelmsford when he was last seen.

Kasbaan appeared to derive remarkable benefit from a five-month break, and perhaps more so a wind operation, when he got off the mark decisively at his third attempt.

That was on the all-weather at Lingfield in September, when he easily floored a 1-2 favourite.

The market may remember Owen Burrows’ colt floundering over this course and distance previously, but if so that will be extra reason to support him to follow up in the Christmas At The Heath Court Handicap.

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Under the lights at Kempton, Castlelyons arrives for the 32Red Handicap on the back of a near seven-month break.

The six-year-old will shoulder top weight of 9st 7lb in this tight contest, a London Middle Distance Series Qualifier, but he signed off in encouraging form in a similar race here and has often demonstrated a handy knack of running well fresh.

There are two intriguing cards over jumps, at Uttoxeter and Wetherby, and it is West Yorkshire that perhaps provides the best investment opportunities.

The yield on Kilbricken Storm may be limited, but Colin Tizzard’s Cheltenham Festival winner is highly likely to deliver on his debut over fences in the Best Jumps Action On Racing UK Novices’ Chase.

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A slightly sneakier word can by conveyed for Katachenko in the feature bet365 Handicap Chase – the second of of two back-to-back Listed races.

Donald McCain’s tough and seasoned handicapper has proved he stays this two miles three and a half furlongs fine, not least when warming up over course and distance with an encouraging fourth two weeks ago.

The nine-year-old will be ready for this and can catch out some opponents who may well have their sights on future targets.

The stars are beginning to appear in Ireland too, and none more so of course than Samcro in Down Royal’s WKD Hurdle.

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The Champion Hurdle favourite is impossible to oppose on his seasonal return in the Grade Two event, and his trainer Gordon Elliott can be expected to dominate elsewhere on the card.

Commander Of Fleet, winner of the hugely competitive Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Punchestown in April, can kickstart his new campaign in the Eventsec Maiden Hurdle.

Elliott’s Delta Work is one of the brightest chasing prospects in the country after his exploits at Cheltenham and Punchestown over hurdles last spring.

The five-year-old is out to prove the point in the Porter & Co. Beginners Chase.

SOBOT’S SELECTIONS

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KEMPTON: 5.45 Mr Potter, 6.15 Lexington Palm, 6.45 Praxedis, 7.15 Cuillin, 7.45 Castlelyons (treble), 8.15 Perfect Lady, 8.45 The Lacemaker, 9.15 Soar Above.

NEWMARKET: 12.30 Fightwithme, 1.05 Danzan, 1.40 LADY ARIA (NAP), 2.15 Kasbaan (next best), 2.50 Here’s Alice, 3.25 War Brigade, 4.00 Sawwaah.

UTTOXETER: 12.55 Wenceslaus, 1.30 Soraya, 2.05 Captain Drake, 2.40 Chesterfield, 3.15 Marble Moon, 3.50 Silent Steps, 4.20 Imperial Alcazar.

WETHERBY: 1.20 Ballyhome, 1.55 Kilbricken Storm, 2.30 Chief Justice, 3.05 Katachenko, 3.40 Nayati, 4.10 Hill Sixteen.