Wechaad to take Tattersalls triumph

Wechaad can bag Group Three honours in the Tattersalls Stakes on the opening afternoon of the three-day Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket.

Promise in three prior starts – including when third to Mill Reef winner Words Of Truth and second to Venetian Prince, who was sixth in the hottest maiden run so far this year – came to fruition at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, where he ran out an easy winner of a seven-furlong handicap.

An imposing sort, Roger Varian has not wasted any time in jumping up in class and this might not be the only nice race he gets involved in before the year is out.

The Hugo Palmer-trained Gold Dawn will hopefully have given the Wechaad form a very timely boost in the Federation of Bloodstock Agents Nursery Handicap.

He was a running-on second on Town Moor and looks certain to be suited by the step up to a mile, with Oisin Murphy booked as he looks to get his head in front for the first time.

When connections shelled out €1.4million for Palladium and sent him to Nicky Henderson, the two-mile race they envisaged him being in was the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. That never worked out and the German Derby winner is now with the Gosdens.

Two very respectable runs for the Clarehaven outfit were followed by a last-of-four finish when favourite for the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket in July. Gelded since that, he returned to both the track and winning ways upped to a mile and six furlongs in a conditions race at Salisbury, making all to win with the minimum of fuss.

The Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes offers an opportunity for him to carve a niche as an unexposed stayer.

Kate O’Riley might be worth a tentative interest in the Budds Horseracing Memorabilia Handicap.

Admittedly this is a slight shot in the dark, but the switch to James Owen and return to handicap company might do the trick.

It was only two runs ago she was just six and a bit lengths behind this year’s outstanding middle-distance filly Minnie Hauk at Chester.

Andrew Balding could have run the promising Alfaraz in the opening Hunters Prestige British EBF Maiden Stakes, but has instead opted for Moonlight Warrior – who will be ridden by Murphy – and the hint should be taken.

The champion jockey could be in for a good day, with Criminal Shore travelling from the north for David O’Meara in the Rogues Gallery Racing Syndicate Handicap.

SELECTIONS:

LISTOWEL: 2.15 Lou And Shaz, 2.50 Found A Diamond, 3.25 Money Dancer, 4.00 Katherine, 4.35 Duty Bound, 5.10 Luckinthecity, 5.45 Glin Road Boy.

NEWCASTLE: 5.00 Mukhtalif, 5.30 Rubellite, 6.00 Bruce Banner, 6.30 Tiger Power, 7.00 Miakoda, 7.30 Oselton, 8.00 Parish Councillor, 8.30 Lady Bouquet.

NEWMARKET: 1.50 Moonlight Warrior, 2.25 Gold Dawn, 3.00 Harvanna, 3.35 WECHAAD (NAP), 4.10 Palladium, 4.45 Kate O’Riley, 5.18 Criminal Shore.

PERTH: 1.58 Kenisa Sport, 2.33 King Roly, 3.08 Burning It Up, 3.43 Safe Destination, 4.18 Chasing Fire, 4.53 The Flying Poet, 5.23 Kopa Kilana.

PONTEFRACT: 2.08 Canaria Queen, 2.43 Spanish Waltz, 3.18 Lucky Hero, 3.53 Gaspacho, 4.28 Wave Rider, 5.05 Sonic Pioneer, 5.38 Havana Rum.

DOUBLE: Wechaad and Palladium.