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Horse Racing

Al Asifah one to be with at Goodwood

June 2023

Impressive debut winner Al Asifah can successfully graduate to Listed class on Sunday at Goodwood.

The three-year-old is a typically well-bred product of the Juddmonte operation, being a daughter of Frankel out of a Listed-placed half-sister to Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad.

She had presumably been showing John and Thady Gosden plenty prior to introduction at Haydock last month as she was odds-on to dispatch of five rivals and did so in some style.

While the form of the race is nothing special, with the apparently exposed 74-rated Anjo Bonita filling the runner-up spot, the manner of Al Asifah's near five-length triumph suggested she is destined for bigger and better things.

Assuming she handles the tight turns of Goodwood, she should prove very hard to beat in the in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions/British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes.

Thunder Blue looked a winner in waiting on his Haydock debut and can prove that point in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Novice Stakes.

Owners Amo Racing are enjoying a fantastic season with their two-year-olds, many of which are with Dominic Ffrench Davis.

Thunder Blue made his introduction on Merseyside two and a half weeks ago and did well to be beaten just half a length by The Camden Colt after suffering a troubled passage.

Admittedly the winner did not do much for the form in the Woodcote at Epsom, but Thunder Blue nevertheless looks more than capable of landing a race of this nature.

Pons Aelius can deservedly get back on the winning trail for Charlie Johnston in the Rod Gaskin Garden Machinery Handicap.

The four-year-old has filled the runner-up spot in his last two races, most recently going down by a head to Scottish Dancer at Chester.

While he was ultimately beaten fair and square on the Roodee, a wide draw was undoubtedly a disadvantage, while the winner has followed up since, giving the form a solid look.

Raised only a pound in the weights, Pons Aelius will take some pegging back around here, with Oisin Murphy a positive jockey booking.

Coltor is of interest in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Stayers Handicap at Beverley.

Formerly a quality dual-purpose runner for Dermot Weld, the six-year-old was bought by Nick Bradley for 25,000 guineas in the autumn and is now with the training team of Roger Fell and Sean Murray.

An encouraging stable debut at Kempton in January was followed by a second-place finish over hurdles at Musselburgh, after which he was pulled up in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.

He was bitterly disappointing when switched back to the Flat at Doncaster on his most recent outing, finishing last of four in heavy ground, but he is back to his last winning mark on the level and is given another chance for a yard that has been among the winners this month.

The David O'Meara-trained Leitzel looks feasibly treated ahead of her reappearance in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Fillies' Handicap. The daughter of Teofilo looked really smart when scorching clear on her Haydock bow in the summer last year and beat the now 87-rated Double March when following up at the same track in September.

An ambitious tilt at the Group Two Rockfel Stakes proved too much for Leitzel to handle on her final juvenile start, but making her handicap debut from a perch of 85, less Mark Winn's 5lb claim, she is capable of going close if fit enough to do herself justice after a break.

The bet365 Sam Morshead Perth Gold Cup is the main attraction over the jumps in Scotland and the vote goes to Landofsmiles.

Trainer Peter Bowen has claimed two of the last four renewals of this contest and will have high hopes for a horse that is two from two at the track.

Landofsmiles made a successful return from 486 days off the track when scoring by 10 lengths at Uttoxeter last month and must have every chance of doubling up so long as the dreaded 'bounce factor' does not take effect. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

BEVERLEY: Race 1 16:45 Majeski Man, Race 2 17:15 Carolina Reaper, Race 3 17:45 Coltor, Race 4 18:15 King's Crown, Race 5 18:45 Leitzel, Race 6 19:15 Austrian Theory, Race 7 19:45 Fulfilled.

GOODWOOD: Race 1 14:35 Mister Bluebird, Race 2 15:10 Thunder Blue, Race 3 15:45 Profitable Dreams, Race 4 16:20
AL ASIFAH (NAP), Race 5 16:55 Pons Aelius, Race 6 17:25 First Ruler, Race 7 17:55 Shobiz.

NAVAN: Race 1 15:00 I Am Invictus, Race 2 15:35 Tawaazon, Race 3 16:10 Peerless, Race 4 16:40 Dower House, Race 5 17:10 Letiza, Race 6 17:40 Satin, Race 7 18:10 Bright Moment.

PERTH: Race 1 14:50 An Mhi, Race 2 15:25 Kilbrainy, Race 3 16:00 Castletown, Race 4 16:35 Cedar Hill, Race 5 17:05
Landofsmiles, Race 6 17:35 Boomslang, Race 7 18:05 Faux Fur.

PUNCHESTOWN: Race 1 14:40 Stay Local, Race 2 15:15 Hubrisko, Race 3 15:50 Birchdale, Race 4 16:25 Emily In
Paris, Race 5 17:00 Rathnaleen Kal, Race 6 17:30 Naruto, Race 7 18:00 Miss Tempo, Race 8 18:30 Four Clean Aces.

DOUBLE: Al Asifah and Pons Aelius.

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