Dave Massey spend three days at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting (mainly stealing free food from the press room) but also paddock spotting some of the finest thoroughbreds in Europe, with some notable eyecatchers and horses to follow from racing HQ.
Bopedro (Raced Saturday, 1.45 Newmarket)
Bopedro has been steadily finding his form on the all-weather this late winter/spring and shaped a sight better than eighth place here might indicate.
Held up at the rear of the unfavoured stands side group – the first, second and fourth all came from the far-side low-drawn group of five – he tried to get into contention around three furlongs out but was probably racing on the most unfavoured part of the track by that point, racing nearest to the stands side, and could probably have done with a bit more cover until later in the contest. All the same, he sticks on well to the task he’s been asked and comes up the hill well.
I’d say a win is around the corner now, possibly something like the Hambleton at York in just over a week’s time might be the next stop-off point. A good draw there could see him in the shake-up.
Ghostwriter (Raced Saturday, 3.35 Newmarket)
The paddock watchers were sending me the missives on Saturday afternoon, the first ones concerning hot favourite City Of Troy, described by one as “petite”, another as “small, compared to many of these” and by a third “well, he’s barely grown a pick over the winter.” I have to say it looked that way as he went to post too, he just didn’t have the size of a few of them and now has a lot to prove. Aidan said afterwards (and I’m paraphrasing here) “he’s bigger than he looks” but I used to use that line when I was on dating sites back in the day, and nobody was fooled then either.
Ghostwriter was the one that had the paddock watchers drooling. A lovely big, physical specimen, he was probably just in need of the run; not unfit, but would definitely improve for it, and there were definitely some signs of coltishness for a lap of the parade ring.
The question is what his best trip is going to be. On the visuals you’d imagine he’d want a bit further but it was suggested by one of the paddock judges he has the build for sprinting, and of course his sire Invincible Spirit would lend you to that side of thinking. We’ll know more after the French Derby, which would appear to be his next target, but he’s going to win races this season.
Tropical Storm (Raced Sunday, 4.50 Newmarket)
Even before Tropical Storm had gone to post for this 2-y-o contest his form had received a boost when the race she made her debut in at Newbury had thrown up a winner earlier that afternoon when Running Queen was successful at Salisbury, so it was something of a surprise to see him a 6-1 chance for this, particularly as he was a clear standout in the paddock beforehand. A good size for his age, he was lovely and relaxed yet alert as he walked beautifully around the parade ring and looked very much the complete package for a juvenile. He did nothing wrong here, showing a smart turn of foot at the furlong pole and looked to have done enough, only for The Actor to collar him late on, the pair nicely clear of the third.
There’s surely a maiden with his name on it and you’d like to hope for something more than that. Definitely worth following in the near future, at least.
By Dave Massey
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