The last Classic of the season, The St Leger, may have heralded the end of the flat season for many but it is far from over just yet with a plethora of big races still looming on the horizon.
Let’s take a look at some of the action that is coming up in the next couple of weeks:
Mill Reef Stakes (21/09)
After Enable, Mums Tipple recorded one of the most talked about displays at the York Ebor meeting when scoring by 11 lengths in the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes , prompting the BHA handicapper Graeme Smith to say that the colt would be “a box office draw wherever he turns up next”. That race may well be this one.
Mums Tipple’s winning debut at Ascot has produced three other subsequent winners including the fourth-placed Mr Kiki.
His trainer Michael Bell said: “The Mill Reef Stakes is very much on the agenda for Mr Kiki. His Ascot form looks very solid. He was only beaten three necks by Mums Tipple and he forfeited a bit of ground coming out of the stalls.
“Obviously Mums Tipple looked like an aeroplane at York but strictly on the book we haven’t got much to find.”
Ayr Gold Cup Handicap (21/09)
The Paul Cole-trained Baron Bolt created history last year when dead-heating in this race with Son Of Rest and the gelding is a general 16-1 chance to go back-to-back in Scotland’s premier six-furlong dash.
In his four starts this season however, Baron Bolt has failed to trouble the judge and on his most recent outing he beat just one rival home in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.
Cole said: “Baron Bolt has not really run up to expectations this season.
“He has been left in the Ayr Gold Cup, and that is his target again.
The Hopeful Stakes winner, Raucous, could well be on his way up north too. “He’s in the Ayr Gold Cup which we might run him in, but we’ll see what the weights look like and what the ground is like,” said his trainer Robert Cowell.
The six-year-old has already run with credit in big handicaps this season, placing in both the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood.
Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes (21/09)
The Blandford Stakes fourth, Waitingfortheday, could well line up in this race for trainer-jockey brothers Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien.
Waitingfortheday defeated Skitter Scatter to take the Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary at the end of August.
Shadwell Rockfel Stakes (27/09)
The Frankel filly, Quadrilateral, holds an entry in the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes, but her trainer Roger Charlton also has designs on the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises British EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes back at Newbury on September 20th.
If the chestnut filly turns up at Newmarket then she must hold a leading chance.
Royal Lodge Stakes (28/09)
Unbeaten juvenile Thunderous will contest the Royal Lodge Stakes on his next start for Mark Johnston.
The colt has won all three of his career starts over seven furlongs, including the Listed Denford Stakes last time.
George Margarson is hopeful that his Ropey Guest can gain a well deserved first win in the Royal Lodge.
After finishing a close-up sixth in the Coventry Stakes, the colt has run some sterling races in defeat including coming third to the very useful Valdermoro in the Acomb at York's Ebor Festival recently.
Margarson said: "He is still a maiden, so he has got options. But I'd like to go for the Royal Lodge, because the step up to the mile will be good for him.
"I was very pleased with him at York - he finished the race off well.
"He got caught a little bit wide on the bend, and he was a bit far back, but apart from that it was a good run."
Cheveley Park Stakes (28/09)
The Mark Johnston-trained Raffle Prize will be hoping to resume her winning ways when she returns to Newmarket for a crack at the Cheveley Park.
The filly has already reached some lofty height this season winning the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
She was beaten just a neck in the Prix Morny in a race where she took on the colts and another bold showing should be on the cards here.
Johnston said after the Morny: Johnston said: "She will wait for the Cheveley Park now. It was a good run and there were no excuses. It looked like she would much prefer better ground, but that might apply to the winner.
"You would hope she would get better ground at Newmarket, as there is no better autumn track than Newmarket. Everything is fine with her, touch wood."
Middle Park Stakes (28/09)
The Keeneland Phoenix Stakes victor, Siskin, will be heading over the Irish Sea to race on Cambridgeshire Day.
The Khalid Abdullah-sponsored Middle Park Stakes will give the Ger Lyons-trained colt the chance to take his extend his unbeaten record to five.
Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O'Brien could well be represented by both Lope Y Fernandez and Monarch Of Egypt.
Lope Y Fernandez has decent form behind the Charlie Appleby-trained Pinatubo while Monarch Of Egypt has a pleasing form line that ties in behind Siskin.
Cambridgeshire Handicap (28/09)
If finding each-way value in big-field handicaps on the flat is your thing then you will be in your element here as a maximum field of 35 generally lines up for this race.
Forming the first leg of the “Autumn Double” – with the Cesarewitch Handicap being the second leg, The Cambridgeshire is always a very popular betting heat.
The John Gosden-trained Forest Of Dean currently heads the market at 6/1. Big handicap wins at both Goodwood and York have seen the three-year-old come in for some sustained support in the horse racing odds.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Darron Cummings / AP Photo*
