JULIETTE'S WEEKLY FROLIC
Royalty did all I could have asked last Saturday, but the gutless opposition melted away and left him a useless 11 to 4 on — if only a similar situation had developed in William Hill's race, poor Delmonico might have finished slightly nearer the front. But suicidal reflections on the whole miserable business can wait with a weekend at Newbury and three blissful days at York to look forward to, and Friday's Berkshire crowd will witness the cream of the week's performers when the Hungerford Stakes looks for a runner-up to Brigadier Gerard in the mile championships. Last year's title-holder, Welsh Pageant, was the only horse with a plausible hard-luck tale in Mill Reef's Eclipse and now renews rivalry with his Lockinge victim, Joshua. However, since the May meeting this great strapping, four-year old has scored twice in France and will greatly appreciate racing over 7 furlongs — the distance at which he challenged the illustrious Brigadier in the Sussex Stakes. These two look best for the forecast, but three-yearold, Tula Rocket, and Grisaille, who may find his featherweight of 8 stone 12Ib fair compensation for a steep rise in class, are worth considering. Saturday's Geoffrey Freer Stakes offers another select feast of talent and could go to Quayside. He has held his own with the giants this season and after finishing a lot nearer Mill Reef at Sandown than rival, Politico, did at Ascot, gained a well-deserved success at Doncaster. He should just get the better of last year's winner, High Line who is something of a course specialist. The same afternoon Ripon's Great St Wilfred Handicap, fails by only £1,000 to equal Newbury's top prize. Steward's Cup runner-up, Ballynockan, was a hot tip for Nottingham on Tuesday but the forced abandonment of that meeting should see him turning up here. Pisces and Swinging Junior have hefty weights and the most serious trouble could come from triple winner, Happy Memory, who with only 7 stone 9Ib is capable of upsetting this company.
Assets: £42.33 Outlay: £3 to win Joshua, Quayside & £2 ew Ballynockan (alt Happy Memory).
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