Juliette's weekly frolic
Ascot puts the entire contents of the kitchen garden into its Pimms and very good Itis too, but try the ,same drink at Kempton Park and you'll be sadly disappointed. A solitary cherry floating in. a sea of lemonade with not a sprig of mint or strawberry in sight is not what I pay 44p for. A trivial, point, perhaps, but one not lost on Kempton's army of detractors, who, • feeling cheated by Roberto's withdrawal from the ' Eclipse, were not slow to pick holes in a racecourse that they take great pains to avoid in the normal way. The abrupt exit of the Irish star was unfortunate for all concerned and caused Scottish Rifle to start at a fraction of his ante-post odds, though many, including his connections, did not share my conviction that he would have won whatever the opposition.
This week the blue bloods of the turf take a breather as rich sponsored handicaps sprout up all round the country, the best in prize money and competition being provided by the local breweries, Morlands with their Trophy at Newbury, John Smith with their Magnet Cup at York, Both races have a collection of classy performers among their topweights 4.-• Buoy, Relay Race and Mandera in the former, Knockroe, Ballyhot, and Warpath in the latter — though at this stage it is hard to tell how the fields will look on the day.
It was in the Morland Brewery race two years ago that Knockroe first hit the headlines with one or his most infamous and erratic • performances. While further excitement of that kind is unlikely, this three year old handicap invariably provides a thrilling spectacle. Dual runner up Piccolo Player, quadruple scorer
Glenmayne and Lady Beaverbrook's Zab are my current fancies for the race with a slight preference for the last named. Since winning over Newmarket's seven furlongs in April Zab has been venturing a little further in every subsequent race, winding up with a spectacular victory in the twelve-furlong King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot. If he continues to progress along the same lines the extra furlong to be covered on Saturday should present no problem.
Last year Prominent made history by registering a second successive win in York's Magnet Cup and Arthur Budgett will obviously have him in prime condition for this, his third attempt. The horse has -lib less on his back, but his recent efforts have hardly set the turf alight, unlike those of the locally-trained Warpath. Given the same rating as 1,000 Guineas heroine Waterloo in the Three Yea NO Id Free Handicap, this grey colt was very little below classic standard last :year and recently failed by under a length to lead from start to finish in Royal Ascot's Prince of Wales Stakes,
Chester's big race on Saturday, the Summer Stakes, is unusual on two counts: it manages to offer C-I000 without recourse to a sponsor and is run over the extreme distance of 21/4 miles. Cumbernauld was -a " high-class stayer when trained Ireland last year, but since joining Ryan Price's yard has been somewhat disappointing. Still, the ability is there and his failure by only half a length to give 22Ib to Full 0' Beans in the Ascot Stakes, makes him an attractive proposition with 8.13 on Saturday. Assets: £88.2fi. Outlay: E3 to win Zab. Warpath and Cunibernauld.
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