Hugo Palmer Friday Blog | York and Newmarket
11 Oct 2024
Coral Racing Ambassador, Hugo Palmer, previews his four runners across the cards at York and Newmarket on Friday, including Grey Cuban and Kitteridge in the Old Rowley Cup.
13:30 York – Box To Box
I think Box To Box is better on quicker ground, but he’s run well enough on softer going for us to take our chance here. He’s slowly slipping down the handicap, although we’ve not been given much help, he’s still off 93 here, and his highest winning mark is 88. He has been beaten a nose off a mark of 94, so he can be competitive if it all goes right for him.
I think the drop back in trip will help him cope with the ground here, he seems in good nick at home and that’s all we can hope for.
14:05 York – Stratusnine
We've had endless hold ups with this colt and he’s been off for three months, albeit none of them have been anything serious, just a series of niggles. His form is really quite strong, his second place at York first time up this season has been given several boosts, and then he probably just got there a bit too soon at Salisbury on his second run.
The horse he then beat at Ayr has run well in stakes race since, so all in all he has a solid look to him. I think he will improve for the step up to seven furlongs and he should enjoy the softer going. This is a very valuable prize and I think he goes there with a good chance.
16:10 Newmarket – Old Rowley Cup
Grey Cuban
We run two in the Old Rowley Cup. Grey Cuban has to prove he stays, and he might, but we’ve only had one go over this trip, and things didn’t go right for him then. He won over ten furlongs last time and did look as if he would stay, so hopefully we’ll find out here. He likes to race prominently and this is a good frontrunners track, while slow-ish ground should also suit.
Kitteridge
Kitteridge was disappointing last time, and she hasn’t yet progressed from her early season promise. She is a lovely big filly with the scope to improve though, so there is still plenty of time for her. She handled the track when finishing third in the Pretty Polly back in May, and the winner that day has since won a Group One.
We've given her a break since her last run and while she does need to improve she is a filly whose best days should still be ahead of her.
Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
13:30 York – Box To Box
I think Box To Box is better on quicker ground, but he’s run well enough on softer going for us to take our chance here. He’s slowly slipping down the handicap, although we’ve not been given much help, he’s still off 93 here, and his highest winning mark is 88. He has been beaten a nose off a mark of 94, so he can be competitive if it all goes right for him.
I think the drop back in trip will help him cope with the ground here, he seems in good nick at home and that’s all we can hope for.
14:05 York – Stratusnine
We've had endless hold ups with this colt and he’s been off for three months, albeit none of them have been anything serious, just a series of niggles. His form is really quite strong, his second place at York first time up this season has been given several boosts, and then he probably just got there a bit too soon at Salisbury on his second run.
The horse he then beat at Ayr has run well in stakes race since, so all in all he has a solid look to him. I think he will improve for the step up to seven furlongs and he should enjoy the softer going. This is a very valuable prize and I think he goes there with a good chance.
16:10 Newmarket – Old Rowley Cup
Grey Cuban
We run two in the Old Rowley Cup. Grey Cuban has to prove he stays, and he might, but we’ve only had one go over this trip, and things didn’t go right for him then. He won over ten furlongs last time and did look as if he would stay, so hopefully we’ll find out here. He likes to race prominently and this is a good frontrunners track, while slow-ish ground should also suit.
Kitteridge
Kitteridge was disappointing last time, and she hasn’t yet progressed from her early season promise. She is a lovely big filly with the scope to improve though, so there is still plenty of time for her. She handled the track when finishing third in the Pretty Polly back in May, and the winner that day has since won a Group One.
We've given her a break since her last run and while she does need to improve she is a filly whose best days should still be ahead of her.
Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
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