Great Balls O’Fire made a big impression on his Newmarket debut and it will be interesting to see how he fares at a higher level in the Tattersalls Stakes on Thursday.
There was plenty of chat about this 135,000 guineas yearling purchase prior to his introduction on the July course and he was the 6-4 favourite come the off.
While the form is hard to quantify, with neither the second nor the third having run since, Great Balls O’Fire lived up to the billing with an authoritative victory for Richard Spencer, who is enjoying another fine season.
Great Balls O’Fire has significantly more on his plate stepping up to Group Three level, but he is well worth his place in the field and is expected to go close in the hands of Saffie Osborne.
Gregory is the class act on show in the Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes.
Having missed most of 2025 through injury, the six-year-old claimed his first win since landing the 2023 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot when making a winning return in the Grand Cup at York in June.
The Wathnan Racing-owned stayer has previously been placed in races like the Great Voltigeur, the Yorkshire Cup and the Goodwood Cup, so while he is saddled with a 3lb penalty for this Listed assignment, he should be up to the task if fit enough to do himself justice following another break.
The combination of a drop in class, a drop in distance and drier ground can see Not My Type bounce back to winning ways in the Federation Of Bloodstock Nursery.
The No Nay Never filly looked an exciting prospect for William Haggas after winning her first two starts over 1000m at Sandown and Beverley, but was well held when stepped up in class for the Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy at Ripon late last month.
The 1200m on an easier surface probably stretched her stamina to breaking point in North Yorkshire, and she is expected to be seen to much better effect as she returns to the minimum trip for her handicap debut off what looks a fair mark of 84.
Kevin Ryan will surely have high hopes for Sayidah Bahra in the Celebrating The Life Of Bobby Howard EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract.
The daughter of Naval Crown finished a never-nearer fourth on her debut at Carlisle five weeks ago, beaten just a length at the line, and she is expected to be much sharper at the second time of asking.
The winner of that Carlisle race, Diamond New Bay, runs in the following Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery Handicap, but she might have to play second fiddle to the Clive Cox-trained Captaincy.
The latter was third behind top-class filly Libertango on his late May debut at Leicester and confirmed that promise when going a couple of places better at Windsor the following month.
That form does not look too shabby, with the runner-up Never Enough winning a valuable maiden at Ascot next time out.
Captaincy has not been seen in competitive action since, but may have been let in lightly by the assessor with an opening rating of 81.
Twilight all-weather fare comes from Southwell, where Andrew Balding’s recent Lingfield scorer Floating Market can follow up in the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Fillies’ Handicap.
National Hunt fans can look forward to an interesting card at Perth, with Sir Carnegie rated the best bet of the afternoon he bids for a third win at the Scottish circuit in the Equine Products UK Best Turned Out Handicap Chase. – Press Association
TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings on Thursday. Here are the tips.
NEWMARKET: Race 1: 14.15 Code Of Honour, Race 2: 14.50 Woohoo, Race 3: 15.25 Not My Type, Race 4: 16.00 GREAT BALLS O’FIRE (NAP), Race 5: 16.35 Gregory, Race 6: 17.10 King Of Berkshire, Race 7: 17.45 Eloquencia.
PONTEFRACT: Race 1: 14.32 Bust A Moon, Race 2: 15.07 Silverella, Race 3: 15.42 Sayidah Bahra, Race 4: 16.17 Captaincy, Race 5: 16.52 Hollywell Stream, Race 6: 17.27 Jam Lass, Race 7: 18.03 Woodstock.
PERTH: Race 1: 14.39 Poetic Twist, Race 2: 15.14 Walking On A Dream, Race 3: 15.49 Expert Analysis, Race 4: 16.24 Sir Carnegie, Race 5: 16.59 Al Sayah, Race 6: 17.34 Secret Secret, Race 7: 18.10 Forest Spirit.
SOUTHWELL: Race 1: 17.22 Roccapina, Race 2: 17.58 Bluestone Lady, Race 3: 18.30 Enpassant, Race 4: 19.00 Show Me Gold, Race 5: 19.30 Pulse Of Fire, Race 6: 20.00 Leading Times, Race 7: 20.30 Cayman Tai, Race 8: 21.00 Floating Market, Race 9: 21.30 Takeitorleaveit.
DOUBLE: Great Balls O’Fire and Gregory (Newmarket, Races 4 and 5).
