Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 1 July 2024

This may be premature, but I suspect this year’s Classic crop of three-year-olds may end up proving a fairly ordinary bunch.

Less than a couple of lengths covered the first four home in the Irish Derby and although the result reflected well on the Epsom form, it did not enhance the profile of City Of Troy to any great extent.

Los Angeles won on Sunday in the manner many of us expected, galloping on dourly and finding the reserves to hold the late challenge of Sunway, who did not get the smoothest of runs.

The winner races in the manner of a horse who will stay further – he is now a top price of 3/1 for the St Leger – but his pedigree is not especially endowed with stamina.

Ambiente Friendly did not see the race out as well as the winner and is likely to drop back to a mile and a quarter next time.

Sunway picked up late on having been involved in a bit of barging approaching the 2f marker, although having said that he had a clear sight of things thereafter, while Matsuri was also involved in the scrimmaging before staying on steadily to the line.

If the race were run again we could possibly have a different result as, on form, there is no more than a couple of pounds between the four runners.

City Of Troy is a top price of 4/7 to win the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday, with White Birch next at 5/1 and Dancing Gemini and Ghostwriter at 10s.

Aidan O’Brien has also left in Luxembourg, St Leger winner Continuous and Hans Andersen.

Jayarebe, who won the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot, is a little overpriced at 25/1 while See The Fire, who was staying on again after losing her place in the Coronation Stakes over a mile, is bred to appreciate this step up to a mile and a quarter. She looks interesting at 100/1.

Moving along, and we are now at the time of year when I like to side with progressive handicappers that are still relatively unexposed and no one is better at handling such types than William Haggas.

Last week I was very taken by the success at Newcastle of Elnajmm, a son of Sea The Stars who had run just four times and was making his handicap debut.

He had finished second on his sole start at two in November, 2022, and raced three times last season, running the subsequently 90-rated Jeff Koons to a nose in July and then beating two rivals at Lingfield.

Gelded during the break, he reappeared in a 1m 0-105 handicap last week off 86 (1lb out of the handicap) and won eased down by two and three-quarter lengths.

I see that he is already favourite, at a top price of 10/1 with Bet365 but as low as 6/1 elsewhere, for the Coral Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood on Friday 2^nd August.

As you are well aware the draw and track can have a major bearing on the outcome of races on the round course there, but I have no doubt that Elnajmm will prove capable of winning from a mark in the low 100s and possibly beyond.

He is one to stay with.

I will be back with more thoughts next week.

Bye for now

Receive Marten’s Weekly Roundup the day it is written in full for free every Monday evening by clicking here & signing up for our free Newsletter

This article was uploaded one week after it was written.