Sport

Put your bucks on Rogers

Steve Rogers can put his Chester Cup disappointment behind him by returning to winning ways in the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.

Roger Varian’s charge has plenty of amends to make to his supporters after letting them down badly in May, but he can put that disappointing effort well away by landing the first all-weather renewal of the Pitmen’s Derby.

The five-year-old was sent off favourite on the Roodee after winning at Chester last September and warming up for the main event with a victory at Kempton in April.

However, despite having a favourable low draw and seemingly being perfectly-placed to challenge with a couple of furlongs to run, Steve Rogers folded tamely and was eventually beaten 11 lengths by the reopposing No Heretic.

Clearly the Montjeu gelding did not fire on the day at all, but he still has some factors in his favour, not least his Kempton win on an all-weather surface.

He thoroughly impressed over two miles that day and it may well be the longer trip of the Chester Cup was just not for him, so dropping back in trip here is another plus.

Steve Rogers again has a decent draw and, fresh from a break, he could just be ready to set the record straight.

Buratino can get his season back on track with victory in the Betfred Chipchase Stakes.

He looked a top-class colt when beating Air Force Blue at Royal Ascot last year before going on to place twice in Group One company as a juvenile.

That form has perhaps not worked out quite as well as expected while Buratino himself has been beaten on two occasions already this term.

A mile was patently not for him in the 2000 Guineas and subsequent Royal Ascot victor Quiet Reflection was just too good at Haydock last time out.

This Group Three affair looks more suitable and can get him back on the right road.

Group Three action is also on offer at Newmarket with Muwaary the choice in the John Sunley Memorial Criterion Stakes.

John Gosden’s charge was a super smart three-year-old, finishing fourth in the French Guineas, second in the 2014 Jersey Stakes and fifth in the Prix Jean Prat.

He was then off the track from July 2014 until earlier this month, when he shaped with plenty of promise in finishing third in a Listed heat at York.

Muwaary was understandably ring-rusty and had plenty of ground to make up in the finish, but he ran on with real purpose and can progress to better things as the year goes on.

Baadi can make it three from three this season in the Sky Bet Handicap at Windsor.

Formerly trained by Roger Varian, Baadi seems to have come of age since switching to the care of Charlie Fellowes and undergoing a gelding operation during the winter.

Penwortham can strike in the Coca Cola Zero Sugar Handicap at Chester, with Laughton the pick in Doncaster’s Beaver 84 Handicap.

Backers of Gimlet should be able to treat themselves to a drink or two after the 188BET Handicap at Lingfield as he looks a likely winner for Hugo Palmer.

Quality jumps racing is a rarity at this time of year but there is a cracking John Smith’s Summer Cup at Uttoxeter on Sunday which can go to Drop Out Joe.

Charlie Longsdon’s charge won two valuable prizes early on last season, at Chepstow and Wincanton, and the key feature of those is that the ground was decent.

Despite the time of year there was still a chance conditions could have been against him in this £80,000 feature, but while most of southern England is under water, Uttoxeter has missed it.

Gone are the days when the lesser lights could make these summer races easy pickings - two Grade One winners head the weights for this to prove that point.

However, Menorah has never convinced over three-and-a-quarter miles and Ballynagour needs to prove he is in better form than last winter.

Tom Scudamore has deserted him for Katkeau and it is easy to see why given the way he stayed on gamely to beat Gas Line Boy at this track two months ago. That said, he was all out that day and has gone up 7lb.

Last year’s winner Shuil Royale would have been of interest but he went up 7lb for winning a lesser race at Newton Abbot which means he is 9lb higher than 12 months ago in a better race.

Drop Out Joe was fancied for the Grimthorpe Chase after his two big wins but trying to make all off a mark of 151 was too much and he showed little in two further runs.

He has, however, been dropped to a mark only 1lb above his Badger Ales Trophy win and is always best fresh.

IRISH NEWS YANKEE


Nap: Steve Rogers (4.15: Newcastle)


Double: Muwaary (3.55: Newmarket)


Treble: Baadi (3.15: Windsor)


Yankee: Gimlet (8.10: Lingfield)