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Believing has best recent form ahead of Group 2 contest
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Encouragement that Content can stay Irish Oaks trip
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Meydan win gives Tower Of London a very strong form chance
Market Rasen Superboost
We have an excellent renewal of Market Rasen's highlight of the season at 15:15 today, the Summer Plate in which Daryl Carter's NAP Boombawn is a very well-backed 15/4 favourite.
However, the generous traders at Betfair has super-boosted Boombawn's price to finish in the top six from 4/91.44 to 1/12.00. If you fancy the horse to finish among the top six then simply click on the price below to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.
Back Boombawn to finish Top 6 in 15:15 Market Rasen (was 4/9)
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We had seven in here, five of which were newcomers, but we rely on the once-raced Ides Of March and debutant The Lion In Winter. I didn't ride the former when he finished fourth on his debut here over 6f last month but he clearly shaped with promise and his pedigree suggests the step up to 7f will suit. And you'd hope he would have improved for the experience of his first start.
The Lion In Winter has pleased us at home and takes his chance, and 7f is a good starting point for a horse with plenty of stamina in his pedigree.
Snapdragon has run to a similar level of form in his three starts to date. A mark of 83 wouldn't be generous on those efforts but of course this No Nay Never colt has a good pedigree, so hopefully there is improvement in there.
Valiant Force obviously has to be respected on his juvenile form but Believing brings the best recent form to the table in this Group 2. I haven't ridden her before but her brace of Group 1 efforts at Royal Ascot speak for themselves in this grade.
Content stayed on very strongly for me when third to Bluestocking and Emily Upjohn in the Pretty Polly over 1m2f here last month - that may well be the strongest piece of form on show here - and that gives you encouragement that this Galileo filly could well stay further and make her presence felt here.
We know Port Fairy is a guaranteed stayer, having won the Ribblesdale last time. Form-wise, there is very little between the pair, so I'd have gladly sat on either. Both have winning form on soft, if the forecast rain arrives, though it is currently on the quick side.
Of the opposition, a few of these have to be respected, possibly most of all Willie Mullins' unexposed, impressive Leopardstown maiden winner Lope De Lilas. There is no clear form stand-out going into the race though, so this Classic is up for grabs. I should say our Rubies Are Red, now visored, is not out of this on her early-season form, but she clearly has to step up a fair bit on recent showings.
We had five possibles for this, including four 3yos, and we run three. But this looks a good spot for Tower Of London to get back on track after a disappointing run in the Yorkshire Cup. Whatever the reason for that below-par effort, he has a very strong form chance here on his earlier Meydan win, a race in which he looked a Group 1 horse in waiting. Vauban is the obvious danger.
Timeform verdict
Believing - 15:05 Curragh
Believing proved better than ever on Timeform's figures when bolting up in the listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock last month and she confirmed that improvement by finishing a close-up fourth in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, doing best of those held up in the early stages.
She wasn't quite at the same level when again fourth having been sent off favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes only four days later, but the form of her first two starts in Britain this season mark her out as the one to beat here. She's 3lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
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