Two runners at Newbury on Friday, and both with solid chances

September 18

The Dubai Duty Free meeting at Newbury this weekend is always informative, and on Friday Alan will be at our local course, where we run both Loughville and Midnight Rumble.

Loughville has improved plenty since having a wind operation last winter, and, apart from her seasonal debut at Chelmsford, she has finished in the money in all her six subsequent races, winning two of them.

Rossa Ryan, who won on Loughville at Bath in April, again takes the mount, and the mare has kept her form throughout the summer, winning again at Wetherby and then being placed at Chester, Ascot and Salisbury.

“She looks to have a solid chance in what looks another competitive handicap. and she didn’t enjoy the best of runs at Salisbury, so could well be a major player yet again.

Midnight Rumble could also be in the mix in the mile and a quarter handicap, and Rossa Ryan, who was runner-up on him at Sandown last month, is again in the saddle.

Like Loughville, Midnight Rumble has been a model of consistency this season, winning on the polytrack at Lingfield but showing himself to be equally effective on turf when being runner-up three times, two at Sandown and one at Salisbury.

Unfortunately, the fact that you can almost set your clock by the reliable Midnight Rumble means that his handicap mark keeps creeping up, but even being 2lb higher than on the Esher slopes last month he should again be in the money.

Alan, just back from a break in Greece, confirmed that Doncaster runner-up Trueshan is likely to attempt to win the Prix Cadran for the third time in four years at the Arc meeting at Longchamp next month.

Though Alan missed Town Moor, he has seen plenty of re-runs since he got back, and he reports that he was “perfectly happy with Trueshan’s performance”, adding “it is rock-solid form really”.

Alan, like all of us, hugely impressed with the way Kyprios won the Irish St Leger, is hoping that Aidan O’Brien might give the Cadran a miss.

He added:”I’m hoping that Paris gets a bit of rain on the run up to the race. We were lucky the Cadran was run on the Saturday last year as the ground had quickened up come the Sunday. However, Trueshan seems to enjoy his trips over there, so all being well that is where he will go.

“We’ll see how the Cadran goes, but should he have to miss the race because of the ground we have him entered at Ascot on Champions Day and also the Prix Royal-Oak, He has not been over-raced this season and seems fresh and well, but we’ll take one race at a time.”