Andrew Balding seeks to keep up good run with Tactical in the European Free Handicap at Newmarket
- Tactical carried the Queen’s colours to victory at Royal Ascot last season
- He subsequently came up short three times in Group One company
- But Oisin Murphy’s mount can make his racing nous count at Newmarket
TACTICAL (Newmarket, 2.25) carried the Queen’s colours to victory at Royal Ascot last season and he can make his racing nous count on his seasonal debut in the bet365 European Free Handicap.
Oisin Murphy’s mount followed up his victory in the Windsor Castle Stakes with a win in Newmarket’s Group Two July Stakes.
Tactical subsequently came up short three times in Group One company when running in the Prix Morny, Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes.
Tactical can make his racing nous count on his seasonal debut at Newmarket on Wednesday
But his sights are lowered and he represents a trainer and jockey going great guns.
Andrew Balding was successful with Carolus Magnus at Newmarket on Tuesday and has been operating with a strike rate of close to 30 per cent over the last fortnight.
Murphy, who rode Carolus Magnus, completed a double on Newmarket’s opening day of the season when also successful on Robert Cowell-trained Arecibo.
The six-length win of beautifully-bred Mutasaabeq — his dam is 2009 1,000 Guineas winner Ghanaati — caught the eye at Newmarket yesterday.
Trainer Charlie Hills said supplementing Jim Crowley’s mount to the 2,000 Guineas would be discussed but, given his immaturity, he was more likely to be aimed at Royal Ascot.
Charlie Appleby-trained Highland Avenue also looks unlikely to head to the 2,000 Guineas after beating stablemate Secret Protector a length and a quarter in the Feilden Stakes.
Appleby said: ‘At this moment I think a Guineas might be too much.’