Magdalene Fox
A cold start to the day here at HQ and it has been extremely foggy too. Winx’s owners visited La Grange on Monday ahead of yesterday’s Longines World’s Best Racehorse awards. It was lovely to meet the Kepitis family and Peter and Parry Tighe and they seemed to enjoy their visit to Newmarket. I hope she does head over to Royal Ascot in 2018 and her performance when winning the Cox Plate for the second time was electric and very much merited her rating of 132 which makes her the highest rated horse on turf in training.
We have two runners this evening at Newcastle. Ode To Paris drops back in trip to 7f at 5:15 and I hope he can put a disappointing run behind him. He was too free last time when trying a mile for the first time and we will more than likely ride him differently today. Hotfill has not been beaten far the last twice and is proven over the course and distance whilst Spinwheel may improve dropping back to 7f. It is not a strong race for the grade and looks a very open affair.
Magdalene Fox has improved for the drop back to 6f on his last two starts and we are hoping a stiff 5f will not inconvenience him in the 6:45 at Newcastle. He is stepping up in grade but he is running off his old mark which means he only carries 8:10. The form danger Erissimus Maximus has to carry 9:11, his placed efforts have a solid look to them and he has only gone up two pounds for beating a subsequent winner last time. Major Jumbo has been consistent whilst Imdancinwithurwife is no forlorn hope but it is her second run back from a long break.