Joel Stakes betting tips – Kameko a strong fancy
Kameko looks to hold leading claims of resuming winning ways in the 1m Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday (15:35).
Trained by Andrew Balding, this Qatar Racing owned son of Kitten’s Joy won two of his four starts as a juvenile when improving with each outing.
In the last of those at Newcastle, he scored impressively by over three lengths in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy.
Kameko went on to follow-up on seasonal reappearance when landing the first Classic of the season, the 2000 Guineas, over course and distance.
Under regular pilot Oisin Murphy, he travelled strongly throughout on the heels of the leaders before staying on strongly inside the last to get up and beat Wichita by a neck.
Kameko had champion juvenile Pinatubo a further length back in third. That one has since finished a fine length runner-up to Palace Pier in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot before landing a Group 1 in France.
Drop back in trip for Joel Stakes a big plus
That gives the form a solid look. Kameko was then far from disgraced when a fast finishing six-length fourth to the enterprisingly ridden Serpentine in the Epsom Derby over 1m 4f.
Connections then dropped him back in trip for the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood where he endured a nightmare passage when beaten just over three lengths into fourth behind Mohaather.
Kameko has since run well when fourth of five to Ghaiyyath in the Juddmonte International over 1m 2f at York where he held every chance two from home before weakening inside the last to be beaten five lengths.
The Joel Stakes represents a return to much calmer water for Kameko and the form of the aforementioned races sets the standard in this in my opinion.
Dropping back to a mile, a trip over which he has won twice and been placed once in four starts, is also an obvious plus.
With underfoot conditions ideal, Kameko thus had to be the selection in this at a standout 3/1 on offer with BetVictor here.
Rockfel Stakes betting tips – Monday a worthy favourite
Top Irish handler Aidqn O’Brien has won the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes three times, so Monday looks a worthy favourite to add to that tally in this year’s renewal of the 7f contest for juvenile fillies (15:00).
This daughter of Fastnet Rock shaped with plenty of promise on debut at Punchestown when a keeping on tenderly handled 5 1/4 lengths fourth of nine to New Emerald Bay on testing ground.
She then duly showed the benefit of that experience when pitched straight into Listed company and landing the Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown.
Monday made all and only had to be kept up to her work inside the final furlong to comfortably account for No Speak Alexander by three-quarters of a length.
The runner-up had previously run very well to finish a close up fourth in a Group 2 at Deauville and is rated 102, so that gives the form a decent look.
As Monday scored with more in hand than the winning margin suggests it was a performance which suggested there was much better to come.
She hasn’t yet been given an official rating but, given that the top rated in the line-up is Isabella Giles off 105, the benchmark is not set too high.
Monday also holds two Group 1 entries at this venue next month, so is clearly held in high regard. The fact that she is the sole Ballydoyle representative in this also speaks volumes.
Hence, at 13/8 with Betway, she is a strong fancy to take the Rockfel Stakes under Ryan Moore en route to even better things
Rosemary Stakes betting tips – Bounce The Blues appeals each-way
In the Listed 1m Rosemary Stakes (13:50), Bounce The Blues looks sure to go well now stepped up in trip following a fine effort last time out on her first start for Andrew Balding.
After shaping with promise in her first two starts in Ireland when in the care of John Feane, this three-year-old daughter of Excelebration showed a nice attitude to open her account when beating So Wonderful by three-quarters of a length in a 16-runner maiden over 7f at Naas.
The runner-up is a smart sort who had previously finished third in the Irish 1000 Guineas on seasonal reappearance and has won twice since.
That pair also pulled three lengths clear of the third home – so that gives the form a very solid look.
Bounce The Blues then followed-up in Listed company at the same when travelling strongly and coming from off the pace to readily beat Soul Search by half-a-length.
She was then bought and sent to join Kingsclare handler Balding and ran a cracker when a fast finishing 1 1/2 length third of 15 to Foxtrot Lady in the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes over 7f at Doncaster.
The way in which Bounce The Blues powered home that day suggested she would relish the extra furlong that she gets here.
She also appeals as the type to keep on progressing and hails from a yard whose runners continue to perform well. So, at the 6/1 on offer with William Hill, Bounce The Blues looks a solid an each-way betting proposition.
