Saturday’s CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes (G3) at Newbury will feature a host of Dubai International Racing Carnival graduates looking to move on to bigger and better. Five Carnival alums (Age of Reason, Basaltico, Halicarnassus, Kings Gambit, and Mourilyan) are expected to face Godolphin’s up and comer Kite Wood along with three others in a diverse renewal of the race won in 2008 by Sixties Icon.
Run over an extended 13 furlongs, Mourilyan stands one of the better chances amongst the Carnival alums having been second to Schiaparelli in the Goodwood Cup (G2) over two miles and drops in for three furlongs of shorter ground. Kings Gambit ran a very strong race, his best in months, when third beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Kirklees in the SkyBet York Stakes (G2) over an extended ten furlongs and, the opposite of Mourilyan, stretches out for this trip. Age of Reason runs second string for Godolphin with Ted Durcan aboard and makes his second start following a layoff. The son of Halling was eased when second favorite of five in the Fred Archer Stakes (Listed) at Newmarket on June 27.
Also on Saturday at Newbury, the improving Balthazaar’s Gift will be one of the main players in the CGA Hungerford Stakes (G2) over seven furlongs. The son of Xaar won a handicap at Nad Al Sheba in February and has been placed three times since then after a lowly dirt try in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). Godolphin’s newest purchase, Evasive, is a likely top choice in the race.