A Group horse in a handicap, more Johnson Houghton joy and mixed signals for Derby hope - three things we learned this week

Three key takeaways from across the week . . .

'He is destined to be a future Group winner'

The London Gold Cup at Newbury has featured some real gems in the last decade and to win it typically requires a horse who is some way ahead of his or her mark.

The Charlton stable has form for pushing the right one into this ferociously competitive race and in Saturday's winner King's Gambit the yard appears to have run the proverbial Group horse in a handicap.

His form last season with the now 108-rated Bracken's Laugh meant he was not missed off a mark of 93 by punters and he was duly sent off the 7-2 favourite. However, it was hard not to be extremely impressed by the manner of his four-length win under William Buick and he is surely destined to be a future Group-race winner, just as the likes of Time Test and Headman were for Harry Charlton's dad, Roger.
Matt Butler

Don't underestimate Johnson Houghton juveniles

Eve Johnson Houghton has made a flying start with her two-year-olds, yet they are so often missed in the market, despite her operating at a 27 per cent strike-rate in that age bracket this season. A £1 stake on each of her juveniles would have yielded a profit of £29.75.

Betty Clover was a prime example at York. She was a comfortable winner on her debut at Bath, where she got the better of two subsequent winners and the Lily Agnes runner-up, before chasing home Running Queen in a Salisbury conditions event.

The trainer's Juniper Berries produced exactly the same form figures in those races last year before finishing fourth in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot (at 18-1), and it wouldn't be a stretch to think she holds Betty Clover in the same regard, yet she was 12-1 for her Listed race at York.

Eve Johnson Houghton: enjoyed another strong start with her two-year-oldsCredit: Edward Whitaker

She proved that price all wrong with a power-packed finish to win going away – a victory even sweeter given she is also owned and bred by the trainer – and it will almost certainly be the royal meeting next.

She could be joined by stablemate Pont Neuf, who remained unbeaten when getting the better of Chaldean's half-sister, who cost 1,000,000gns, at Salisbury on Thursday, although he could be in line for a big pot in the Super Sprint at Newbury.

Johnson Houghton tasted success at Royal Ascot in 2021 with Chipotle, who won the Windsor Castle at 22-1, and it would be foolish to rule out any juvenile stepping up in class who hails from the yard.
Harry Wilson

Positives and negatives for Friendly backers

Ambiente Friendly burst on to the Derby scene in Lingfield’s trial two Saturdays ago and, after an eventful week, is now a best-priced 13-2.

Having been as big as 12-1 following his trial success, Ambiente Friendly has continued to shorten with Arabian Crown ruled out, uncertainty over Dante winner Economics being supplemented, and an Irish Derby tilt under consideration for runner-up Ancient Wisdom.

Ambiente Friendly finished five and a half lengths behind Ancient Wisdom in the Autumn Stakes last season, so that colt's six-length defeat at York was not the form boost his backers might have hoped for, while Caviar Heights, who he was a place behind on his return in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, was beaten 12 lengths in sixth.

Feilden sixth Gasper De Lemos let the form down when a beaten 8-11 favourite in the Yeats Stakes at Navan, finishing third of four.

Ambiente Friendly’s supporters can, however, take great heart from the form of trainer James Fanshawe, who since the day of his win at Lingfield has trained five winners and three seconds from 13 runners. Among the most impressive was Commonwealth Cup entry Kind Of Blue, who took his record to 2-2 when defying a penalty in a Doncaster novice event on Saturday evening.
Jack Haynes

Read more . . .

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