Palace House Stakes

3.40 Newmarket
StanJames.com Palace House Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus)
Winner £36,900
Pick: Amour Propre (win)
Total Gallery: Did all his good work towards the end of last season, his biggest win coming in Prix L’Abbaye and running a very good race with the world’s best in Hong Kong when last seen; Has a stiff task trying to defy and 8lbs penalty though.

Armour Propre: Improved in leaps and bounds since disappointing 2 yr old debut at Sandown, beating useful types in Deposer and Lucky Leigh in maiden and novice stakes victories before topping that off with all the way win in Cornwallis stakes; Confirmed promise with good when in competitive renewal of this race last year, being handy in the middle and speeding away at the line; Bombed in King’s Place and may yet still take a high rank in this on the basis of an excellent Nunthorpe Fifth.

Arganil: Tough front runner with good strike rate on AW, as good as ever when winning listed race at Lingfield last time; This is a hot contest though, and will need to find some improvement.

Blue Jack: Won 4 times last year for William Muir and gave impression that switch to Dascombe yard may even have improved him judged on impressive win last time; Looked every bit like a Group horse that day, sweeping home off a fast pace, and could well be in the shakeup.

Bonnie Charlie: Rounded off his 3-y-o campaign with 2 good efforts, coming fourth in a Group 3 along the way; Has to prove he retains pace for this trip.

Borderlescott: Never run a bad race, and proved himself better than ever last year when campaigned mainly at this trip, winning the Nunthorpe and placed in Temple and the Abbaye; Favoured by weights (didn’t get run behind Total Gallery an L’Abbaye)and should be on pemsies, although does tend to need the run now.

Elnawin: Lightly raced colt that still has plenty of ability, as shown by his 2 seconds this season; Was arguably the best handicapped horse in the race when second behind Blue Jack; 7lbs better off but that rival still improving, and has a tough task anyway.

Equiano: Came up well short at Group 1 level last year after finishing second in Abernant Stakes (which he won this year); He wasn’t totally disgraced on those efforts but this is tougher; Yard are happy with him though.

Rowe Park: Smart performer but hasn’t won on grass since his Group 3 win in 2007 and was behind a few of these last time out; Not exactly favoured at these weights.


Spin Cycle: Had some smart juvenile form, on which he improved to win with at Musslebrugh in May; Hasn’t exactly had things go his way since and although he ran well towards the end of last season, this even if returning at best today.

Sole Power: Promising at 2 yrs, placed in listed event at the Curragh and sales race at York before landing short odds in Dundalk maiden; 3 year olds have good record in this and his impressive win on reappearance gives hope; Not stupid choice as outsider.


VERDICT: Total Gallery is probably the best horse in this field based on his L’Abbaye win, and his rather overlooked sixth in Hong Kong amongst the world’s best. However an 8lbs penalty on his season reappearance makes him hard to fancy here. Borderlescott should go well and is favoured at the weights, but that was the story last season, and he didn’t win. It would be no surprise to see him come home in front but he tends to need the run. Sole Power will be of interest here given his progressive profile and the good record of 3 year old’s in recent years, while Blue Jack looked a sprinter to keep on the right side at Newbury. However, AMOUR PROPRE is better than the bare for of his 2 Group 1 runs last season and could still take a high rank in the spring game, so he gets my vote.