Neil Morrice takes a look at six UK dark horses who could impress in the coming weeks. Featured here are BUCANERO FUERTE, POTAPOVA, BLESS HIM, BAY BRIDGE, TWILIGHT CALLS and ZOFFEE!
BUCANERO FUERTE Royal Ascot, June 20th
Given a confident ride granted the field size in this sizzling Group 1, BUCANERO FUERTE was the last horse to come off the bridle. Drawn away from the two horses that eventually beat him, he might have made a better fist of it had he been able to eyeball them but it was nevertheless a most encouraging display by the Irish-trained colt, who can win a Group 1 over six furlongs.
TWILIGHT CALLS Royal Ascot, June 20th
TWILIGHT CALLS put a couple of underwhelming efforts in 2023 firmly behind him returned to a track on which he’s profited in the past. Even though the race didn’t go his way (he was squeezed and had to be switched) he was the last sprinter to be let down for a run that propelled him into fourth. Ryan Moore gets the best out of the five-year-old whose trainer will surely point him at Goodwood’s King George Stakes next.
ZOFFEE Royal Ascot, June 20th
For a horse that is better with cover, ZOFFEE was compromised by having to race wide throughout in this two mile handicap. He was forced to run round horses turning into the short straight, and then stayed on all the way to the line to be beaten just over three lengths by the winner Ahorsewithnoname. Granted he gave away far more than that distance, he will surely compensate with a big win for his owners although cut in the ground usually enhances his claims, and is important to him.
POTAPOVA Royal Ascot, June 21st
POTAPOVA was quietly fancied for this Group 2 after not racing on the best part of the track on her previous start at Epsom. She had plenty to do approaching the quarter pole but kept on well to finish a shade over three lengths off the winner Rogue Millenium. She appeals to me as a filly that is going to pop up in a Group race though it might be when least expected, so following her with your cash race by race should prove the best way to profit from her.
BAY BRIDGE Royal Ascot, June 21st
Things started to go wrong for the free-going BAY BRIDGE soon after the start when he stumbled and was short of room. He was still on the bridle early in the home straight, but in races of this quality you needs everything to go right, and his final effort was underwhelming. His trainer has worked him in a sheepskin noseband (shadow roll) at home, and if this is applied to replace the cross-noseband he wore here it could help him when he returns for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the end of July.
BLESS HIM Royal Ascot, June 21st
Ridden in customary fashion to try to circumnavigate the whole of his group, BLESS HIM enjoyed competing in a race that was more strongly run than any of his previous outings this season. He passed a lot of horses to finish fourth in his group, and fifth overall, and should be cherry ripe for another shot at Newmarket’s Bunbury Cup.
