VC Bet Challenge Stakes

The easy going on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket will suit Sleeping Indian far more than the drying ground at Longchamp over Arc weekend when he could finish only eleventh of 14 behind Caradak in the Prix de la Foret. However, he might find the finishing kick of Jeremy too strong, and Sir Michael Stoute's charge is the one to be on in the VC Bet Challenge Stakes at 9/1 with totesport. Jeremy is a smart, progressive three-year-old and demonstrated a decisive turn of foot when coming from well off the pace to beat Asset by two lengths in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. He picked up a blemish on his record when a below-par sixth at Glorious Goodwood next time, but duly bounced back on his latest start when splitting Welsh Emperor and dual subsequent Group-race winner Caradak in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury on August 19. The son of Danehill Dancer is proven on this track and on an easy surface having landed a Listed race over course and distance on soft going in May. It looks significant that the irrepressible Mick Kinane is sticking with him rather than hopping onto Ballydoyle raider Art Museum. The hint should be duly taken. Sleeping Indian returned from a lengthy layoff when beating Spinning Queen (Group 1 winner since) on decent going at Newbury last month before failing to fire in the aforementioned race at Longchamp. John Gosden's charge is much better than he showed on that occasion and merits the utmost respect here. But I think he is plenty short enough for what is one of the most competitive and classy renewals of this race in recent times. Barry Hills has landed this race twice in the last decade and his Killybegs rates a leading contender. Like Jeremy, all conditions seem to come alike to this three-year-old, and he has ran cracking races over a mile the last twice, narrowly going down to Caradak in the Celebration Mile before finishing a cracking fourth behind George Washington in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on his most recent start. Killybegs is a live danger, and probably the one that I fear most, but like Sleeping Indian I feel that he might be vulnerable against a rival that is able to hit fifth gear in the closing stages. If the going were to become testing then such speed would be blunted in this theory would be worthless, but the going is good to soft at the time of writing and if any showers do materialise they are predicted to be very mile, so are unlikely to alter the going to an appreciable extent. Saeed bin Suroor has won this race three times since 1996 so his pair, Byron and Satchem, have to be considered, along with the improving Stronghold, who got the better of Byron in a Group 3 at Goodwood last time. However, decent though that trio are, I feel that this Group 2 event will be a bridge too far for them. Art Museum was my ante-post fancy for the 2,000 Guineas going into the winter last year but has clearly had his problems and was having his first start for over a year when landing a minor event on yielding to soft going at Cork last month. I just wonder, though, whether he will be able to fulfil the promise he showed as a juvenile and this looks a pretty tough race for one so inexperienced. Verdict - 1pt Jeremy @ 9/1 (totesport)