Friday’s racing: two exciting debutants, an Irish raider and Gosden dominance at York

Adrian Wall runs through all the interesting details for Friday’s racing, including a very expensive son of Frankel who is making his debut at Newbury.

Expensive son of Frankel makes Newbury debut

Petworth (3.53) is the first of a pair of very exciting debutants on Friday. A €260,000 foal, his price increased to €400,000 as a yearling and the son of Frankel’s dam was a 1m-1m3f winner in Germany. He is bred to be quite smart and Andrew Balding is in fine form at present.

Whopping £880,000 breeze-up buy makes debut at Newmarket

Mrair (1.22) was purchased for a staggering £880,000 at the breeze-ups and the son of Mehmas is a half-brother to several winners, including 6f specialist Barrington. Oisin Murphy has been booked for the ride and only a win can warrant such a price-tag.

One Irish raider at York

Diego Dias will run Armor Supreme in the Listed Margate Fillies’ Stakes (3.30) and Rossa Ryan is booked for the ride. Sent off at odds of 4/1 for her debut, she easily made all in a six-runner novice at Goodwood over 5f a fortnight ago and looks well worth her place at this level.

John & Thady Gosden bidding for four-timer at York

John & Thady Gosden have a stranglehold on the closing 1m novice at York, winning the last three in a row, and Portcullis (5.15) will take some stopping if the market is right. The odds-on favourite and son of Frankel overcame severe keenness to bolt up in the Wood Ditton at Newmarket on debut last month and he holds an entry for the Group 1 St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot next month.

Willie Mullins has Flat runner at Leopardstown

Scandinavia is all the rage for this Group 3 but Le Destrier (7.22) is worth watching in any case. Willie Mullins’ runner showed okay form in Germany and France for different yards and will be one for the longer term.