Wednesday afternoon, Oct 25th sees quality flat racing take place at Newmarket – a seven-race card, 13.50-17.20.

Some of the game’s top jocks are present including Marquand, Murphy, Ryan, and Buick among others.

15.35 – Monterosa @ 7/1

A race for relative babes – a 2-yr-old nursery handicap – but over a tough staying trip for such inexperienced horses of ten furlongs.

My selection Monterosa is a daughter of Lope De Vega out of a Frankel mare, so a beautifully-bred filly. Stepped up to this trip last time at Windsor she finished very well to be third, beaten just a length.

She’s run respectably twice at HQ among her four career starts to date, and John and Thady Gosden need no introduction as far as training brilliance goes. It’s been another superb season for their Newmarket team, illuminated as it has been by the sensational continuing link with a certain Lanfranco Dettori.

Benoit De La Sayette is in the plate on Wednesday, and has himself enjoyed some lovely days in the sun with the Gosdens already in his relatively brief career.

16.10 – Zouzanna @ 11/4

A fillies’ handicap now, over a mile, for 3-yr-olds and upwards. Another father/son training team here – Harry and Roger Charlton. The red-hot Rossa Ryan rides Zouzanna, and it’s a rare old day in the racing calendar when Rossa doesn’t have a winner it seems – with multiples often snapped up.

Her form has been admirably consistent, securing two wins this season – and last time here at HQ, over a furlong less (7f), she was beaten just a neck, finishing strongly. Popping back up to a mile is thoroughly sensible given that last run, and the Charltons booking Rossa is a massive positive in my book.

A cracking back-end handicap for a decent ten-grand pot. Looking forward to watching this one.