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The Front Runner

Eve Johnson Houghton's on fire - Chris Cook's three things to note on Friday

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1. Eve Johnson Houghton's on fire

You know whose two-year-olds are on fire? Eve Johnson Houghton's, that's whose. She's run three of them so far this year, all within the last fortnight, and all have won, earning these in-running comments: "Impressive", "Won going away" and "Soon clear, readily". Sadly, her 100 per cent record with juveniles this year will not survive the first at Goodwood, in which she runs two. But her Ethandun is a very interesting debutant, carrying the double-green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. A son of Saxon Warrior, he's from the family of Refuse To Bend and classy Hong Kong sprinter Rich Tapestry. He's entered in the Doncaster sales race in September and Redcar's Two Year Old Trophy the following month.


2. Into the Infinite Cosmos

Infinite Cosmos is a big name in a maiden race near the end of Newmarket's card. If you fancy her for the Oaks next month, most firms go no bigger than 10-1, even though we've only seen her once and she got beat. That was at Doncaster at the end of October on soft ground which some jockeys felt was heavy. Sir Michael Stoute's filly stayed on gamely to be beaten just a short-head. By Sea The Stars, she's out of a half-sister to the dam of Crystal Ocean and naturally she's going to improve for having had some time to develop and also because she gets an extra quarter-mile here. Whether she'll want this drier surface is much more open to doubt.


3. Punchestown's loss is Cheltenham's gain

As predicted by the Front Runner last week, Punchestown's loss really has turned out to be Cheltenham's gain, with the first and third from the Hunter Chase at the festival lining up tonight at the headquarters of jump racing. Premier Magic and Shantou Flyer were both supposed to run in Punchestown's Champion Hunter Chase last Friday but the Irish authorities rejected their entries on the grounds that their trainers are neither licensed nor permitted by the BHA. The Punchestown race was won by Its On The Line, who'd been runner-up at Cheltenham in March, so you can see why Bradley Gibbs, trainer and rider of Premier Magic, might feel he'd missed out on another success. Anyway, he'll surely be favourite to score at a much lower level this evening, while Shantou Flyer could also score as he steps up to four miles in a later race. The last race has some familiar names, including the highest-rated runner on the card, Paloma Blue, once fourth in a Supreme. He takes on Not That Fuisse, Magic Saint, Dickie Diver and others.


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The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.


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