Newmarket joins the World Pool jamboree alongside York on Friday (22 August) with two enticing sprints on its July Course.
The undulating track that suits some sprinters much more than others, and the gutsy Lethal Levi (Sam James) has shown time and again that it is right up his street.
Nor is he a slouch at other UK tracks with 22 placings from 40 career starts, and distances at around 1200m are his ideal trip. The Listed The Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Hopeful Stakes (1200m) looks an ideal opportunity for Lethal Levi to capitalise on a ratings edge of 3lb and upwards over his 10 rivals.
Having been just run out of it in the closing stages of the G3 Criterion Stakes (1400m) at York in June, the enthusiastic six-year-old earlier got to within a short-head of winning the G2 Greenlands Stakes (1200m) at the Curragh in May.
Trainer Karl Burke is perhaps best known for his brilliant handling of two-year-olds, but Lethal Levi is an old warrior who keeps delivering for the stable.
“He has been even better since we added blinkers last year,” Burke said. “He had been giving away some races at the start, but he jumps much cleaner now. He is a terrific old horse.”
Invictus Gold is another with course and distance winning credentials at Newmarket’s July Course, his win coming in conclusive style in a novice event at this meeting last year.
He looked like a sprinter firmly on the up when accelerating well clear of his 11 rivals in a 1200m handicap on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course in May. Although he lacked the same zip on his latest start – also at Newmarket – there may have been valid excuses, plus his trainer, Tom Clover, is in terrific form and jockey Kieran Shoemark booted home a valuable sprint handicap winner at York on Wednesday (20 August).
Ferrous was also below his best last time but is a serious contender if back on song. Trainer Jack Channon is reuniting the five-year-old grey with jockey Callum Rodriguez, who is unbeaten on him in two starts; the pair winning handicaps over this trip at Southwell in April and Newcastle in May.
Another to consider is the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Dubai Treasure, who prevailed on his first start back down at this trip for nearly two years, clinging on to win a handicap at Goodwood last month. He will be ridden by Daniel Muscutt for the first time.
The earlier World Pool Bet With The Tote Handicap looks an open affair. Photosynthesis (Harry Davies) is trained at Newmarket by the one-time Hong Kong-based Peter Chapple-Hyam and has his first start here, having twice gone close to winning handicaps at Newbury this season.
