7:30 – Epsom – TRY TOTEQUICKPICK IF YOU´RE FEELING LUCKY CONDITIONS STAKES (CLASS 3) (3yo+) Good To Firm 1m2f18y
Cameron Highland is a highly unexposed 3 year old who is having only his 5th career start this evening. The Roger Varian trained bay colt runs in a Class 3 Conditions race at Epsom but has entries in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York later this month and the final classic of the season which is the St Ledger at Doncaster in September. If he is to run in those events he will need to be winning at this level today.
Cameron Highland only ran once last season which was a 1 mile Maiden race at the back end of October when he finished 3rd out of 12 runners. He showed his greenness when he edged left over 1 furlong out and threw away his winning chance. He showed that he has learned from his racecourse debut when he won at Redcar on his seasonal reappearance in April. He was stepped up in distance to 1 mile 1 furlong and hinted at his potential by winning his maiden by 8 lengths in very easy fashion although only one winner has come out of the race since.
He had a second run in April when he ran over 1 mile 2 furlongs at Epsom and ran a decent race for the most part in a Class 2 Derby Trial but weakened inside the final furlong to finish 3rd some 5 ½ lengths behind the winner. A line can be drawn through his performance that day as the going was Heavy. However he did appear to act well on the adverse cambers and undulations of Epsom. He confirmed his preference for better ground on his last run when he ran in a valuable Class 2 race at Newmarket at the end on June, in Good to Firm ground. He again ran well taking the lead over 3 furlongs out. He was headed 2 furlongs out and was unable to go with the winner but stayed on well for 2nd place. It was a good result given that he was only beaten by John Gosden’s smart prospect Michelangelo who finished 3rd in a Group 3 at Goodwood earlier this week and that he was 8 lengths ahead of the 3rd placed horse.
The going at Epsom is Good to Firm which obviously suits Cameron Highland. He runs over 1 mile 2 furlongs again this evening and although he is yet to win over the trip he has demonstrated that he gets the distance well enough on the evidence of his last run. He is ridden by Neil Callan who has ridden him on three of his four runs.
With his yard in reasonable form – Roger Varian has had 3 winners and 12 placed horses from 23 runners in the past 14 days – Cameron Highland can be expected to go well this evening. On the evidence of his Newmarket run he is going the right way and with previous experience of the track and a preference for firmer ground he is a leading contender. Given that he is clearly well thought of by his connections they will be disappointed if he cannot win this race tonight.
