Only five runners go to post for this race but it looks very difficult to solve and the ability to handle to the testing ground will ultimately determine who is victorious. After Mastercraftsman's Classic win yesterday, Aidan O'Brien will be hoping he can add yet more Group 1 glory to his name and he saddles French import Thewayyouare. There are three horses in the line-up most likely to take advantage if he fails, most notably Casual Conquest, who on form is entitled to plenty of respect.
Thewayyouare looks potentially a good price for his star trainer, who took this race last season with the immensely-talented Duke Of Marmalade. After being trained in France for Andre Fabre until this season, he was sent over to Ballydoyle during the summer and his former trainer believes he is a class horse and has a good future for O'Brien. After winning a Group 3 on his third start, he went on to win a Group 1 over a mile, underlining his ability with a battling win on soft ground. He only had two starts in his three-year-old season and after finishing sixth in the French 2,000 Guineas, he was stepped up to 1m 2f in the French Derby. He failed to make an impact in that race and finished well down the field, even though he was eased in the closing stages. He was sent to Ireland over the summer and made his seasonal reappearance in Prix Ganay in April. He ran very well that day considering he was expected to need the run and he made all the running, but he felt the lack of race fitness and he faded into a one-and-a-half length fourth. Most of O'Brien's horses have needed their first run this season and are entitled to huge respect on their next start. Johnny Murtagh rides this son of Kingmambo and he may make the running again, ensuring that it does not get tactical in the final stages. One crucial element is that he will definitely handle this heavy ground and should stay the trip, and if he combines both to good effect, Thewayyouare can top off a superb weekend for his brilliant stable and add another Group 1 to his name.
Casual Conquest has a good opportunity based on last season's form but he needs to put a poor run at Newmarket last time out firmly behind him. He does have ground concerns, considering that in his five career starts, the word soft hasn't entered the description once. After impressing on his second start last season, he went to the English Derby unbeaten and was installed as favourite. He ran a blinder that day to finish third behind New Approach and Tartan Bearer and he looked to stay the 1m 4f trip. Trainer Dermot Weld was delighted with that performance, especially as it was only the third run of his short career and he was still inexperienced. In hope of gaining compensation, he went on to contest the Irish Derby at this course. Again under Pat Smullen, he had to settle for second behind Frozen Fire. That race was a messy affair and he only just failed, as the winner swooped late to snatch victory. He was not seen for the rest of the season and he made his seasonal debut in the Jocky Club Stakes at Newmarket, only to be denied by John Gosden's Bronze Cannon. He had won first-time-out for the past two seasons and was well fancied to score in the three-runner race. However, things did not go to plan as he ran a very laboured race in second and looked to find the ground much too quick, as his action suggested that he was never comfortable during the race. He is being dropped back in trip to 1m 2f today and that may help him, but the forecast heavy ground will do him no favours. He seems much better suited to quicker ground but if he has come on for his last run, which he may have needed, he has the class to go close here.
Famous Name is officially the highest-rated horse in the race and unlike the rest, has no ground worries. On jockey bookings, Dermot Weld's runner looks to be second-string but this is not the case and should not be taken into account. After taking the 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in good style last season, he went on to race against Thewayyouare in the French Derby. He ran a massive race that day, only losing out by a head to the classy Vision D'Etat. He bowed out with a win in a Listed race at Leopardstown in October over today's trip and on heavy ground. On his first run this season, he finished second behind Curtain Call in a Group 3, where he ran well but could close on the winner, who was given a canny ride by his jockey. He has a definite chance based on the fact that he will definitely travel in this bottomless ground and will have Mick Kinane to assist him.
Lush Lashes is a very tough filly but will struggle to go on the ground. She had an unbelievable season last year, where she won four Group 1 races, including the Coronation Stakes. She ran very well in English 1,000 Guineas and went on to win the Musidora Stakes in emphatic style, bounding clear to score by five lengths. She then went off favourite in the Oaks at Epsom but failed to handle the undulations and finished in fifth. Trainer Jim Bolger then sent her to Ascot, where she won the Coronation in good style, beating some high-class fillies in the process. She went on to run consistently well all season and certainly benefited for the step up in trip to middle distances. She seems highly effective over today's trip but it is a concern that all her best form has come on fast ground. She is making her first start of the season and this daughter of Galileo will do well to win against some race-fit colts who may handle the ground that bit better. She certainly has the class and guts to go well here and under usual pilot Kevin Manning, she may well make the placings.
Moiqen is the outsider but goes on the ground and will get the trip. He ran well behind Curtain Call and Famous Name last time and hopes to build on that. He looks up against it against the first four mentioned, though, and it would be a shock if he were to take the €173,000 prize.
Selections: 1st - Thewayyouare, 2nd - Famous Name, 3rd - Casual Conquest.
Result: 1st - Casual Conquest, 11/4, 2nd - Famous Name, 9/4 fav, 3rd, Lush Lashes, 4/1.
Casual Conquest proved his last run at Newmarket to be all wrong as he ran out an emphatic winner to give trainer Dermot Weld a 1-2 in the race. The winner had yet to run on soft ground during his career and he began to drift in the betting as support came for stablemate Famous Name, who was guaranteed to take to the heavy ground. Weld's stable jockey Pat Smullen had the choice between the two, but he stayed loyal to last year's English Derby third and his decision was vindicated as he routed his opposition to score by a wide margin. It is arguable to say he had the run of the race but he was sent off in front and set a good pace. Three furlongs out, the challengers began to close in behind, and it was Moiqen who came alongside Casual Conquest, aiming to put pressure on him. However, he was quickly swept aside as Smullen booted his mount clear in the final furlong and he stretched clear of Famous Name to score by five and a half lengths. Famous Name ran well for Mick Kinane but could never get close enough to challenge the winner. He is a consistent sort and if he is kept on soft ground, a Group race may come his way. Lush Lashes ran a good race considering she is much more at home on fast ground and had flopped on her only start on soft ground before. She is likely to be aimed at Royal Ascot and would be one to watch back on better ground. Moiqen ran as well as could be expected but he simply lacked the class to go with the first three. The disappointment of the race was Thewayyouare for Aidan O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh. He was prominent in the betting and had been expected to improve on his first start for his new stable, however he ran poorly. Murtagh had him settled nicely in third and looked to be moving well in behind the leader, but when asked for maximum effort, he weakened tamely and finished tailed off. He was eased close home but he has a lot to prove now and may have regressed from three to four.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment