5-1 MUSTASHRY WINS BY HIS WHISKERS: Mustashry (WON 5-1) saved a whitewash yesterday with a last-gasp half-length victory at Chelmsford last night, and had Daqman wishing he’d never ventured to Deauville for the Arc trials of Jean-Claude Rouget flops Almanzor and Brametot. There are Moore lessons to be learned today!
WELD RIGHT BACK IN THE SPOT LIGHT! Dermot Weld had a modest Galway but is in full stride again now and they’re backing his Hurry Harriet favourite, Making Light, to win it for the Moyglare Stud over Gigginstown and a strong Ballydoyle duo.
BRILLIANT MOORE’S EMINENT RIDE
Embarrassing. I wasn’t at Deauville yesterday, but I know a man who was, a leading race reader. And that was his verdict on the Jean-Claude Rouget Arc hopes who flopped and flopped again.
There was an excuse for Almanzor, after a long absence and a brush with the virus in the Spring, but the Norman champion Rouget was left looking for lost euros on this famous field of the cloth of gold, when dual Classic winner, Brametot, raced like an arthritic crab.
I warned you of the ‘curious case of the top Arc colts’. I swerved Almanzor but there was no reason to believe that Brametot would not run to his form. In fact, the race was gift-wrapped by his not having to carry Group-1 penalties.
But the French Guineas and Derby winner fell out of the stalls and made a belated effort to get involved when it was all too late.
I read this as another triumph for Ryan Moore in a great season’s riding. French races are often sprints in the straight, and the Deauville straight is a short one, so Moore worked on the basis of ‘you can play that game if you like, but I’m off.. I’ll be long gone.’
He took the nearly-horse Eminent by the scruff of his mane and galloped clear, while the others were wondering where Brametot was and when the race would be run.
Don’t be in a hurry to back Eminent again, unless conditions are right for a front-running romp. I wouldn’t read anything much into the form, barring the quality and skill of the winning rider.
If you are looking for answers, they are all contained in the time of the race, which explains immediately why ‘pace horse’ beat ‘slow away’. The time, on good ground, was a quite astonishing 2.24 seconds faster than average.
ANOTHER PLAYFUL RYAN ROMP?
3.10 Beverley This is Simon Crisford’s playground and, while others will be looking for their handicap mark, Global Conqueror has Andrea Atzeni booked to take the prize from under their noses.
3.50 Salisbury (Upavon Fillies’ Stakes) Before Henry Candy landed two out of three in this, Sir Michael Stoute scored three times in seven years, making them joint winners of 50% in the decade. Both have runners today.
Candy won it with a 20-1 shot in 2014, so outsider of the race Uele River needs checking out. What you find is that she hasn’t been disgraced in two runs back after a long absence, and is better off with Billesdon Bess, who finished in front of her in a CD handicap a fortnight ago. But that she has won only her maiden is invariably a bad sign. Ditto Coconut Crème, Indian Blessing, and Serenada. Skiffle has won only once, albeit a Listed race.
Playful Sound (Stoute) looks much more like it, winner of four races, the first of them over this CD 14 months ago. Rosental and Skiffle have already won a Listed but Rosental was three lengths off Playful Sound at York on the last day and Skiffle saw the rear end of Billesdon Bess at Goodwood.
For me, Playful Sound (Ryan Moore again) looks ‘huge’ this morning at 5.8 in a 106% BETDAQ orange. Definite first position with punter-friendly betting so that you can play the race.
4.55 Gowran Park Aidan O’Brien won six out of seven (2007-13), including with future Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach, and gives himself two chances today, one of them a newcomer, one with five races under his belt.
Most Ballydoyle youngsters need the run but Lucius Tiberius (11.5 on BETDAQ win and place) will have to get a move on if he is to play a part in the National Stakes, as envisaged. I can always back stablemate Mount Wellington to save my stakes, though in his case you have to accept that he’s failed to score in five starts.
HOOFNOTE: Lucius Tiberius (by Camelot) was a Roman procurator in Arthurian times. It is said that Arthur refused to pay tribute to him as emperor. My tribute today is just two points win and place.
5.15 Beverley Before getting bogged down on heavy ground at Nottingham on the last day, Maori Bob split two future winners at Newmarket. The claimer helps him get between 18lb and 24lb from this field, barring Regal Mirage and you’d expect his run to come to an end anytime now.
WELD IN A HURRY TO CATCH UP
6.30 Gowran Park (Hurry Harriet Stakes) Three-year-olds have been beaten only twice in the decade, with Dermot Weld the leading trainer with four successful since 2009.
Weld had a moderate Galway by his standards but has been in cracking form in the last few days, with form figures of 21131422 for the last eight saddled.
Weld’s Making Light came back from a long holiday since taking a Group 3 in October and stayed on well in a similar (furlong and a bit shorter) Listed at Leopardstown.
Aidan O’Brien drops Alluringly and Pocketfullofdreams from Group company but both have won only their maidens.
DAQMAN’S BETS (each staked to win 20)
BET 5pts win GLOBAL CONQUEROR (3.10 Beverley)
BET 4pts win (nap) and place PLAYFUL SOUND (3.50 Salisbury)
BET 2pts win and place LUCIUS TIBERIUS (4.55 Gowran Park)
BET 5.5pts win MAORI BOB (5.15 Beverley)
BET 8pts win MAKING LIGHT (6.30 Gowran Park)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
