CHAMPION STAKES HERO IS BACK ON TRACK: Cracksman’s back! On his way to the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh (May 27) and the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot (June 20), John Gosden’s Champion Stakes hero takes in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp this afternoon. Here’s Daqman’s view of the race.
TWO FLAT CARDS IN NATIONAL HUNT WEATHER: Daqman, who landed the Mares’ Champion Hurdle (Benie Des Dieux won 3-1), on the final day of the Punchestown festival, today naps at Wetherby where he is looking to his old friend John ‘Godsend’ Gosden.
IS THE GANAY SAFE FOR CRACKSMAN?
3.30 ParisLongchamp (Prix Ganay) Dubbed the Prix De L’Inauguration De Paris Longchamp, or to put it another way: Longchamp’s back; Cracksman’s back!
And John Gosden’s ace has got company, serious company. Rhododendron (Aidan O’Brien – Ryan Moore) and Air Pilot (Ralph Beckett – Christopher Soumillon) cross the Channel.
But his toughest test may come from the French O’Brien, Andre Fabre, who sets the scene for Cloth Of Stars with a pacemaker, Finche.
Cracksman should be fighting fit: he won the Epsom Derby Trial and the Great Voltigeur after breaks, and of course rounded off 2017 with a demolition job in the Champion Stakes on the soft at Newmarket.
There was plenty of cut in the ground for all three wins in his superb hat-trick and that was probably one of the reasons he heads for ParisLongchamp.
But, in fact, they have been having a sunshine weekend so it’s similar to conditions he had when beaten a length in the Epsom Derby.
But that was more about his maturity level, which Ralph Beckett can tell you all about with Air Pilot, who never stops growing up!
Nine years old but as good as ever with back-to-back hits on heavy, both in France, in the last six weeks. Again, it looks as if his conditions have dried up on him.
One of his wins came in the Prix Harcourt, taken last year by Cloth Of Stars, who went on to grab the 2017 Prix Ganay.. and on again, so close to the heights, to finish second in the Arc to the brilliant Enable.
Finche was behind Cracksman in the Niel last September and behind Air Pilot here at Longchamp three weeks ago.
But he can do a mighty job from the front here by tailoring the race to suit Cloth Of Stars and stretch Cracksman as far as both Fabre contenders can.
Rhododendron, second to Enable in the Epsom Oaks, won the Opera at the Arc meeting, so today’s trip suits, though she’s never scored after a break and Ballydoyle is only just finding some form.
AWARD LIKELY FOR A GOSDEN WINNER
Aside from the Group action in France, there are just two meeting closer to home. Salisbury (heavy) on the flat and Wetherby also stage a flat card today on soft ground. The meeting at Gowran Park was called off after an inspection yesterday afternoon.
2.40 Wetherby John Gosden has started the new season brightly and sends a couple of runners to the relatively new flat venue where it looks more like being National Hunt weather.
Of most interest on the card is his Award Winning in the 2.40. She went into my notebook after a good debut sixth at Newmarket just 11 days ago. She was only getting the hang of things late on and is certain to come on bundles for the run and also appreciate both the easier ground and longer trip.
Biggest danger looks to be the Michael Bell trained Sailing Home who was placed fourth in two starts last season. They were both fair efforts but she didn’t seem to improve much on her second start as I might have hoped for. However, on the dam side she should have plenty of stamina and be more effective over this trip.
Lady Annalee is an interesting debutant but I think she would need to be above average to beat the two with the best form and the BETDAQ market, so far at least, isn’t pointing that way.
3.50 Wetherby Deadly Reel has been knocking on the door for a while and it might well open here as she appears to have conditions in her favour.
She ran a cracker when stepped up in trip last time out at Chelmsford to be beaten only a neck behind Blame Me Forever and doesn’t seem to inconvenienced by softer ground. It was soft when she made her debut at Doncaster finishing 6th of 13.
Sauchiehall Street is up 4lb for a narrow win at Lingfield and has no form whatsoever on testing ground whilst Mr Carbonator is unproven at the trip having raced mainly over much shorter distances although did fair well enough when stepped up to 1m 4f at Southwell most recently.
4.15 Salisbury What a slog this will be as the runners start in front of the stands for their 1m 6f trip on heavy ground.
We really need to look for a proven NH horse and I think Moabit fits the bill for trainer Paul Nicholls with daughter Megan onboard. The partnership won well over course and distance last October when it was soft and shouldn’t be troubled by the more extreme ground here.
DAQMAN’S BETS (all staked to win 20 points, except ParisLongchamp SP bets)
BET 14.2pts win (nap) AWARD WINNING (2.40 Wetherby)
BET 3pts win (SP) FINCHE and 1pt win (SP, stakes saver) CLOTH OF STARS (3.30 ParisLongchamp)
BET 6.6pts win DEADLY REEL (3.50 Wetherby)
BET 6.4pts win MOABIT (4.15 Salisbury)
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