DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY JUNE 5
5.25 LEOPARDSTOWN
AROUET (NAP) (best price 11-4) has created favourable impressions in both victory and defeat and Paddy Twomey’s progressive colt is fancied to take another step up the ladder on his first attempt in pattern company.
The son of Galiway left the impression he was the best horse in the race on his debut at Cork, but he was just undone by a rival who had the benefit of a previous out and, more importantly, who obtained first run with a better track position.
Just against the same horse (Nautical Force) on his next start at Roscommon, he duly gained his revenge in a total role reversal tactics-wise and in doing so, he exhibited a fair share of class to pull nicely clear late on.
Not only did he pass the eye test at the Lenebane track, his overall time and final three furlongs sectionals were by some way the best on the card and with plenty of size and scope to suggest there could be a good deal more to come, Arouet is worth keeping on side until proven otherwise.
AROUET – 1-point win@11-4
6.35 CHELMSFORD
The novice event won by Arabian Story here two weeks ago was noted for its extremely fast speed figure and with the winner handed a mark of 97 in the aftermath, it’s fair to say the rest of the field were facing a horse verging on pattern class.
With that in mind, several of those in behind who faced an impossible task, including AQAB (best price 9-1), now become interesting projects in handicaps and Sir Mark Prescott’s colt is worth a dabble to see whether he can make an immediate impact on his first attempt in his new discipline.
On the fringes of the action on his only two other previous starts, the son of Sea The Stars wasn’t expected to cut much ice on his final run to obtain a mandatory handicap mark and in accordance with his 50-1 starting price, he never threatened to cause an upset.
That said, he did keep on quite nicely just in behind the main players to finish a respectable sixth and considering he was given a sympathetic ride in the process, his performance was one full of promise for the future.
Stoutly bred on both sides of his family, there’s a fair chance a step up to 1m2f will see him in an even better light and in a race that doesn’t appear to have too many well treated horses in its midst, it would come as no surprise if he were to have enough quality to feature off what appears a workable opening mark of 74.
AQAB – ½ point each-way@9-1