DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY MAY 23
1.25 GOODWOOD
PATHEIN easily brings the best recent form to the table and Ed Dunlop’s colt can stamp his authority over today’s field.
Although only third of four here last time out, the winner, Protection Act, has a Group 1 St James’ Palace entry and the runner-up, Pacific Avenue, heads to The Curragh today to contest the Irish 2000 Guineas.
Beaten just two lengths by that classy pair, he now returns to the scene of that fine effort with that all-important run under his belt and the fact he has proven himself over the track, must count for plenty in the final analysis.
Hailing from a stable in cracking form (5 winners from their last 16 runners), and positioned favourably in stall 3, the son of St Mark’s Basilica has too much in his favour to be ignored.
PATHEIN – 1-point each-way@17-2 (five places)
1.55 CURRAGH
Joseph O’Brien holds a strong hand in this listed affair and of the quartet due to go to post, TRUSTYOURINSTINCT rates the value choice to repeat last year’s success.
The chestnut has become a bit of standing dish (never really understood that saying) at the Kildare track and it was only last time when he had failed to finish out of the frame, otherwise his form figures here read 122311.
The combination of soft ground, inadequate trip and having his first run for 182 days meant the six-year-old was allowed to rather go through the motions in a race his stable mate, Starford, dominated a month ago but now returning to his optimum conditions, we should see an altogether more positive response.
TRUSTYOURINSTINCTS – 1-point win@4-1
2.30 CURRAGH
FIVER FRIDAY won in the style of a hugely improving mare over today’s C&D when last seen on the flat and Gavin Cromwell’s charge will take some stopping if in the same shape on her return to the Kildare track.
In what looked a competitive affair on paper, the daughter of The Gurkha impressed with the way she travelled into the heart of the contest turning for home and without her pilot having to resort to maximum effort, she eased her way clear to score with an amount on hand.
A subsequent winner over hurdles at Bellewstown, the six-year-old proved she remains in excellent shape and even though the assessor has tried to have his say bumping her up to a new rating of 90, time may tell she has still been underestimated.
FIVER FRIDAY – 2-point win@9-2
2.40 YORK
The sprint handicap won by Jakajaro was one of the fastest furlong-per-furlong time figures of the three-day Dante meeting here just over a week ago and both SPORTS COACH and LETHAL NYMPH are taken against the field to fly the flag for the race in question with distinction.
The former was one of several who didn’t receive the clearest of passages on The Knavesmire, but that troublesome route to the line didn’t stop him from catching the eye with his work inside the final furlong.
Where he would have finished with a smoother passage is anyone’s guess but at least, he proved he can handle the hustle and bustle of a race of this nature and a repeat of something similar should be good enough to see him right in the thick of the action.
The latter is the more exposed of the pair, but he does pop up every now and then – like he did twice last year – and following his excellent performance nine days ago, Paul Midgley’s gelding might be primed for career win number seven.
Housed in a high stall on the Knavesmire, his pilot decided to track over towards the bulk of the runners on the far side but as events panned out, he would have been better off tracking the winner, who came from stall 18.
Seemingly better drawn this time around in gate six, the seven-year-old makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds.
SPORTS COACH – ½ point each-way@12-1 (five places)
LETHAL NYMPH – ½ point each-way@12-1 (five places)
4.50 CURRAGH
GAVOO didn’t get the clearest of runs at Naas on his seasonal bow and compensation awaits David Marnane’s inmate if events pan out more in his favour here this afternoon.
Held up over towards the far side rail at the Kildare venue, the son of Elzaam literally spent the last two furlongs waiting for a gap to materialise and in the end, he just had to sit and suffer as the action played out in front of him.
A horse highly regarded by connections, a view borne out by the fact he was allowed to run in last season’s Coventry, he shapes as though today’s extra furlong will suit and having also gone well on his two previous starts at the Kildare venue, this talented gelding can start the process of him working his way through the ranks.
GAVOO – 1-point win@4-1
7.15 SALISBURY
One of the big races of the season at the Wiltshire venue and it has attracted a useful field and there is a decent chance PRINCE OF INDIA can prove a cut above his opposition if things finally pan out in his favour.
Shaping as though he was suited by the track at Newmarket two starts ago, Marco Botti’s gelding was extremely well backed on his return to handicap company at Leicester last time out and if it wasn’t for a couple of important factors, he would have surely prevailed.
A high draw immediately put him on the back foot at the Midland venue and then just to compound matters, he failed to receive the clearest of runs when doing his level best to try and join the main players over towards the favoured far side of the track.
Under the circumstances, the son of Wootton Bassett did extremely well to finish as close as did and with today’s extra furlong likely to see him in a more favourable light (impressive over seven furlongs twice last season), the improving four-year-old can stake his claim to capture his first pattern race.
Of the rest, Soldier’s Tree could turn out to be a very shrewd buy by connections having run a couple of very smart speed figures in Ireland and he rates the main threat, likely to be ridden positively from the front.
PRINCE OF INDIA – 1-point each-way@13-2