DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13
1.45 CURRAGH
Many of the usual suspects face the starter for yet another one of these big premier sprint handicaps run at the Kildare venue throughout the season and BEAR ON THE RUN can play a pivotal role despite her lack of experience in a race of this nature.
Although arriving here with just three previous outings could be construed as a bit of a negative, at least one of her two victories did come over the C&D and when you also take into account, she achieved the feat by defying a tricky draw in stall, her performance gains further traction.
Moreover, her overall speed figure and final three-furlong splits were pretty tasty and with the form of the race in question gaining a nice boost with the runner-up winning last weekend, the daughter of Kodi Bear has a decent chance of repeating the dose if she is not compromised from her middle draw.
BEAR ON THE RUN – ½ point each-way@8-1 (six places)
2.30 DONCASTER
FLIGHT CONTROL just found the drop back to six furlongs catching him out in the Great St Wilfred at Ripon last time out but now back over a C&D that has suited his eye on more than one occasion, Kevin & Lauren Frost’s inmate can keep up the good recent work for their small yard.
As ever, the 6f handicap at the Yorkshire venue was seriously competitive affair and although he could manage a one-pace fourth, he came out of the contest with yet another decent speed figure to add to his growing list and, just as importantly, further education into the nuances of big-field handicaps.
Prior to that fine effort, the three-year-old gelding got the better of subsequent winner, Mr Noble, in a rousing finish at York and with the likes of previous winners, Return Of The Gods and Toastermaster well beaten in behind, the form looks solid.
Runner-up to the latter on his previous visit to Town Moor, that is the third time he has gone well over today’s track and although we are slightly in the realms of the unknown regards his ability to handle a bit of ease underfoot, hopefully the son of Calyx can cope sufficiently enough to be competitive.
FLIGHT CONTROL – ½ point each-way@10-1
4.00 CURRAGH
The golden run that Joseph O’Brien has been on this season shows no sign of abating and following on from Highwayman’s victory in the St Leger yesterday, further Group 1 success could go the way of the Kilkenny handler in the shape of MONOGRAM.
The son of Kingman had a big reputation ahead of his debut here 22 days ago but after a very tardy start from his outside draw (stall 15), the chances of him justifying his position in the market seemed highly unlikely at halfway.
However, from that juncture he really turned on the afterburners and with a powerful late run inside the final furlong, he came through from an uncompromising position to end up winning a shade cosily.
Although his overall time figure wasn’t anything flash, his final three-furlong splits of 33.6 was easily the best on the card and when you take into account one of his main market rivals here today, Giant Sequila, posted 35.1 from the same point, it puts into context how much speed this substantially built colt possesses.
MONOGRAM – 1-point win@5-2
5.10 CURRAGH
It is hard to deny Thundering On deserves to be favourite based on her smooth victory in the Oaks earlier in the campaign and any further softening of the ground will only enhance her claims.
However, she hasn’t run since June and whether she warrants playing at prohibitive odds is down to personal choice.
For those seeking for a shade of value, there doesn’t appear to be any obvious each-way horse in the field, so it might be worth taking a punt on SHAOOL bouncing back to the kind of form that will allow her to compete at this level.
Johnny Murtagh’s filly was one of the most improved horses in training last season, rising to a mark of 108 from the humble beginnings of 73, and everything pointed towards her carrying on from where she left off this term.
However, the early part of the campaign turned out to be an unmitigated disaster and it wasn’t until last time out at Galway when she looked like finally breaking free from the shackles of her poor form.
Although she failed to trouble the judge at Ballybrit, she travelled through the race with all her old verve and if it wasn’t for meeting trouble at virtually every corner she turned, she would have gone very close to landing a hugely competitive handicap.
A winner of a similar affair this meeting last season with some ease underfoot, her subsequent victory at listed level suggested she belongs on the big stage and with the green shoots of recovery now in place, the daughter of Belardo can easily outrun her odds.
SHAOOL – ½ point each-way@33-1