Everyone will be expecting Frankel to win the St James's Palace Stakes and win it well and he's priced accordingly but Grand Prix Boss looks vastly overpriced. He ended his juvenile campaign as the best colt in Japan and clocked a quick time when winning the NHK Cup Mile last time, a performance which prompted his trainer to name him as the best miler in his homeland.
The form of that race has already been boosted and with the performances of Nakayama Festa in last year's Arc not to mention a one-two in the Dubai World Cup no one should need reminding that the Japanese horses are more than capable of holding their own on the world stage and Grand Prix Boss can be backed at big prices against Frankel and in betting without the favourite. Grand Prix Boss was Japan's juvenile of 2010 and although he struggled to assert himself earlier this season, he arrives in England having won the Mile Cup for three-year-olds in Tokyo. He is stabled at Clive Brttain's yard and reportedly travelled over well and settled in - Frankel top joint rated horse in the world but his odds are prohibitive and place market looks the betting medium with betfair giving place market price for the jap horse at 4s currently
Anther to take note of is Zoffany - first try at 1mile - the only O'brien runner with Ryan Moore riding like a god the weekend - first try at a mile and therefore still quite dark horse bred from Dansili (who progeny progress well at the mile) He's twice got seven furlongs very easily and looking like a mile should be no problem, he showed that has great acceleration too. Before Zoffany went to Ascot last year, he had won two easy races over six furlongs and really hadn't learned a lot. You could say he suffered from stage fright there and the runs over seven furlongs at Leopardstown since Ascot taught him a lot. Zoffany, bidding to give his trainer his seventh success in this race since 2000, was a high-class 2-y-o, culminating in a success in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, and he made a creditable return from a bout of colic when runner-up in a Leopardstown Group 3, but his trainer had voiced concerns over his stamina on this first attempt at 1m. Soon settled in last place, he ran on well inside the last 2f and was closing down the favourite at the line. He may be a bit flattered by how close he got, but he obviously saw the trip out well and may take the winner on again in the Sussex. the closest Officially rated horse is Dream Ahead - runs so well fresh, Mr Buik in the saddle today but he is being backed as I write and this animal was once held up as the wunderkid of 2010
If Frankel repeats his 2000 run then they will all be trailing and its a race to watch and enjoy - but think the two purples have put up can fill the place market at rewarding odds.
1 comment:
great run from Zoffany - Steadied and dropped in after start, held up in rear, still last over 2f out, headway under pressure well over 1f out, switched left just inside final furlong, ran on well to chase winner final 100yds, closing after but never quite getting to winner (tchd 33-1 in places and 16-1 in places)
Ex £10.80; CSF £12.67
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