SALISBURY

3:35 AXMINSTER CARPETS CATHEDRAL STAKES (LISTED RACE) (CLASS 1) (3yo+) 6f

BECKERMET 9-8 ~ Bold front running sort who is a dangerous when allowed to bowl along in front over his ideal trip of 6f. He proved that earlier in the season when he had the run of the race in the 6f Group 2 Duke of York Stakes. In the high class sprint field he produced a fine effort to finish 3rd, only about ¼ of a length behind the winner Assertive. He was stepped back up to 7f at Haydock next time in the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes but he finished a disappointing 6th of 8. That continued a notable theme in the horses’ fortunes this season and there is little doubt 7f is further than he ideally wants to go these days. The drop back to 6f is sure to suit but with Borderlescott in the race he is unlikely to get an easy time out in front. His penalty also makes life harder but he looks sure to run his race and as the second highest rated horse in the field he has to be respected.

ASHDOWN EXPRESS 9-4 ~ Been off the track for 11 months but although the horse has yet to win on his seasonal reappearance he has proven that he can be equally effective after a break. However the break isn’t the problem as the 9yo has repeatedly appeared very hard to win with and in the last five years he has only won once, when dead heating at Goodwood in 2005. He either seems to travel well and find little or he gets going too late. He was well held in this race last year and no reason to think that now the horse is a year older the outcome will be any different.

BORDERLESCOTT 9-4 ~ His consistency is really remarkable and Robin Bastiman should rightfully be proud of his stable star. On his last twelve starts he has only finished outside the first two three times but two of those were in Group 1 company. Remarkably though the 6yo has returned this season in arguably the form of his life. 6f has always been considered his optimum trip so both his efforts over the minimum trip this season can be given extra credence. He made a pleasing reappearance in a conditions race at Musselburgh when beating Desert Lord by 1½ lengths. He confirmed form with that rival next time out at Haydock when re-opposing in the Group 2 Temple Stakes. In what looked a very hot renewal of the Temple Stakes he was only beaten by the highly promising Fleeting Spirit, who is the favourite for the Group 1 Kings Stand at Royal Ascot next week. The step back to 6f should suit and as a well balanced individual he shouldn’t have any problem with the track. He’s the highest rated horse in the field and given his consistency he’ll be the horse they’ll all be aiming to beat.

EDGE CLOSER 9-4 ~ Progressive 3yo colt last season and Richard Hannons son of Bold Edge managed to racked up a hat trick of wins. He improved some 20lbs but ran well below form on his final start of the season at Ascot. He probably had enough for the season which seemed to be confirmed when he bounced back on his reappearance this year at Kempton. He broke the 6f course record in a conditions race when beating a race fit Ceremonial Jade by half a length and that rival was rated 5lbs superior to him. The colt still appeared to be improving but he couldn’t confirm form with Ceremonial Jade when turn out again in a 7f Lingfield handicap. Back over 6f in a Listed race at Windsor he didn’t disgrace himself in 6th as the soft ground wouldn’t have played to his strengths. Today should prove the acid test as fast ground and 6f should prove ideal conditions. However he’ll need to improve to figure against todays company and a sneaking a place looks to be the best connections can hope for.

PIVOTAL POINT 9-4 ~ The 8yo gelding was at one time a top sprinter with arguably his best effort coming in the Group 2 Diadem Stakes when running out an easy 3 length winner from Airwave. However he has clearly had his problems and he only made three racecourse appearances last season. His best effort last season came in this race last year but he was well held in 4th. He looked a shadow of his former self which is hardly surprising considering he is reaching the twilight of his career. There is little reason to think this year will be any different now the gelding is a year older and after his reappearance effort at Windsor, when finishing last in a Listed race, he has plenty to prove.

THE TRADER 9-4 ~ Another veteran but the Michael Blanshard trained 10yo makes Pivotal Point look like a spring chicken. On his seasonal reappearance he rolled back the years to finish a good 2nd behind Oldjoesaid in a Newbury 5f handicap. He hasn’t matched that level of form in two starts since but even if he does he looks out of his depth in todays race.

RIPPLES MAID 8-13 ~ Lowest rated horse in the line up and the 5yo mare has been struggling in Listed races, both in the UK and Dubai, all year. If she’s going to be winning again she’ll need more help from the handicapper so she can drop back into handicap company. Todays race will prove too hot for her in her current form and her chances can be marked with a confident cross.

SILVER TOUCH 8-13 ~ Fits the profile of a lot of Mick Channons horses in that she is nicely bred, hugely talented but inconsistent. Her performance in last years Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest was hugely impressive given that she made a race of it with Marchand D´Or and Dutch Art who were both already Group 1 horses. That was run over 6½ furlongs and it’s looking increasingly likely that is her ideal trip. Her previous best effort had been at Newmarket when winning the Group 3 Criterion Stakes from Major Cadeaux. That was over 7f but it was a slowly run race and when there is a good gallop over the trip she travels well but runs like a non-stayer. Her efforts the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes and the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes back this theory up as in both races she looked to be travelling better than anything coming into the final furlong before her effort petered out. The drop down to 6f is worth another try as she has excuses for her previous attempts at the trip. Her high cruising speed should see her able to sit in a good position and if she is at her best she’ll go close.

SWISS FRANC 8-10 ~ Only won a maiden last year during his juvenile campaign but the son of Mr Greeley produced a couple of fine placed efforts in some high class 2yo sprint races. Obviously the piece of form that jumps out of the page is his 2nd in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes behind Henrythenavigator. Next time out in the Group 2 July Stakes he finished 3rd behind Winker Watson and River Proud and in terms of overall form that effort was the more impressive. As apart from Henrythenavigator most of the horses in the Coventry Stakes haven’t gone on to frank the form. On his final start of the season he was sent off a short price favourite for the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes but he pulled much too hard in the smaller field and he finished a well beaten 3rd. His return as a 3yo in the Listed Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock was used as an exercise to teach the colt how to settle and he the plan worked perfectly. He settled without a problem before running on well at the finish behind two race rivals in Tajdeef (109) and Fat Boy (112). Almost every horse in the line-up seemed to run up to his rating so the form looks decent and when you factor in the improvement expected now the colt has had a run under his belt then Swiss Franc must have a great chance in todays race.

CONCLUSION

This quite an interesting sprint race and it should definitely brighten up a miserable day. The pace should be fair with Beckermet, Borderlescott and Ripples Maid sure to be in the front rank early.
Beckermet is almost guaranteed not to be too far away at the finish but the fact the gelding has to concede 4lbs to most of the field that looks to have tipped the scales against the 6yo gelding.
Silver Touch would have a chance on the best of her form but she’ll have to be at her best to win today and she is too inconsistent to have much faith in. However the drop down in trip looks likely to suit and she should run a good race despite finding at least a couple in front of her at the finish.
Borderlescott has rightly been installed favourite after a fine start to the season. He looks nailed on to finish in the first two given his consistent profile and excellent form this year. The return to 6f is only a positive and he looks the one they all have to beat. His price is a little skinny as a result though and he does look to have an able challenger in Swiss Franc.
David Elsworths 3yo colt made an encouraging reappearance at Haydock and as he showed during his juvenile campaign he is a high class sprinter. Normally caution is advised with 3yo horses against their elders at this time of the season but the current crop have been doing extremely well this year. Swiss Franc is up there with some of the best of them and he has the potential to make up into a good Group race sprinter. Borderlescott will provide a good test and I expect the pair to be fighting out the finish.

1pt WIN – SWISS FRANC @ 10/3
0.5pt REVERSE FORECAST – SWISS FRANC and BORDERLESCOTT

RESULT

SWISS FRANC 6th and BORDERLESCOTT 2nd = -2pt