NEWBURY

3:15 DUBAI DUTY FREE GOLF WORLD CUP CONDITIONS STAKES (CLASS 3) (3yo) 1m2f

BETTER HAND 8-13 ~ Made an encouraging start to his juvenile campaign when chasing home the useful Scintillo at Sandown. With the benefit of experience and race fitness he broke his maiden next time out at Sandown. It was an impressive performance as he won going away over 7f and the form of that race has worked out particularly well. Jedediah, McCartney and Dr Faustus have all made the maiden form look not far off Listed class and judging by the comfortable margin of victory for Better Hand he must be a serious animal. So it was all the more disappointing when stepped up in class in the Washington Singer Stakes he finished a poor 8th. The yards runners weren’t in the best of form at the time and aren’t averse to running a stinker now and again so it’s not hard to forgive him that effort. He hasn’t been seen out again so this is his 3yo debut today. This is a considerable step up in trip for the Montjeu colt but given his pedigree he should be able to stay the trip. No need to mention his sires excellent record with horses over middle distances but the dam was an unraced mare sired by Bigstone who was a top class performer over 7-11f. No worries about the trip and he handled soft ground at Sandown well enough on debut so conditions shouldn’t be an issue. The form of the yard is a worry though as is fitness as he hasn’t seen a racecourse for 7 months. Despite this he is an interesting runner and stepped up in trip he has to enter calculations.

BOUGUEREAU 8-13 ~ The Peter Chapple-Hyam trained colt finished 4th in a decent Listed race at Deauville last season. However he was probably flattered by the bare form as he failed to build on that promise when beaten in an average Goodwood maiden next time out. He made his seasonal debut as a 3yo at Pontefract and stepped up in trip he easily broke his maiden. There maybe more to come but he was entitled to win the race as easily as he did given what he had shown as a juvenile and the quality of opposition. However he’s the yards sole Derby entry so he must be highly thought of and there’s every chance he’s improved over the winter. With fitness guaranteed to boot he has to be respected.

MOUNTAIN PRIDE 8-13 ~ Bred to be better over middle distance colt the step up in trip is likely to suit the High Chaparral colt. He made his debut in a Newmarket maiden over 7f and ran an encouraging race whilst not being knocked about. That showed the colts liking for soft ground so the faster ground could be put down as a reason why he failed to build on his debut effort at Newbury. That was confirmed when next seen out at Leicester breaking his maiden. It was an impressive performance as after traveling well he appeared for a few strides to be labouring but he picked up well under hands and heels ride to show a taking turn of foot. Given the quality of the opposition he wasn’t hard pressed to win but he could only beat what was in front of him and he did it well. The extra 2 furlongs is really going to help and he looks a middle distance horse to look out for this season. He makes his seasonal reappearance today so fitness is a concern but he has several top entries so he is likely to go on to better things. The yard has sent out previous winners of the race before so he is interest.

PATKAI 8-13 ~ Sir Michael Stoutes colt made his debut at Sandown but he was too green to do himself justice. With the benefit of that experience he managed to break his maiden at Nottingham. The bare form of that race wasn’t great but nothing went his way as he was hampered more than once and the stop start pace didn’t suit. After the slow pace the prominent runners almost came to a stop on the turn but as the leaders quickened away up the straight the favourite was taking off his feet at the back of the field. Ryan Moore was hard at work to get the colt back into the race but the further they went the better he ran. He came through to challenge a furlong from home but once the Champion jockey elect pulled the persuader the horse took off putting the race to bed in a matter of strides to win a shade cosily. He is bred to do well up to 1½ miles and the way he ran at Nottingham suggested that middle distances will be his game. He is a big colt so hopefully he’s filled out over the winter and he definitely has plenty of scope.

STAYING ON 8-13 ~ His sire Invincible Spirit was a high class sprinter but he has produced Lawman who won the French ‘Derby’ over todays trip. There is plenty of stamina, although not a lot of class, in the mares side so he shouldn’t have much problem with the trip. The Walter Swinburn trained colt has only had one career start but it was a winning one when taking victory in a Wolverhampton maiden. He won well enough by 2 lengths but the quality of opposition was poor. The 2nd Counterclaim, then with Godolphin, couldn’t give the form a boost in another maiden next time out as he was beaten a similar margin by the 71 rated Fandangerina. The 3rd had to drop to a mark of 69 before he won Southwell handicap and the 4th has been running in claimers on the all weather. So the race was a poor one but he was a clear winner and the handicapper has given him a mark of 88. Very harsh on the face of it as if he re-evaluated that race it would be nearer 78. It was his debut though and he won the race so he should go on from the bare form. He doesn’t have any fancy entries though and his overall profile doesn’t convince that he is anything special. He could have improved considerable over the winter but his fitness is far from guaranteed after several months off the track. On the flip side this trip is likely to be the making of him but given that the ground is a complete unknown that tempers any enthusiasm. With so many questions to answer the colt has to be taken on in this company.

STRAIGHT AND LEVEL 8-13 ~ Looked to be going nowhere until winning a four runner Novice Stakes at Lingfield. He capitalised on the front two in the market taking each other on but the way he finished his race suggest middle distances will be the making of him. He made his seasonal debut over 10f in a handicap on the all weather and he didn’t disgrace himself in finishing 4th. Considerably more needed here though and he is likely to be seen struggling in the deep end.

UNNEFER 8-13 ~ Given his sire this is probably as far as he wants to go but more importantly he needs to improve on the form he showed last year as a juvenile. He was probably flattered to get within 5 lengths of Raven’s Pass at Ascot and he was beaten by some average horses in a couple of Novice Stakes. The yard is in cracking form though and he did win his maiden on soft ground so the conditions look right if the horse is able to improve.

CONCLUSION

Shortlist contains Better Hand, Bouguereau, Mountain Pride and Paktai.

This is an interesting little conditions race as the four in the shortlist all contain Derby entries and are unexposed. It could produce some interesting clues for some of the seasons top middle distance races.

Given the form of the Mick Channon stable enthusiasm must be tempered for the supporters of Better Hand. Any backers should probably wait until they see him in the paddock as a lot of the stables runners have had trouble losing their winter coats. If he looks well and fit enough to do himself justice though he looks to be a horse of particular interest. He arguably has the best form in the book and the conditions look to be in his favour. He has to bounce back from a poor effort at the end of last season but as one of the few prominent runners in the race he could have the run of the race out in front.
The supporters of Bouguereau need not worry about the form of the Peter Chapple-Hyam stable as they’ve started the season in cracking form. Bouguereau didn’t look anything special last season and he was entitled to win as he did at Pontefract when making his 3yo debut. He needs to improve on what he’s shown so far and reading the trainers quotes he’s said not to worry about his Derby entrance as he isn’t good enough. The Italian Derby is the aim so he unlikely to be a potential star more a solid pattern company performer.
The two to focus on are Patkai and Mountain Pride who both look likely to improve considerably on their 2yo form. The Sir Michael Stoute trained Patkai has been working on the gallops with Red Gala and the reports are he has strengthened up well over the winter. He looks sure to make up into a decent middle distance horse for the forthcoming season.
However slight preference is for John Dunlops Mountain Pride who showed an impressive turn of foot to win at Leicester. He is bred for middle distances and his trainer has won this race with both his runners in the last 10 years. Both of those horses went on to run in the Derby with Let The Lion Roar finishing 3rd behind North Light and Lucido, who beat the eventual Derby 1st and 2nd before the race, unfortunately got injured in the race when well fancied. He’ll handle todays conditions and if fit enough to do himself justice he should run a big race.

1pt WIN – MOUNTAIN PRIDE @ 5/1

RESULT

MOUNTAIN PRIDE 5th = -1pt