CURRAGH

4:10 HIGH CHAPARRAL EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND MOORESBRIDGE STAKES (GROUP 3) (4yo+) 1m2f

JUMBAJUKIBA 9-4 ~ Recorded a career best effort last time out when easily winning the 7f Group 3 Gladness Stakes. That was in testing ground however and he did get the run of the race up front. Versatile regarding ground so that isn’t a concern but this is a sizeable step up in trip. He runs as if he will get the trip and as he has come back better than ever this season so the gelding has to be respected.

MORES WELLS 9-4 ~ Wouldn’t want any rain as Kevin Prendergasts 4yo colt is much better on decent ground. The trip should inconvenience him as well as he won the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes over todays trip last year. Last season he also finished a well beaten 5th in the Irish Derby and a well beaten 3rd in the Irish St Leger. He is short of the class of the top Irish middle distance colts but this is much more his level. He won his hot maiden on his first run of the seasonal last year so he goes well fresh but in this company he may still need the run.

ALARAZI 9-1 ~ Stayed on so well over 1m2f when chasing home Red Moloney in the Alleged Stakes Listed Stakes. Middle distances rather than a mile were always going to be more his cup of tea but he would probably prefer more cut in the ground. He is lightly raced and open to improvement but this is far tougher than anything he has faced previously. The second string on jockey bookings and unlikely that he’ll be winning today despite having the advantage of race fitness over a number of rivals.

FERNELEY 9-1 ~ Switched between 7-8f and 1m2f last season but the colt was comfortably better over the longer distance. On his seasonal reappearance last year he finished 2nd in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes. Considering that rival had the benefit of race fitness it’s not unwise to think that the Francis Ennis trained 4yo could reverse the ½ length winning margin now Mores Wells may need the run. After a couple of runs over a inadequate trip he was back over 1m2f at Leopardstown and after getting no run at all still ran a good race to finish not too far away in 4th (Regime 3rd) in the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes. His form faded at the end of the season but given a break and with the horse already shown his best form fresh then he to enter calculations today.

MOUNT NELSON 9-1 ~ Top class juvenile two years ago and he won the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on his last start as a 2yo. However the horse has clearly had his problems as he has only had one run since. That was in the Group 1 Champion Stakes but he didn’t show up and was well beaten. Interesting then that he is still in training but he has plenty of questions to answer at present and isn’t an appealing price given that most of the yards runners have looked in need of the run.

REGIME 9-1 ~ He should improve on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury where the trip in testing ground just found him out. This is more his trip and he has ideal ground conditions so nothing to suggest he won’t be able to give a good account of himself. Ran several decent races last season and Michael Bells 4yo colt he has to be one of the major players in the race.

EZIMA 8-12 ~ Progressive in Listed races last season and Jim Bolgers filly will need to improve again if she is to figure on her seasonal reappearance. Closely matched with Hasanka on Galway form but that was over 1m4f and Ezima is likely to be better suited by the drop in trip, so chances of reversing the form. Not without a chance but she may just need the run and this is far tougher than anything she has faced recently.

HASANKA 8-12 ~ Stables first string but John Oxxs filly was well beaten behind Mores Wells over this trip on her seasonal reappearance last year. Her subsequent runs came over 1m4f+ and she looked to have abundant reverses of stamina. Todays race doesn’t look likely to suit and she needs to improve to win today.

CONCLUSION

Very competitive race in which cases could be made for most of the field and nothing really stands out. The favourite Mount Nelson has to be taken on given the colts obvious problems. Ezima and Hasanka have decent form in Listed class but will need to improve a little to win in this company off the back of breaks. John Oxx second string Alazari also needs to improve and would prefer softer ground. Todays better ground and trip should suit Regime better than at Newbury.  However he only beat Ferneley by a length at Leopardstown last season when that rival got no sort of run. Ferneley reopposes today over his ideal trip and his two best efforts last season came off the back of breaks. So he goes well fresh and has decent form with many of the principles. One of those is Mores Wells who only beat him ½ a length last season in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes but he had to advantage of already having a run then and he’ll probably need the run today. Jumbajukiba is fit from a career best effort last time out but although the suspicion is that he’ll get todays trip it’s still an unknown and he did get the run of the race when winning the Group 3 Gladness Stakes.

Every horse is respected but preference is for Ferneley who looks too big a price to ignore given when conditions are right, as they are today, he isn’t far off the best of these.

1pt EACH WAY – FERNELEY @ 20/1

RESULT

FERNELEY 7th = -2pts