17:05 Ascot
Friday 4 October 2024
All14:1214:4715:2215:5716:3017:05
Victoria Racing Club Classified Stakes (Str)
- 3YO plus | Class 3 | 1m | Soft | 11 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 17:06 | Winning time: 1m 44.26s
Settings
Selected odds by:
Smart performer in his pomp (winner of the Queen Anne at the 2018 Royal meeting) but it's been over 2 years since he last got his head in front, and he failed to build on his fairly encouraging belated reappearance effort when down the field at Sandown last time.
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Signed off last season with a pair of wins in the mud but his efforts during the spring lacked spark and it's easy enough to look elsewhere on this occasion.
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Third in the Irish 2000 Guineas in 2022 but hasn't come close to matching that form since, particularly in his 3 runs for new connections this year.
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Made a winning reappearance over a mile at Pontefract in May and returned to form following a brief lull when going close at Chester (7.6f, soft) last month, a race he almost certainly would've won but for traffic problems around a furlong out. Strongly considered.
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Winner of 3 of his 4 starts (all low-grade handicaps) in what turned out to be a truncated 2023 campaign. Faces a very tall order on these terms, particularly on the back of a 17-month absence.
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Successful 3 times from 16 starts and went close to adding another to his tally last week in a Haydock handicap (7.2f, heavy). By no means the pick of these at the weights but, on the upside, he's consistent and clearly relishes testing conditions.
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Overcame inexperience to make a winning debut at Chelmsford (7f) in Apri and she hasn't done much wrong in 5 subsequent appearances, most recently finding just one too good in a 1m Newmarket handicap (good). Unraced on ground slower than good to soft.
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Sole success from 16 starts was gained in a Thirsk maiden in June but he has posted any number of a creditable efforts in defeat either side of that. Shaped better than the distance beaten in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket last weekend and, with conditions here no problem, he's a big player.
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Caused an 80/1 upset in Newbury novice on return and, following a lesser effort at the Royal meeting in June, he has since acquitted himself well in a trio of 7f/1m handicaps on good/good to firm. Conditions here will be unlike anything he's previously encountered, which is a concern.
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Well-bred filly who confirmed debut promise when scoring in comfortable fashion at Newmarket in June. Followed up in a Haydock novice (1m, soft) the following month and while that form is nothing special, she is in good hands and further progress seems likely.
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Showed plenty in 2 starts for Andrew Balding at 2 yrs and, having been gelded, he narrowly prevailed on his belated reappearance/debut for new yard under a penalty at Windsor (1m, good) 18 days ago. May well have more to offer but this is a much tougher assignment.
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Non-Runners
9
(11)
Gushing Gold105
Weight: 9-4| Age: 3
T: A M Balding J: Oisin Murphy
NR
Forecasts
Ebt's Guard (16/5), Monkey Island (7/2), Tareefa (4/1), Thunder Roar (15/2), Thyer (8/1), Gushing Gold (10/1), Aquacell (11/1), Pearl Eye (12/1), Accidental Agent (18/1), Dashing Roger (28/1), Imperial Fighter (40/1), Taskheer (150/1)
PEARL EYE pulled clear of the rest when an unlucky loser at Chester recently and, granted better luck-in-running, the 4-y-o may well gain compensation here with conditions no problem. Next on the list is Ebt's Guard, who is just about the pick at the weights and he ran well for a long way in the Cambridgeshire on Saturday. The unexposed Tareefa has to be feared, too, while Monkey Island could have a part to play if handling the ground and Thunder Road is not without each-way hope.
- Pearl Eye12/1
- Ebt's Guard16/5
- Tareefa4/1
Previous Winners
Prize Money
1st: £10,800.002nd: £5,070.003rd: £2,536.004th: £1,268.00
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