Bet 365 Gordon Richards Stakes and Bet 365 Classic Trial
April 27, 2012
The Gordon Richards Stakes has been won by Ryan Moore on three of the last four occasions. Those victories were for Micheal Stoute but with no runner from the Stoute stable he is free to team up with Clive Cox and Poet. It’s an intriguing booking for the ex Ballydoyle inmate who arguably gave his best performance here at Sandown last year when second to Workforce in the Brigadier Gerard. He will like the ground.
On official ratings he has 12 lbs to find with Twice Over who is on a mark of 125. Last year his two victories were at York in the York Stakes and that memorable win over stablemate Midday in the Juddmonte. He will come on for last weeks run behind Questioning in the Earl Of Sefton who did the form no harm when second to Penitent here yesterday.
Not content with Spanish as a first language Colombian was sent to France five times last year. He acquitted himself well finally getting his head in front when dropped to listed company in his last run in November. The soft ground will be to his liking.
The Godolphin pair of Hunters Light and Retrieve step up and on form the former having won two listed races, the last on the all weather at Lingfield, will be the better fancied.
Of the others it’s worth noting that Sir Putra has displayed his best form at this track when second and third in two Eclipse’s. If he can handle the ground it might just be enough to give him the edge here especially when you consider the second was only a 1/2 L behind Twice Over.
In the classic trial Aidan O’Brien sends over Imperial Monarch. He only had the one run as a juvenile when he won in convincing style on soft at the Curragh, He’s a 25/1 shot for Epsom and a win here will see that shorten.
Stipulate isn’t in the Derby however as an easy winner of the Feilden Stakes he must be respected. A win here will send him to the Dante as a serious Derby contender and a win at York will assure the chequebook comes out for the supplementary entry.
Rougemont isn’t in the Derby either however he is the most experienced in the line up having won three from five. He also benefits from an early run this season when pocketing the majority of the cash in the Tattersalls race at headquarters last week.
Thought Worthy does hold a Derby entry. He won a descent Newcastle maiden in the Autumn and the second, third and fourth all won next time out. The ground was more heavy than soft that day, conditions he will encounter again today.
It’s a tight call but given the O’Brien horses usually need the run and given the good form the Gosden horses have shown so far this season then we will have to be Thought Worthy.
