Bet365 Mile (Group 2)
April 27, 2012
The first Group 2 of the season in England attracts a field of six led by the Irish raider Famous Name. Arguably his best performance came at Lonchamp when as a three year old he came within a head of winning the Prix du Jockey Club over a rain softened Chantilly turf. He is a winner of 15 of his 30 starts and has an impeccable record at Group 3 level between a mile and ten furlongs. He just got the better of Sharestan recently at Leopardstown but if the race was run again the result would be different.
This race has been harvested for the last four years by Richard Hannon and indeed he has won six of the last eight renewals with the likes of Paco Boy and Hurricane Alan both winning twice in that period. Today last years Guineas second, Dubawi Gold represents the Wiltshire handler and there is a question of his class alongside those previous winners. Closest to Frankel in the famous race was followed up with a similar position in the Irish Guineas behind Roderick O’Connor. His form tailed off subsequently though he was campaigned at the highest level when finding Excelebration too good a couple of times and didn’t quite hit the high note in Hong Kong when going down a length to Able One in December. He does have the benefit of an early season run in Dubai where he ran in the Jebble Hatta over 9f which probably stretched his stamina to the limit.
The other Hannon runner Libranno will be ridden by Ryan Moore. He’s won twice at this level over six and seven furlongs on good ground.
Penitent represents David O’Meara who if capturing this will achieve a career high point. He’s an up and coming trainer and an astute one at that. The form his horse showed when winning a listed race over a mile at Doncaster has been boosted by Questioning whom he beat 3/4 L when he went on to take the Earl Of Sefton from Twice Over.
The field is completed by Cochabamba who takes a considerable step up in class, one that is unlikely to yield results.
It’s an early season pipe opener here and most will go on to contest at Group 1 level after this. With the ground likely to be heavy expect Pat Smullen to try to capitalise on the Weld inmate but the unconvincing performance last time leaves one Questioning and theirin lies the answer to his one.
