The Racing Post Trophy (Group 1)
October 25, 2013
How quickly the season comes to an end.
The last Group 1 in England sees us already looking forward to next year and thinking about spring and summer classics. Something to ponder over the long nights ahead. Tomorrow’s winner will no doubt feature high in the Guineas and Derby betting next year.
After declarations 11 were left in. Unfortunately Toormore isn’t one of them as Richard Hannon has decided not to run him on the forecast rain softened ground reckoning it will blunt his speed. He relies on Chief Barker instead who will make his fourth appearance on the racecourse having kept a 100 % win ratio thus far. All three runs were over the mile and last time out in a Listed race at Haydock he put in his best performance beating Chriselliam a neck. She went on to surprise in the G1 Fillies Mile winning at 28/1.
Charlie Appleby has made a fine start as the new Godolphin trainer and sends out Pinzolo. He’s also unbeaten in two outings both over a mile and the horses in second both won next time out.
Roger Varian’s Kingston Hill is also unbeaten in two runs. A maiden over 7 f was followed up with a Group 3 win where he had Aidan O’Brien’s Oklahoma City back in second.
Sir Michael Stoute runs Snow Sky a progressive type who was third first time out fourth next time and then won 11 L last time out. They were all in maidens so a big step up needed to win here.
Somewhat is the most experienced in the field having had five runs two of them in Group 2 company where on both occasions he found one too good. In the Superlative Stakes Good Old Boy Lukey beat him a head and in the Royal Lodge he went down a neck to Berkshire. Decent form.
The Grey Gatsby also brings a decent level of form. A maiden winner first time out he stepped into Group company running second at G3 level and then repeating the feat at G2 level behind Godolphin’s Outstrip in the Champange Stakes. That form was not given the boost hoped in last weeks Dewhurst when Outstrip could only manage third to War Command.
The Irish are made of a threesome from Ballydoyle, one from the Johnny Murtagh yard and one from Pat Shananhan who can be ruled out.
Altruistic won his maiden and ran third to Geoffrey Chaucer and Oklahoma City in the G2 Beresford at Curragh. On the book this puts him behind Kingston Hill.
The form might well have given Aidan O’Brein encouragement to run his three having a line through to the English opposition. Joseph O’Brien will ride the once raced Century who was an easy winner at the Curragh two weeks ago. Clearly talented, he could be anything. Buonarroti stepped up on a fourth first time out to win by 8 1/2 L next time at Tipperary but is likely to set the pace here.
The other O’Brien colt is Johann Strauss a son of the 2001 winner and subsequent Derby winner High Chaparral. He’s run twice, first in a Newmarket maiden where Joseph gave him the tenderest of rides and last week at Naas where over 7 f where he couldn’t collar Sniper when a 1/3 shot. That doesn’t sound great but he travelled well and those educational rides may well pay tomorrow and also at Epsom next June.
Recommendation : Johann Strauss 12/1 ew Racing Post Trophy
Ante Post Johann Strauss 50/1 ew Epsom Derby 2014
E/W Double on both races
