October 15, 2021
Champios Day is upon us.
Art Power will go off favourite for the Sprint on the back of a 5L success in the G3 Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh last time out. It proved a nice confidence booster for the Tim Easterby trained inmate who has run well all season, yet, at G1 level, he’s fallen short of the mark, fifth in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, fourth in The July Cup at Newmarket, and his best run, third in the Diamond Jubilee at Ascot.
In Ireland, at the Curragh, he’d Measure Of Magic 5½L back in third. He’d previously run in the G1 Flying Five over Champions Weekend where he was beaten the same distance by Romantic Proposal. A length in front of Measure Of Magic was Gustavus Weston who runs here.
He’s trained by Joseph Murphy, not a name English racegoers will be too familiar with, in fact, not a name Irish racegoers would know too well either. He trains in Tipperary, Fethard, Co Tipperary, a place more synonymous with Coolmore and Ballydoyle.
Joseph Murphy’s charge found the 5f trip too sharp in the Flying Five, now a return to 6f will be to his benefit. His previous run over 6f saw him run out a a stylish winner at the Curragh when at G3 level he struck in the Pheonix Sprint beating Power Under Me who was a winner of a Listed race at the Curragh last Sunday, back in third, A Case Of You, since the winner of the Abbaye on Arc day.
Before the Pheonix Sprint, Gustavus Weston ran second in the Sapphire Stakes and before that he was a winner of the Greenlands Stakes, both G2’s.
That put’s him right in the mix here.
Given his win in the Greenlands was on Soft to Heavy, the Sapphire second on Good and his win in the Pheonix was on Yielding you’d have to think the predicted Good to Soft will be right up his street.
Given that he’ll be ridden by regular pilot Gary Carroll, no stranger to the Ascot winners enclosure, he took the Queen Mary on Quick Suzy, you could say he’s got a lot in his favour.
Given that some bookmakers are paying on the first 5, one on the first 6,
You could say we’ve got a bit in our favour too.
Recommendation: Gustavus Weston 22/1 ew
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Pattern Racing World Championships 2021 – Horse
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