Hi all,
Least said about yesterday’s selections. I think they may still be running.
Onto Thursday and there’s a Group 3 Desmond Stakes is the feature race of an eight-race card at Leopardstown this afternoon.
This side of the Irish Sea the best race of the day is the Listed Upavon Stakes at Salisbury which is the highlight of a bumper nine race card. There’s also a competitive looking, if lower grade, card at Hamilton.
Leopardstown
I don’t fancy anything strongly in the Desmond Stakes. However, I do like one in the 1m 6f Listed race.
3:30 – Aidan O’Brien saddles likely favourite Dawn Patrol who was doing his best work at the finish when 3rd in the Irish Derby. He didn’t run to anything like that form when making all to win a 1m 2f maiden at Naas 22-days ago. Back up in trip but shaped in the Irish Derby like he can improve for this this sort of distance. A reproduction of his Irish Derby run would be good enough here.
O’Brien also saddles recent course winner Shoshone Warrior. Like his stablemate he’s another son of Galileo. The 3-year-old made a winning return to action when making most in a 1m 4f maiden here 13-days ago. He isn’t as stoutly bred as his stablemate but raced last time further would suit. This only his fourth career start so is open to further progress. Needs to improve plenty to beat Dawn Patrol but could get into the places.
0.5pts each way – Shoshone Warrior – 10/1- Gen
Salisbury
2:20 – Queen’s Power is the class horse of the race and is sure to be popular with punters. Last time out the filly finished 4th in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood so takes a big drop in class here Quick ground suits and she won’t find an easier opportunity to get back into the winner’s enclosure. Can be a shade keen in her races so needs a decent gallop to allow her to settle. That said she’s the one to beat on form.
This isn’t a one-horse race. Gold Wand and Award Scheme are couple of 3-year-old fillies who could find the improvement required to beat the favourite.
Award Scheme represents last years winning stable. A winner of a C&D handicap two starts back she followed up that success with a comfortable win at York 19-days ago. Given the 3-year-old allowance she doesn’t have much to find on ratings with Queen’s Power and is open to more progress than the favourite.
Gold Wand was a winner of a Newbury maiden on her seasonal return. She was then thrown into the deep end in the Oaks on her next start and not surprisingly found the experience too much. Much better when running the well-regarded Franconia to ¾ length in Listed Class at York 18-days ago. Might eventually be better over 1m 4f but looks the sort to improve with racing.
Queen is an interesting French raider. The daughter of Kingman had decent placed form in Listed & Group company last year. Put in a career best effort on RPR’s when running the smart Fanny Logan to a length in a Group 3 at Newmarket last October. Not at her best on three runs this season but the return to 1m 2f is a positive and a reproduction of last year’s best form gives her each way claims.
0.5pts each way – Queen – 12/1- Gen
Cheers
John