Picture courtesy of RacehorsePhotos
LEGENDARY Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has made it abundantly clear ahead of the flat season that he thinks the wonderfully bred Australia could be something quite special and the colt has been backed into 5/2 from 11/4 for the Derby and from 9/4 to 2/1 for the 2000 Guineas at BetVictor in recent days. Both his parents Galileo and Ouija Board won their respective Epsom classics and the word from Ballydoyle is that this could be the best they have ever had!
A competitive card at Exeter this afternoon and no surprise to see Daymar Bay stepped up in trip having looked to be crying out for an extra half mile at both Ludlow and Leicester earlier in the season. He is visored for the first time today and with Aidan Coleman booked he must run well but I was taken with the last start of Atlantic Roller (3.10) over timber when he pulled hard and failed to get home over 3 miles.
This drop back in trip should suit, he certainly has the scope for fences and he has run well in both starts at today’s track winning a novice hurdle back in November 2012. He will get further in time but should have the race run to suit with Toby Lerone, representing the inform Dan Skelton, likely to go hard from the front.
Faith Keeper would not want the ground to soften and there is rain forecast for Tuesday which sways me to Nodebateaboutit (3.40) who was such an unlucky loser last time when badly interfered with inside the final furlong with the race at his mercy. He has been raised 7lbs for that piece of ill-fortune but he will cope better than most if the ground, currently good to soft, deteriorates and the Tom George stable remain in good form.
Mark Johnston’s string are in cracking form and Enquiring (6.00 Kempton) looked a totally different proposition at Wolverhampton earlier in the month to the colt who ran poorly in three juvenile maidens last term. The handicapper has raised the selection by 6lbs which, hopefully, will look on the lenient side by this evening with the step up to 10f for the first time another plus. Indeed he should get further in time.
The David Simcock trained filly Whispering Star attracted significant support when runner up at Lingfield over a mile last time and is 3lbs higher for this step up in trip. She, too, may be ahead of the handicapper but may have to give best to the Johnston colt on this occasion.
Choice of Destiny (7.30) is taken to reverse Wolverhampton form with Desert Colours on 8lbs better terms for the three-quarters-of-a-length she was beaten with the latter having, subsequently, franked the form by scoring again at Dunstall Park. The selection improved in her first time visor last time and talented apprentice Louis Steward keeps the ride.
At Southwell the Sky Sports News filly On Demand (2.50) can go one better than when run down over C&D earlier in the month when travelling like much the best horse for the majority of the race. She could have taken in a handicap off a mark of 71 but trainer Andrew Balding wants to get a win next to her name and sees this is an ideal opportunity.
The Johnston newcomer Cloverdale is certainly bred for the job but is seeing the racecourse for the first time as a 4-year-old and might be best watched unless the market suggests she is ready first time out especially as she must give 15lbs weight-for-age and experience to the selection.
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