Prix Jacques Le Marois 2015

[stevecaution]

Toormore is in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and it will be interesting to see how he gets on.

Territories may yet be pulled out due to the soft ground and has drifted to 7/4 after opening nearer evens.

Very poor stuff from the ATR website on the Marois, with the card I looked at today showing Toormore’s last run as the one behind Solow at Royal Ascot, no mention of his win the time after. To add insult to injury, French racing expert Liz Price has us all yawning again, as her expertise sees her tipping the favourite, Territories, along with an each way bet on the second favourite in some lists, Esoterique. You couldn’t make it up and it makes you pine for the Old Moore’s Almanac that used to suggest that the Derby might be won by the favourite or the second favourite and that the Ebor might be won by a horse carrying between 8 and 9 stones

I think it is impossible to have a bet until we know if Territories is running and I don’t have a really strong fancy for anything to be honest. Just a race to watch I think.

On Saturday Andre Fabre sets two of his good prospects up against each other in the Prix Guillaume D’Ornano. New Bay won the French Derby from Highland Reel, whereas Ampere ran second to Erupt in the Grand Prix De Paris. There is three pounds between them on ratings in New Bay’s favour and Royer-Dupre’s Dariyan also only has 3lb to find.

At the likely odds I would side with Ampere as he brings mile and a half form down in trip on very soft ground and his stamina could be the deciding factor. He also has less miles on the clock than the other top contenders. Alternatively, you can back the favourite and do the second favourite each-way just in case

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[Nathan Hughes]

I would say Territories benefited from a suicidal pace last time out and with the going is well worth taking on.
My mate Toormore will love the going and will do for me.

Blackbeard to conquer the World

[LD73]

Given that he won the Dewhurst on soft ground, I would give a chance to Belardo at a big price.

Also on a strict form line, Lightning Spear’s run against Arod (slightly unlucky when only beaten 1.5L) would have seen him finished 3rd in the Sussex and being by that noted soft ground sire Pivotal, he should also appreciate the ground (never run on anything slower than good to soft, when winning last year).

[Lingfield1]

Brit horses exposed as not top notchers at G1 level despite Gleneagles (ground) and Solow (ineligble as gelding) not turning up

[LD73]

With the exception of Lightning Spear, going in we pretty much knew the English runners form was exposed as not being good enough. This result is yet another knock to the form of Gleneagles, as Territories was easily brushed aside by the fully exposed but dependable Esoterique.

Had Solow been eligible to run (surely TPTB in France have to chuck that stupid rule out now), he would have laughed at that field especially on that ground, which I think he is crying out for. Shame we will not see Solow aimed at something like the Irish Champion Stakes before he takes in the QE2.

[stevecaution]

Belardo has had more Chances than a Monopoly factory.

I wondered at the time whether his Dewhurst win in a six runner field on soft ground might prove unreliable and I was highly dubious of his ranking as the top juvenile of the season.

I have always opposed Belardo and will continue to do so. He doesn’t seem to have enough Go about him but that probably won’t stop people trying to get out of jail by backing him again. The Monopoly player’s ambition is to have a hotel on Mayfair but I reckon that investing in Belardo is more likely to see you having a cardboard box on S**t Street

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[Author]

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