3 minute read
Tuesday's Opening Day got off to a great start when Mark Zahra got Docklands home in the Queen Anne.
Docklands is owned by the OTI syndicate and is trained by Harry Eustace. It was. A thrilling finish with Zahra managing to get Docklands to just push his head out enough to get the photo over favourite Rosallion much to the delight of the Aussies on scene.
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore chalked up their first win of the meeting in. the Coventry Stakes when Ryan said "go" to Gstaad and away they went leaving the rest of the field wallowing in their wake. It was a very impressive run and this horse, a Starspangledbanner product, looks set for greater things. Ominously O'Brien said they have possibly at better one at home!
Do or Do Not was second at 80/1 and Cappuli third on 66/1.
American Affair was the surprise winner of the King Charles III. Frost at Dawn was second and Regional 9/1 was third. Bucanero Fuerte was scratched and the fancied Mgheera was withdrawn at the gates over a missing shoe.
Aussie hopes didn't come true this time as Asfoora ran reasonably but lacked a finish and dead-heated for fifth with Kerdos. However Asfoora will continue on to Goodwood, York etc as she holds entries for several races and there isn't much at home for her at present.
It was the Irish Guineas winner Field of Gold who out run his rival Guineas winners with a great turn of foot in the St James's Palace. It was a brilliant run finishing 3 ½ lengths clear of Henri Matisse who in turn was 3 ¼ lengths in front of Ruling Court.
Wednesday's Group races start with the Queen Mary G2 for the 2yo fillies over 1000m and there are 25 runners, so as we have suggested before "anything can happen". The going is to remain as "good to firm". At the moment all indicators seem to be pointing to Zelaina, by Mehmas, Wathnan Racing's talented baby who is. Trained by Karl Burke and will be ridden by James Doyle – she's on 7/4 having been impressive in her win on debut.
The Americans are here with Patrick Biancone's Lennilu with Luis Saez coming over to ride the daughter of Leinster, who has won her two starts to date in the US. However it is a big ask for a 2yo to undertake the long journey and very different conditions so we wish them luck. Society Kiss and True Love are on 8/1, the former with Beckett-Crouch who won on debut over c&d, and the other from Coolmore with Moore riding.
The Queen's Vase is G2 for the 3yo stayers over 2800m and 13 will run. This is a big step up in trip for most of these with the market currently showing Coolmore's Shackleton on 3/1 and Scandinavia on 9/2. Ryan Moore has elected to ride the former who will run in the Brant greens and Lordon the latter. We like the chances of French raider Asmarant from the Graffard yard with Barzalona riding the Sottsass colt who has been focusing on staying races and has a win at 2600m. They are on 7/1.
Davil's Advocate was fourth in the Dante at York recently and as he's a Godolphin horse William Buick will ride for the Gosdens. He's by Too Darn Hot and is on. 6/1.
The Duke of Cambridge is for f&m G2 over 1600m and here we like last year's winner Running Lion to go for the repeat with Gosdens- Oisin Murphy and 6/1available. Favourite will probably be Cindarella's Dream but she has a penalty in this and is on 2/1 for Appleby-Buick which looks a bit skinny to us. Fallen Angel is another Wathnan runner with Karl Burke and James Doyle and 3/1 looks about right.
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is G1 over 2000m with 9 runners. The obvious favourite here is Los Angeles on 2/1 for O'Brien-Moore but we have a very soft spot for Team Valor's Facteur Cheval, whom we met in Riyadh earlier in the year where he was a bit unlucky and you can get 16/1. Flavian Prat is coming from the US to ride. Another that could be value is See The Fire who has been supplemented for this. She gets a weight advantage here and is from Andrew Balding's yard with Oisin Murphy riding.
