The star performance of the weekend was clearly George Washington who silenced his critics in the QU II Stakes. Whether he will cope with the stress of a journey across the Atlantic for the Breeders Cup may be open to question. However, on the evidence of yesterday’s success he must rank with the better milers we have seen in recent times. Supaseus was the other winner from our list to follow on Saturday. The way he won suggests that there may be more success to be had with him before the end of the current campaign.
“Thommo” gave a favourable mention to our old friend Sierra Vista on the Morning Line yesterday and the mare duly won at 16/1. She was probably pickable as she had slipped back to a reasonable handicap mark. Sierra Vista made pretty well all and pulled clear in the closing stages. It was a good race for the Russellform old boys as the veteran Smokin’ Beau was 3rd, River Falcon a fast finishing 4th and Cape Royal 6th. The race was called the Lester Piggott start to finish handicap so it was fitting that Sierra Vista made all.
This was the mare’s 9th career win and 6 of those have been at 11/1 or better.
If I hadn’t been semi comatose on Saturday evening I would have given Just Dust a write up. He hung on gamely in the nursery at Ascot and avoided being swallowed up by some fast finishers to land the prize at 25/1. That was his 5th win from 12 starts and his shortest winning price has been 5/1. When you consider that the first of those wins was in a seller at Catterick he has done pretty well. Claimer Marc Halford has ridden him to his last 4 victories. Incidentally, the dam won 3 times as a juvenile.
OK, let’s have a look at the 3 meetings on Monday.
In the Bath 3.20 Fever, a colt by Dr Fong, should appreciate the trip and could be the one to benefit should the hot favourite fail to produce the goods.
Harrison’s Flyer may not have been one of my better choices for the list to follow. The trouble is that he just runs too often, so if he does fail to win he doesn’t do a lot for the stats. He has already run 12 times this season and turns out again in the 5.00 at Brighton. Will it be lucky 13? Well he is a course and distance winner, but he has been running off a similar mark for a while without winning.
The Hamilton 2.40 looks an interesting sprint. It could be between Elite Racing Club’s Eisteddfod, Bygone Days from our list to follow and the Ayr Gold Cup winner Fonthill Road. All 3 handle give in the ground.
In the 3.40 Swiss Act looks the one to beat but is likely to be a short price. Ed Dunlop’s Cool Customer has been admirably consistent for our list to follow and can notch his fourth win of the season in the 4.40.
ahorse 