Flat Racing - Sunday 12th May

[robertob]

14.40 Longchamp: Zurigha @ 33/1 VC - 1pt win Poor draw for Zurigha in the French 1.000 Guineas which is usually a rough race but I think this is a huge price for a filly that looked really smart on her seasonal reappearance at Kempton a few weeks ago. She quickened nicely in the closing stages in a slowly run race to win easily in the end. That form isn't worth too much of course, but it confirmed that Zurigha has the potential to be really smart. She's lightly raced as well, today will be only her fourth start, so there is a good chance for further improvement. No doubt she's good enough to win a Group race, whether it's a Group 1 has to be seen. She's surly a brighter prospect than the price suggests today I feel anyway. 14.55 Leopardstown: Bold Thady Quill @ 10/1 Bet365 - 2pts win This might be the best chance for Bold Thady Quill to win a Group race. He's absolutely thriving at the moment, producing one big performance after another. He started the season with a huge run in the Irish Lincolnshire when he didn't get a clear run and had to delay his challenge but was staying on super strongly to finish 3rd. He confirmed this promise with a win in a Listed race at Cork over actually too short 6f. This wasn't the end yet as he ran then a huge race in the Group 3 Gladness Stakes over 7f at the Curragh, finishing fourth within a lengths of Group winners Nephrite and La Collina. He was slightly outpaced there over 3f out, but stayed on very well in the closing stages. He stepped up to a mile once again at Leopardstown in the Listed Heritage Stakes, where he travelled nicely until the 2f marker, tried to kick away then but couldn't match the sharp turn of foot of hot favourite Declaration Of War. Bold Thady Quill came still a few lengths clear of the rest of the field, finishing a strong 2nd. He's back at this track now for the Amethyst Stakes and there is no reason why he shouldn't run a big race once again. I think his two recent performances should be good enough to win a Group 3 and while there is a hot favourite with the filly Duntle in this race there is the chance that the runners-up of last years Matron Stakes isn't fully wound-up yet which would give Bold Thady Quill every chance as I think he's good enough to beat the rest of the field anyway.

[robertob]

Re: Flat Racing - Sunday 12th May 17.25 Leopardstown: Alansari @ 25/1 William Hill - 0.5pts win This looks a weak maiden with only the favourite making some appeal with his debut 5th to Ruler Of The World. Therefore it wouldn't surprise to see one of the big prices winning here and I think Alansari looks an interesting candidate to outran his odds. He was an expensive yearling, costing €200k, and is nicely bred indeed. His racecourse debut nine days ago at Dundalk was a disaster though. He missed the break completely and was early behind as a result. He made up some ground then and tried to improve position on the outside when turning for home but didn't make any impression in the closing stages. It wouldn't be fair to judge him on this run and he can only learn and improve from it. He steps up to 12f now, not entirely sure if that's the trip he wants but it's worth a try given the fact he's a Galileo son, even though her dam finished 2nd in a Group 3 over 5f as a 2yo.