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April 17th SUMMING UP
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RACE QUALITY:
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A varied history both in terms of size of field and quality. The weather
in the spring, readiness of major trainers, etc. has a major affect. Steely
Dan won in 2001 despite not really being a 5f type but was big and mature
enough to beat a moderate group. The 2002 race was much stronger following
a warmer spring and required a high class early season performance to win.
2003 was a chaotic event with a ridiculaous pace and little longer term
significance. The last two races have been, in effect, three horse races
between above average early 2yos and R. Hannon has won them both.
With the loss of the Novice race at Newcastle and no Conditions race since
the Brocklesby on March 25th this is the first chance for the previous
winners of the season to run for a second time. This has led to a big field
in numerical terms but in general the quality of 2yos seen have been moderate
with few looking likely to be competitive after early to mid-season.
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TRAINERS:
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R. Hannon has not got going
with his 2yos year and the runners to date, including Gilded who runs here,
have looked moderate to average level. He also introduces Resignation here.
N. Callaghan won the
race in 2002 with the STO runner Mazepa and had the third in 2003 with
the expensive purchase Savitsky (by the Coolmore sire Stravinsky and helping
out M Tabor to advertise that sire). He tends to only get FTO winners with
his best runners and has not had a debut success since 2003. However, his
earliest runners are almost always winners in the season although Excellent
Art would have to be unusually good and/or ready to win FTO in this group.
WGM Turner tends to have
runners in the race for owner breeder M. Teversham with The Lord placed
in 2002 and Lord Jack Flack a solid third of four last season. He runs
Lord Charles here for the same owner who was a somewhat lucky winner of
a race where the pace was too fast. He was more than ten lengths off the
pace and not in the first four entering the last furlong but plugged on
to pick up the stalled pacemakers.
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SIRES:
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First season sires :-
Fath has had two runners and
both have won - Stir Crazy who runs here and the more expensive Chjimes
who won a pace affected race on debut at 25/1 showing just moderate form.
Invincible Spirit
has had four runners with two winners - Love In May & Spoof Master
and the moderate placed runner Goose Green. Love In May runs here and he
has two of the newcomers representing him - Deadshot Kee & Resignation
who were both more expensive as yearling than his average.
Redback is repesented by
Gilded who runs for his trainer who supported him with a number of purchases
of his yearlings. He has had two 5f winners to date - the other is Granny
Peel in a seller.
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PADDOCK & SALES REVIEWS:
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Excellent Art rated 76 (167) at the sales. A typical 'Pivotal',
smallish, well built, compact and deep.
Resignation rated 67 (107), Small and just average build. Physically
immature and below average athleticism.
Gilded rated 66 (119)
Stir Crazy rated 65 (111).
Love In May reviewed at Lingfield on March 18th and rated 69 and
capable of 70-72 ratings.
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