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The Directors Cup
06 June 2007
8.20
Ripon – The
Directors Cup Class 3 (4yo+ 0-95) 1M Good to firm
1 –
Desert Chief – Still in training
as a 5yo and very lightly raced. It isn’t a normal trait to see
horses still in training at the age of 5 in the royal blue of
Godolphin. Returned early season to finish a close up 3rd
at Nad al sheba behind the border line group class performer Sir
Gerrard and has to be respected in this easier class of race. It
would be a surprise to see a handicapper in this field that is as
well handicapped as Sir Gerrard looked that day. Desert chief off a
1lb higher mark on his return to turf has to have strong claims
under conditions that suit - a less stiff galloping track then the
Newmarket track in which he has failed twice to run up to his best.
My Tissue
Price – 9/4
2 –
Bustan – has ran two cracking
handicaps at Thirsk on quick ground and the slower track conditions
at Newmarket may have taken the edge of him last time. He finished 7th
in a similar handicap that the form hasn’t been disgraced with those
to have come out the race, but isn’t anything to suggest that the
revised mark of 93 isn’t easily obtainable winner able mark for
Bustan. Bustan’s listed class form of a few years back would have
him capable off today’s mark, but in all likelyhood, he is
handicapped up to his best mark with the extra 6lbs just having him
held at the weights today.
My Tissue
Price – 9/1
3 –
Black Charmer – Never really
progressed as a 3yo and may have been given some tough tasks as a
3yo based on the Goodwood run behind last year’s derby winner. Much
better on turf then All weather, so it is fair to dismiss the
Lingfield run over 7F behind Areyoutalkingtome. It was no surprise
to see a better performance when he returned to turf in a decent
listed handicap behind Blythe knight. Blythe knight has gone on to
follow up in good style at Epsom at the weekend. The quick ground
shouldn’t be to much of a hindrance, having won on firm going as a
2yo, and with another 2lb dropped in the handicap. He looks certain
to pick up races around the low 90 marks and is certainly one I have
noted for Glorious Goodwood, where his trainer has a outstanding
record Today’s track should suit and the drop in level should make
him one to be respected in this company today.
My Tissue
Price – 5/1
4 –
Vicious Warrior – Very exposed.
The first thing to note is the poor form of the stable continuing
with Steel Blue’s laboured recent effort. In the run in a similar
handicap at Haydock over a galloping mile, he didn’t pick up again
when headed. Despite being back down to his last handicap winning
mark, he looks to be held at the weights today. This looks like a
competitive class 3 handicap and he is likely to give way once they
quicken in the final 3rd. A galloping mile on this type
of ground does suit him having gone well here in the past. His
trainer does well at the track in all age handicaps. When he is
ridden by a more experienced jockey, this looks the best time to
catch this horse right and he is passed over for today’s race with
the tardy form of the stable.
My Tissue
Price – 16/1
5 –
Royal Dignitary – Exposed fast
ground performer for Dandy Nicholls. He has won his fair share of
races, mainly on the flat galloping track of Musselbrugh. The ground
is ideal for him today, providing the course isn’t hit with any
rain. He is 0/8 in handicaps such as this, and is at his best in
smaller fields then this, in which he can dictate the pace and
quicken on from the front. Rated 4lbs higher in the handicap, he
still offered little last time at Ascot, in the Victoria Cup. A drop
in grade and improved conditions, should help him to perform better
here, but the likeliehood is that he will be found out by the
handicapper again here. Eyebrows are being raised at the present on
the form of a few Dandy Nicholls runners.
My Tissue
Price – 12/1
6 –
Robustian – Progressed early
season while the stable found a plethora of winners in the first few
months of the season. He needs to find more improvement here to win,
albeit of only a 2lb higher mark. Still entitled to find some
improvement as a 4yo, he is starting to look exposed. He will need
to find more from the drop back in trip after 3 fair attempts of
late. He finished off with a 5L defeat to the exposed, but well
treated Del Mar Sunset on the galloping Rowley Mile last time. Yet
to find him out of the frame in 4 starts over a mile, he has a poor
draw to overcome in stall 12. You cannot totally discount him under
a jockey who gets on well with him. He’s best on stiff tracks and is
one that stays further. He may find a better handicapped rival just
too quick for him today, and may plug on best for a place.
My Tissue
Price – 12/1
7 –
Bold Marc – Was all out to hold
off Baron Spy at Haydock over a mile. The form of that race has been
franked with the stablemate Moody Tunes coming out to win at
Yarmouth for inform trainer Karl Burke. Also, Mount Usher ran well
behind Fortunate Isle, who has been in good form this spring. He is
ideally suited to fast ground and will benefit from this step up to
a mile. Bold Marc does have a fair bit in his favour under a 2lb
higher mark for that narrow win. It’s still to be seen if this big
field will allow him to have the run of the race. It’s likely that
he will have to work hard in a better race then last time, to win
at a track his trainer is 0-22 in all age handicaps.
My Tissue
Price – 14/1
8 – Bajan
Parkes – A interesting runner in this handicap for a trainer
that really does well with his handicappers at this track. The
addition of Kevin Darley to the saddle may be a telling booking,
despite never having ridden the horse in his 5 starts to date.
Didn’t show much over 6F when beaten 4.5L by My Gacho, (a race that
didn’t stand up to well), he is entitled to have had needed that run
on his first start for the trainer. The quicker surface should suit,
being by Zafonic. There is reason to believe that the extra trip
should bring him along further. There is a chance that a handicap
such as this, is well within his grasp, off a mark of 80, having
been dropped another 2lb by the handicapper. He is respected here,
but has something to prove on his second start for the stable.
My Tissue
Price – 16/1
9 –
Magic Sting – Was very
disappointing when finishing last of 8 over a 10F at Beverley last
time, where he was tailed off. It’s uncertain to have been down to
the trip, having shown already that he stays that far based on the 3rd
to the useful Epsom performer Resonate. An exposed performer, who
has shown in the past to need a run, shouldn’t have ran as bad as
that. He has a lot to prove in this race, that would be widely
regarded as an improvement on his last race. The drop back in trip
doesn’t look the way forward, as he stays well. The change of stable
seems to not have the desired effect and the 6lbs higher mark
suggest he is a long way off peaking to set new personnel best in
this handicap. His regular pilot has jumped ship for this race, even
though he is entering his favourite time of year.
My Tissue
Price – 20/1
10 –
Little Jimbob – Is being tried
over hurdles, as well as on the flat for Richard Fahey. He is 4lbs
better off at the weights, than when a close 2nd to Exit
Smiling over Newcastle’s 8F track. He and kept plugging away in a
race that has quite a few form lines to others in this race. The
hurdling experience never really took off and he was well beaten
when pulling up last time at Aintree. He may also had a fitness
edge on several of the runners in that Newcastle handicap, having
had a previous run. He shouldn’t be lacking in fitness here today,
having had that outing at Aintree last time and rarely puts in a bad
effort on good to firm ground. H wouldn’t want it too firm. He
doesn’t win too often and is yet to win on a galloping track. He
does act on this type of course, having finished 8 times in 2nd
place. He has gone up 3lbs in the handicap for that 2nd.
He is a few pounds higher then his last winning handicap mark, but
comes for a stable in form. With a record second to none in all age
handicaps, he is entitled to respect in this class.
My Tissue
Price – 10/1
11 –
Stonehaugh – I wont beat around
the bush. Howard Johnson is far from my favourite trainer, as many
of his runners I find under priced just because of the Graham Wylie
connection to the stable. The trainer hasn’t been on the top of his
game since the 2005 Cheltenham festival in my eyes. Having said
that, I did have a little nibble at this horse each way last time,
when he finished 2nd to Daaweitza, a good yard stick for
handicaps such as this. Stonehaugh does has some claims on his best
form to land a prize such as this. Weighted at the right end of the
handicap, the fast ground is very much to the liking of this horse,
who is fairly lightly raced. The step up to 8F is very much in
favour on breeding so there shouldn’t be a problem at this fairly
easy Galloping track. He is paired with John Egan, who isn’t a
regular booking for Howard Johnson. He is always a interesting
jockey booking for a horse “up north” and if on song, is one of the
strongest pound for pound in the weighing room. Best when given time
in between races, the break from last run should be an absence that
will not hinder the chances of Stonehaugh. He has a 4lb higher mark
to overcome fromn his Beverley win, but has already shown that he is
progressing the right way and is more then capable of confirming the
form with Royal Dignitary here today, under a small 1lb swing in the
weights.
My Tissue
Price – 6/1
12 –
Exit Smiling – 2lbs out of the
handicap and has a 4lb weight pull to overcome with Little Jimbob on
Newcastle running. He didn’t make good use to the handicap mark on
the all weather last time, so no surprise to see the return to turf.
Uncertain if there is any reason to see any improvements coming with
today’s mark being 9lbs in total higher for that handicap win. The
softer conditions that day would have suited more, despite having
handled better conditions. It is a surprise to see Hayley Turner
pick up the ride, having previously struck up such a good
understanding with Magic Sting. Trainer not known for training Ripon
winners, and its hard to see this one being his first at today’s
weights.
My Tissue
Price – 20/1
Verdict –
Despite the size in numbers it looks
a race that could be broken up into two parts. There are no
surprises in the likely prices of the market leaders, where
Black Charmer and
Bustan are shorter then I would
have expected. With plenty of pace on, the likes of
Desert Chief could well benefit
for this race before going for the Hunt cup at the Royal meeting in
a couple of weeks time. The 3-1 in general with the bookmakers looks
to be value, as I was expecting nearer 2-1. Of the big prices the
unexposed Stonehaugh at 9-1 and
Bajan Parkes at 25-1 are value
at those current prices and shouldn’t be to far off in this race.
Selection –
Desert Chief
3pts @ 3-1 (BF Price 7-2)
Well Chief
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