He's a big horse Bustino. Still a baby, thankfully not raced as a 2yo and hopefully will be a monster 4yo. 20/1 or better for next year's Arc would be tempting
Money down for Norway today when not on pacemaking duties, 14/1 last night, wins at 7/2, amazing to think a horse of that ability can be used as a pacemaker, always rated Norway and hopefully can follow in the Dukes footsteps next year.
The 2nd and 3rd in the Leger are high class handicappers, Ebor horses. Winner could be top class though.
I backed Constantinople for the St Leger ante-post at 33/1 a long time ago. I got a dream for a long while and while the horse was called a dog by some people, you have to wonder why he wasn't in that field today. He got closer to Logician last time than anything did in today's race and he had Nayef Road well in arrears in the Voltigeur and that horse was far from disgraced today in 3rd place. Norway was 7 lengths behind Constantinople in the Voltigeur and he won a Group 3 at Leopardstown today. I reckon Constantinople would have placed in today's St Leger and he is hardly a dog based on the collateral form. Logician is a good prospect but he beat a fairly mediocre field today. That race was a Group 1 in name only with a pair of 108 rated colts in 2nd and 3rd place.
very fair price given class advantage, ended up more realistic at 11/10, she will absolutely clean up next season and show just how good Enable is
Easy for Magical there. Different class and a boost for Enable who should be way short for the Arc now.
In the Matron Stakes Laurens is pretty short but you would have been hoping for a better form boost than the feeble effort Shine So Bright put in today. Laurens could not quite catch the Balding horse last time over 7F and will appreciate the mile today but Shine So Bright folded like a concertina today when hot favourite at Doncaster. I'll pass on Laurens at the shade of odds-on. Hermosa could bounce back but badly needs to after a dismal effort in the Nassau. She is drifting like a barge in the betting and at 4/1 it looks like a "Man the lifeboats" job. I will give one last chance to Skitter Scatter. She was injured and unplaced in the 1000 Guineas and her stable have had a dismal time of it but she ran a decent enough comeback race after a long time off and at one stage I thought she might win last time after travelling quite well. She needs more and there is a bounce risk but at 12/1 and seemingly only Laurens with any real confidence behind her, I decided to play small for an interest. 5.25 Leopardstown Skitter Scatter 12/1
leopardstown,5 25: FASTNET ROCK MATRON STAKES a real no brainer for me,as i adore LAURENS!!this is one of the toughest fillies,ive ever seen.and while shine so bright did nothing for the form of her last run today,shes back on her best trip,so it will take a good one to beat her today.
Not sure Laurens is quite as good as she was last year, her form when winning this last year would make her a goodthing against this field but worth taking on at the prices. I Can Fly is capable of running to a high level on her day as shown by the Sussex 3rd and 2nd in the QEII last year, she is very weak in the market though so Iridessa 12/1 for me. She ran well round here before winning the fillies mile when caught wide all the way, her Pretty Polly form was boosted there with Magic Wand running 2nd in the Irish Champion and she can be forgiven when failing to stay 12f last time, drop back to 1m should see her run well agian.
Oh well, Skitter Scatter probably bounced and wasn't good enough anyway but it sure as hell beat lumping on Laurens at odds-on and getting pumped up the fart pipe. Well done Eddie.
Couple of good races at Woodbine tonight. in the 9.30, Competitionofideas looks a solid favourite on form, she had Holy Helena over 3L behind at Belmont a few runs back and has since run well in stronger races than this. Woodbine not always kind to hold up horses though and Holy Helena 7/2 looks a decent bet against her, she got murdered for a run in the Belmont race and would have finished a lot closer, she won well off a slow pace at the course last time and I think she could get the run of the race here and be in the right place to strike turning in. In the Mile, Got Stormy has emerged as one of the main US contenders for the BC Mile, the worry for that race is that she has always proven just short of the top fillies like Rushing Fall, she is becoming more professional and consistent though and my gut feeling is that she is just a notch above this field and is fairly priced at 6/4. Suspect she will be cut for the Breeders Cup if she wins so I am taking the 10/1 but as I said, I have a slight doubt about her being good enough to win that and there is another big outsider I like for that race who still isnt in our betting. In the Northern Dancer, Old Persian is priced up like a goodthing but he got beat in Germany last time and looks worth opposing just for an interest, Hawkbill was beaten at short odds last year in this for same connections. Tiz A Slam 4/1 is on a 4 timer and he was cantering all over Hawkbill into the straight in this last year, he faded to finish 6th but perhaps they done too much too soon that day and this renewal lacks the same depth. He warmed up with an impressive course and distance win in a G2 last time and he should be very dangerous with a soft lead again.
