3.55 Folkestone
Lunar Deity 16/1 NAP
This looks a very difficult race and one in which I've tipped up two other runners recently in the shape of Ginger Ted and We Have A Dream. Ginger Ted has been woeful in his 4 starts this year and the good to firm ground is unsuitable but I couldn't put anyone off backing We Have A Dream in this race. He won this race last year off a 2lb higher mark and put in a very good 3rd at Windsor LTO on ground that probably went against him and he should have ideal conditions today. However, I'm going to plump for Eve Johnson Houghton's 3 year old who takes on his elders for the first time instead who at 16/1 seems a truly massive price. Lunar Deity make his debut last July as a 2 year old and for the first three furlongs he pulled the arms off Cathy Gannon and he desperately needed that racecourse experience. On his 2nd start he definitely showed some promise under Tom Queally when running well for a long way before being eased towards the finish. On his 3rd start he took a massive step forward when sauntering to a 5L success when dropped back to 6f at Ffos Las last July and it was an extremely impressive visual display. Sitting up near enough to the pace, Lunar Deity cruised to the front under hands and heels riding under tomorrows jockey John Fahy as he pulled well clear of the rest of the field to such an extent that he was eased close home. The form of that race isn't too bad with the 3rd winning on his next start impressively and he is now a 77 rated animal. Furthermore, the 4th horse Melenoras is a 70 rated horse so considering the ease in which Lunar Deity won that day I think it looks his mark of 80 looks rather lenient.
Lunar Deity was assigned an initial handicap mark of 82 as he was stepped into a Class 2 handicap at York on Good to Soft ground last August. However, he ran too poor to be true and you have to ignore that effort. On the back of this, Lunar Deity took a 9 month break before putting in what I thought was a very good effort on his seasonal reappearance and first start as a 3 year old. Over the 7f trip in a Class 3 handicap at Salisbury last month, Lunar Deity travelled but I don't think he was able to quicken on the ground as he ended up finishing a distantly beaten 3rd. However, it certainly looked to me as if he would need the run and he put in an excellent display after this on his next start.Lunar Deity was stepped into a Listed contest at Epsom where he ran an absolutely cracking race to finish only a 4.25L beaten 4th on good ground. After sitting close enough to the pace, Lunar Deity came with a very good run about 3f out before taking 2nd only to be passed by a couple of rivals in the final furlong over the 7f trip. It really was a terrific effort, especially considering the ratings of the horses around him were 99, 102, 98 and 107 and I tend to believe it was a truly run race given both the positive Topspeed figures and the fact it was 1.6 seconds faster than the Class 2 event that proceeded it over the same trip. The form of this race took a huge boost with the 1st and 3rd running excellent races in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot with the pair beaten by less than 2L.
On his final start off his current mark of 80, Lunar Deity was very well backed from 15/2 into 7/2 but the rain came and changed the ground to good to soft and again I think he was unable to quicken on the ground over 6f at Leicester. He travelled into the race better than anything and after having to be switched he tried to come with his effort but he seemed very one paced as a result of what I think was the ground as he finished a 4.25L beaten 5th. I think that effort could be a blessing in disguise for this Colt as surely the handicapped was going to up him significantly from his mark of 80 as a result of his performance in a Listed contest but his mark has remained static on the back of this effort. It seems very clear to me that Lunar Deity is a top of the ground horse and he'll relish the return to good to firm ground - the first time since his Maiden success. He remains over 6f in a Class 4 handicap and both are positives for when looking back to his 2nd last start as the drop in trip and significant ease in grade look sure to suit. Neil Callan takes the ride after being on board him in the Listed race and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is in good form with 3 winners in the past couple of weeks. The big negative for Lunar Deity tomorrow is he has to overcome the worst draw in stall 1 but I don't think this will be an insurmountable task as he comes from off the pace. I'm quite wary of We Have A Dream and I've had a saver at 17/2 but I think Lunar Deity looks rather well handicapped off a mark of 80 and I think he could take a lot of beating tomorrow.
I'll also be playing a RFC between Lunar Deity and We Have A Dream as they seem the likeliest first two home to me.
. Next door's menage flooded and the road outside looks like a beach. The Spanish march on, although it is a tired looking march. The Italians failed to surrender for once knocking those arragant germans off their perch. Now was it Alan Hanson who announced on MOTD that Bolatelli would not be seen in the premiership again!!! I'm not a great fan but those two goals were stunning! To top it all Mr Nadal had a Spanish hangover and opened it up for our charasmatic Scot to raise expectations in SW19, I'd guess not too many on here would be risking their hard earned on that one. SO all in all a pretty boring few days.
