Happy Fathers Day all you dads. INTRINSIC BOND 17/2 Thirsk 5:45 I am mildly confident that it’s his turn today.
Have yet to go through all of the cards, but the (17:21) Thomastown Race at Gowran Park, over an extended 1m1f on good ground takes the eye. One with a real chance is the Mukhadram gelding, Longbourn. Pretty good overall form and one who should handle current track conditions without any trouble. Wears tongue-strap as in previous races. Shane Foley rides for the Ross O'Sullivan yard. 9/2 best price in most places early-doors, on the ATR site.
Given the way the French Classics have gone so far this term (two rags winning the Poulains and the Pouliches), it might be best to steer clear of the Diane, which has quite an open look about it with hardly any top juvenile form and no filly with more than five runs to its name. Purely from a form point of view there looks to be quite a few of the outsiders that need to step up markedly on what they have done to date. The British bookies’ betting indicates that Bubble Gum will have to show considerable improvement on her win in a nine furlong conditions race, L’Equilibriste at least won a nine furlong Listed race last time but her only previous win was a handicap (so improving), Survie might be overpriced as she was third in the Prix Saint Alary, the big recognised French trial, where Dare To Dream was fourth and Birthe won; however, that looked like a weak renewal so even Laura Vanska’s winner is trading at double figures. Paraiba was second in a conditions race on her first start on turf last time and drops back two furlongs on only her third start but the booking of Tom Marquand is notable. Sparkling Plenty would need to sparkle a lot stepping up two furlongs and she won the Prix Sandringham last time after being sixth in the Pouliches, where Rock’n Swing was seventh and a medium blanket would have covered the first nine. So that has accounted for most of the runners at bigger prices. Dance Sequence disappointed in the Guineas and was second in the Oaks but what puts me off her is the first time blinkers. Ahead of her at HQ was Tamfana in fourth and arguably that makes her the form pick but a small blanket would have covered the first five at Newmarket so I am unconvinced that is good form. The Aga Khan’s Frankel filly Candala looks to have been laid out for this as she won one of the main Pouliches trials, the Prix de la Grotte but has not been seen since. Gala Real catches the eye as she won a Listed race at this trip when last seen in May; however, all her form is on heavy ground and the runner up at Longchamp was AVENTURE, making her seasonal debut and only a neck behind. Christophe Ferland’s filly may have the owners’ other runner Halfday as an unofficial pacemaker here and she subsequently won the Prix de Royaumont at today’s track. My concern about Maxime Guyon’s mount is the ten draw: of her main rivals only Candala has fared worse.
