Haven't witnessed much from the 2-y-o division of Ballydoyle to excite this year so far.The fillies look an extremely moderate bunch as well. However,I must admit that I did like the colt that won at Galway the other week....looked really nice.
****e never mind - should have backed the 1/3 shot ****ing O'Brien the **** bastarding fiddling **** - GET OUT of the game
Andrew Oliver again....this guy is so talented. Nice run from the Coolmore secong string...always nice to see a bolger runner getting nutted.
8.00 Kempton Pearl Noir 40/1 Not a race to get too heavily involved with given there are so many unexposed types but I think Scott Dixon's 2 year old colt looks glaringly overpriced if appreciating the step up to 7f and acting on the surface on his all weather debut. Pearl Noir is hardly unexposed himself with only 4 starts to date and he showed some really nice form in his first couple of starts that lead me to believe he has more than enough ability to score off his current mark of 71. On debut over 5f at Beverley he stayed on very nicely over the minimum trip back in May to finish a 1.5L beaten 2nd and that has turned out to be a rather decent maiden with the winner Top Notch Tonto now a 98 rated animal. His 2nd start came nearly 2 weeks later when front running tactics were implemented upped to 6f at Leicester which resulted in him filling the runners up spot again finishing 6L adrift of the impressive winner Artigiano. Artigiano has proven to be a very decent animal by subsequently putting in two excellent narrowly beaten 2nds in Group 2s and he really lost nothing in defeat against a talented animal. Like his debut, the form of those in behind isn't any great shakes but he finished 1L clear of the 3rd and never looked to be in danger from those in behind so I'd tend to evaluate his performances as bumping into two very smart types and not get bogged down by how the other in behind have faired. Pearl Noir's 3rd start came in the Windsor Castle Listed contest at Royal Ascot over 5f and although finishing well down field he won't need to be up to anywhere near that level in his immediate future so being outclassed in this was no great surprise. I suppose you could take it as a positive that he was showing enough at home to be even considered to compete in such an event. Pearl Noir made his handicap debut off a mark of 73 over 6f at Chester in July where he finished last of the 6 runners when sent off a pretty well supported 4/1 shot. There are a number of plausible factors that could explain his poor showing such as not acting on the soft ground or not handling Chester's unique track but for one reason or another I don't think he was really himself that day and I'm overlooking that effort. He's had a nice 89 day break off the track which hopefully should see Scott Dixon have him spot of for this on his AW debut now upped to 7f. He's been dropped 2lb to a mark of 71 and I'd be pretty damned surprised if this mark proves the ceiling of his ability throughout his career given his two likeable 2nds on his first two starts. Nicky Mackay takes the ride and comes here for only one ride tonight after riding at Nottingham earlier. Its a 135 mile journey between both tracks so I think its interesting that he comes here for this solitary action tonight making a long enough trip (that is unless Kempton is on the way home for him!). Pearl Noir gets in here off a lovely bottom racing weight of 7-13 and if stall 10 doesn't prove too much of an inconvenience I'm hopeful of a good showing from him tonight which should hopefully see his trainer bounce back to form at a big price.
Go Native finished 3rd beaten 1 length and 1 length - a very encouraging return. Watched the replay on ATR and it was great to see him pulling double at the 3 pole. He cruised to the front 2 out still travelling strongly and probably took himself there earlier than the jockey would have wished. Just ran out of steam in the final furlong, which is understandable enough after his long absence. Noel Meade seems in 2 minds what to do with him: "I'm not sure if he'll stay hurdling or go chasing - he's not jumped a fence yet. If he stays hurdling a race like the Morgiana (Punchestown, November 18) is an obvious one and down the line we would have Kempton (Christmas Hurdle, Boxing Day) in mind if all goes well." Great to see him back
If Noel Meade said it, expect the opposite, he said on no less than 3 occasions that Go Native wouldnt be running in the Supreme and we all know what happened.
