We have Group 1 action to look forward to on Tuesday with the Gp 1 Prix Rothschild for fillies and mares over the straight mile at Deauville. Conditions were described as good to soft on Monday morning with the prospect of further light showers overnight before a dry day today.
1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth is the one to beat having finished runner up in the Falmouth last time behind Snow Lantern where she had Primo Bacio (2.00) a length behind in fifth. That form has already been franked by the wins at the top table of Alcohol Free in the Sussex Stakes and Lady Bowthorpe in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last week.
Primo Bacio did not get the clearest of runs on the July course, however, and her earlier defeat of Creative Flair and Snow Lantern at York suggested, at least to me, that she was a top-class filly. The German filly Novemba will ensure a true test and that should suit the selection although significant rain would be a negative. Primo Bacio gets the each way vote. There was 6s available with William Hill on Monday but the filly is into 7/2 at the time of posting.
Light Of Thunder (6.20) makes her handicap debut at Nottingham this evening and this lightly raced daughter of Night Of Thunder looks open to significant improvement after just three career starts. She was slowly away when never a threat at Windsor last time, but she hinted that she had races in her when beaten 2L at Goodwood in a Novice event back in June.
Clive Cox has pulled up few trees so far this term and, at the time of writing, Adam Kirby’s last four rides for the stable have finished last of 11, last of 10, eighth of 11 and last of 10! That said the yard have been in decent form and had four winners in the last fortnight. The selection is 4s with Boylesports.
Derby winning jockey Kirby also rides Jewel In My Crown who was well held in her hat-trick bid at Leicester last time, but the winner – Portfolio – followed up at Newmarket before finishing third in a listed event back on the July course at the weekend. She looks the one to beat but I feel there is more to come from Loving Dash (7.50), and she gets the vote for James Fanshawe.
The filly – 3s with William Hill – makes her handicap debut this evening and do note the horse she finished runner up to at Wolverhampton last time – Raise The Roof – was due to run at Newcastle on Monday. It goes without saying that a bold showing from the latter would be a boost to the chance of Loving Dash who has only had the three career starts. She is certainly bred to win her share of races and connections will be desperate to get a win next to her name with one eye on the breeding sheds.
At Ffos Las Beowulf is likely to be all the rage after his fluent C&D success last month but he has been raised 9lbs for that facile win and I like the look of Marsden Cross (4.45) who is dropped back in distance and fitted with first time cheekpieces coming back from a seven-week lay-off.
The filly looked sure to appreciate the step up in distance when third at Yarmouth on her handicap debut over this trip back in the spring but that has not been the case and she can race from a mark 3lbs lower today. She is bred to be smart, and I hope to see Rob Hornby ensure there is a decent gallop. She gets the each way vote at 10s with MansionBet.