ILLNESS TAKES ARROGATE
KEMPTON
1.00
LADY FANDITHA should find this a realistic target as she returns from more than a year on the sidelines.
The winner of a novice stakes at Nottingham in April 2019, Clive Cox’s filly, who was down the field in the Listed Marygate Stakes at York 17 days later, has less on her plate off a British Horseracing Authority mark of 72 here.
1.35 SPIRITED GUEST ran below par on Fibresand at Southwell on New Year’s Day but should show to better effect back on Polytrack.
Tom Queally’s partner got up late to score under these conditions at Chelmsford City in November and had excuses when third at Lingfield Park three weeks later, so there may be a little room for manoeuvre in his current rating.
2.10
SUN BEAR missed out by a short head on her sole start at two – and compensation awaits.
John Gosden’s daughter of Dubawi and 2012 Irish Oaks heroine Great Heavens only narrowly came off worse in a battle with stablemate Moonlight In Paris at Nottingham in November, and routine progress should see Frankie Dettori’s mount get her head in front.
2.45
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3.20 OLOROSO (nb) has yet to reach the bottom of the barrel – if his course-anddistance second last time is any guide.
Successful from a mark of 70 here in the spring of 2019, Andrew Balding’s four-year-old was competing from the same mark when beaten by Tintoretto at the beginning of March and rates a player off just 1lb higher.
3.55
ICONIC CHOICE has a better chance than her odds suggest.
Her form in the second half of last year doesn’t inspire, but Tom Dascombe’s daughter of Sixties Icon failed by a short head in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury in 2019 and wouldn’t be out of this on her seventh to Hermosa in the 1,000 Guineas 22 days later, either.
4.30
EARTH AND SKY should be forgiven an expensive failure here a fortnight
THE world’s best racehorse of 2016, Arrogate, has died after a short battle with a mystery illness.
The seven-year-old, a brilliant winner of the 2017 Dubai World Cup, developed a neurological issue at stud last week.
In a statement, Juddmonte Farms said tests will try to establish the cause.
“It is still unclear what the illness was and a post-mortem is being carried out,” it added.
In a stellar but short career, before Christmas. Punters made George Scott’s filly the 11-10 hotpot for a six-runner handicap but she beat just one rival home in a tactical mess and Harry Bentley’s ride is better judged on two courseand-distance scores the previous month as she bids to make amends.
5.05
AL DAIHA is due a change of luck after taking home the silver on her last three starts.
After seconds at Wolverhampton and Lingfield either side of the Christmas holiday, the Ed Walker trainee failed to reel in The Warrior by a short head at the latter course at the start of March and a 1lb turnaround will aid her bid for revenge.
5.40
PERFECT SYMPHONY (nap) brings a respectable all-weather strike-rate into a finale where doubts hang over several of his rivals.
The six-year-old is 3-17 on sand, including a win over this trip at Lingfield and January, and the booking of Adam Kirby is a plus for a horse who didn’t enjoy the run of things on his last two starts.
Arrogate (below) broke the track record in both the Travers Stakes and Pegasus World Cup.
Trained by Bob Baffert, the ace’s win in Dubai capped an unbeaten run of seven races, which included beating California Chrome to win the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. But by the summer of 2017, that came to an end with a shock defeat at odds of 1-20 favourite at Del Mar.
He was retired to his world class breeding operation a few months later.
Next year, his first foals will be ready to compete on the track.