MJ JACK’S THE LAD FOR ASCOT GLORY
TRAINER Karl Burke has enjoyed a magnificent season with his juveniles, but it is a representative of the older guard which could make his mark in the totescoop6 Challenge Cup today.
Admittedly, MJ JACK (Ascot, nap, 3.35) is hardly long in the tooth having run just nine times, but he has displayed great maturity to acquit himself well in brutally competitive handicaps this term.
If any horse deserves to land a race like this, then arguably it is Burke’s grey son of elzaam, who has taken the silver medal in similar affairs over course and distance on his last two outings.
In both instances, Mj jack was aggressively ridden from the front only to be worn down, by Stamp hill and Remarkable respectively, as his exertions told in the latter stages.
Interestingly, Clifford Lee, who partnered the selection to victory at Doncaster and haydock earlier this summer, rode his mount a shade more conservatively when successful and I wonder if connections will revert to more patient tactics today.
The form of Mj jack’s last narrow defeat by Remarkable took a boost yesterday when 10th-home Shady McCoy routed a reasonable field of handicappers.
Raising Sand was not far in arrears of Mj jack last month when held up well off the pace and it would be no surprise to see him go close again given he has won his two previous starts at the Berkshire venue. he is definitely shortlist material, along with last weekend’s Newmarket scorer Makzeem.
Blue Point will be all the rage for the Bengough Stakes, understandably so given his form ties in with some of the leading sprinters in the game, not least harry Angel.
Many will feel he has a simple task to dispose of the likes of Magical Memory and DANZENO (Ascot, nb, 3.00). however, easy ground may not see Blue Point at his best and the layers are unlikely to offer much juice in his price. With that in mind, Danzeno appeals as an each-way play against the favourite because his course record reads 2351 and he has discovered some consistency.