Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
COAST LOOKS SHORE THING PERFECT TIME
Johnston’s ace Study can teach his rivals a lesson in Queen’s Cup
TIME TO STUDY is ready for a winning return to action in the Queen’s Cup Handicap (3.35, ITV4) at Musselburgh.
Mark Johnston’s son of 2005 Derby hero Motivator made impressive strides as a three-year-old last year – including a valuable success over this course and distance.
Time To Study opened his account for the campaign with a game success in the Edinburgh Cup on Derby day last June, also landing the Mallard Handicap for jockey WEST COAST can deliver American training legend Bob Baffert a fourth victory in the Dubai World Cup (5.50, ATR) on a glittering card at Meydan.
The prize fund for the 10-furlong feature is an eye-watering £7million — and West Coast is its headline act.
The four-year-old stepped up to the highest level to lift the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August, adding the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx to his CV the following month.
West Coast ran with plenty of credit when third to the Steve Asmussen-trained Gun Runner in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar in November.
And he took the silver medal behind the same rival in the Pegasus World PJ Mcdonald at Doncaster’s St Leger fixture three months later.
My selection didn’t get home over the marathon two miles and two furlongs of the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October, but was back in the winner’s enclosure after outpointing two rivals in a conditions contest at Newbury 13 days on.
Time To Study, who is proven with give in the ground, has more to offer in 2018 and can pocket another valuable prize.