ELSWORTH EYES HUNGERFORD
DAVID ELSWORTH makes a convincing case for Sir Dancealot in Saturday’s Hungerford Stakes at Newbury%
Sir Dancealot, impressive winner of last month’s Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, finished fifth in last season’s Group Two event behind Massaat.
“He’s running very well this season,” said Elsworth. “On current form he has a chance.”
The four-year-old’s improved form this season can be attributed to a gelding operation. ‘
“He lugged to the left last season,” said Elsworth. “And the gelding operation could explain why he doesn’t do it this season.”
The 51-year-old Gerald Mosse, the senior citizen of the weighing room, performed a miracle to snatch victory on the four-year-old at Goodwood, after he was trapped in a pocket, retains the ride.
“Gerald is a very experienced jockey he coped with the situation very well at Goodwood,” said Elsworth. “You need a bit of luck and we were a bit lucky.
“Having said that, if we got beat we would have felt we were very unlucky.
“There’s always a degree of good fortune in those situations.
“Anyway, we are as optimistic as we dare to be for Saturday. There is rain around but he’s not ground dependent.
“He’s a big, heavy-topped horse, and a bit of rain would not do any harm.”
Sir Dancealot is 4-1 with Ladbrokes, behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Gustav Klimt, the 7-2 market leader.
Nicola Mcgeady, of Ladbrokes, said: “Gustav Klimt has been running well in Group One’s so I expect him to go close now that he has dropped back in class.
“That said, punters support has been wavering for O’Brien horses and given Sir Dancealot’s progressive nature, he could prove more popular and go off favourite.”
Growl is Richard Fahey’s principal hope for Saturday’s William Hill Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.
Fahey’s assistant, Robin O’Ryan, said: “He just hasn’t had things drop right for him yet but he has shown more in his last two runs.
“At York he was drawn on the wrong side and then in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood he got messed around a bit, but that happens in these races.”