Tres Bon for Beau Visage
THERE is no-one in British racing with a loftier reputation for improving seeminglyexposed horses than David O’Meara, from his yard in Upper Helmsley, Yorkshire.
He’ll have to do it again in the opening race at Doncaster today, when Bon Beau Visage bids to follow up a victory at Pontefract last month in the mile handicap.
Improvement is needed because the four-year-old has won three times in the last nine months, both times off a mark of 75 and this afternoon he is raised 4lb.
Big danger today is Jedd O’Keefe’s Sovereign Bounty, who also beat that rival last time out and, on a line through Hanseatic, the selection has around 7lb in hand.
The one-and-a-half mile maiden could be played out on any of the top tracks down south. William Haggas, Richard Hannon, Luca Cumani and Hugo Palmer all chase the prize.
The Haggas runner may have the strongest form, after two close seconds at Haydock and Lingfield for Humble Hero suggest that a little race like today’s will be in his range.
Lingfield’s short straight did not suit the son of Hugh Chaparral, when he got into stride too late to fail by a short head, when splitting two Godolphin runners.
The Eagle’s Nest has only had four outings, but after taking a big step forward at Musselburgh two weeks ago, he looks to have been well placed by Richard Fahey.
He was beaten one-and-ahalf lengths by Thomas Cranmer in a Class 3 handicap but, off just 1lb higher, sneaks into the bottom end of this Class 4 handicap.