Intinso worth keeping on side at Kempton
INTINSO is backed to continue his resurgence in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebery Handicap at Kempton.
John and Thady Gosden’s inmate was billed as a potential future star after winning on his sole juvenile appearance at Newcastle a couple of years ago, but any hopes of a potential Classic campaign quickly went up in smoke last spring after he was well beaten in Newmarket’s Feilden Stakes.
The son of Siyouni was then beaten as favourite for a novice event at Chelmsford and while a close-up third in a competitive Ascot handicap in high summer was a step forward, he finished out of the places on his next start at York’s Ebor Festival and was subsequently gelded.
Intinso made his first start since at Wolverhampton three weeks ago and while he went off at prohibitive odds to make a successful comeback, it was still hard not to be impressed by the way he swept his rivals aside, despite racing keenly.
If he is a little more tractable dropping back slightly in trip for this £100,000 prize, there may still be some mileage in his revised mark of 98 and he is expected to go close.
Mystic Pearl is the pick in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes.
The William Haggas-trained four-year-old is bidding for her second victory at Listed level, having claimed top honours in the Coral Distaff at Sandown last summer, after which she was only narrowly beaten in a Group Three in France.
She will not lack for fitness on her return to
British soil following a winter campaign in Dubai, a spell during which she contested a couple of Group Two events but came up short. Mystic Pearl has less on her plate in Sunbury and aided by cheek pieces for the first time, she really should be competitive.
Devoted Queen bids to make it two from two in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places British EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes.
The daughter of Kingman looked yet another smart recruit off Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin production line when impressing on her introduction at Newmarket in the autumn, albeit on rain-softened ground.
That form is not too shabby, with the runner-up Vicario rated in the 80s, and it should be noted that Devoted Queen has been given a 1000 Guineas entry.
While the first fillies’ Classic is a world away from a small field conditions event at Kempton, this race has been won by subsequent Group One winner Al Husn and the high-class Running Lion in the past two years, so it is not impossible Devoted Queen could go on to scale much greater heights.
A quality field has assembled for the £100,000 Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at Chelmsford, with the standard set by Aidan O’Brien’s Capulet.
A winner on his Dundalk debut last August, the son of Justify went on to push stablemate Diego Velazquez close in a Group Two at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend before placing third as a hot favourite for the Royal Lodge at Newmarket on his final appearance at two.