Ele-mentary
CHARLTONS TO SNARE FEATURE PRIZE
AL ASIFAH may well be the talking filly in the Listed Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood this afternoon but I fancy ELEGANCIA (3.20) can burst her bubble in this feature 10-furlong affair.
Harry and Roger Charlton’s charge was never going to make an impression on her only juvenile start over seven furlongs (behind Crystallium at Newbury).
But she shaped much better on her three-year-old debut over a mile when staying on in eye-catching fashion when fourth in a hot novice at Ascot.
As long as she handles the ups and downs of the Chichester track, then I think that the daughter of Lope De
Vega will excel over the extra quarter of a mile and see off her beautifully bred rival along with Sumo Sam and Empress Wu in a pretty deep renewal.
Second at Epsom last week when possibly hitting the front too soon, DARKNESS (1.35) takes a drop in grade for the sevenfurlong handicap and should have too many gears for Mister Bluebird. Meanwhile, the return to a faster surface is massively in the favour of PONS AELIUS (3.55) who was run down late on at Chester last time out.
Rated as high as 90 last season, ROYAL PARADE (4.55) has finally been shown some mercy by the handicapper after being over-rated for his three-runner novice success at Yarmouth last year. Set to run off a mark of 79 and with the services of Billy Loughnane to boot, the four-year-old may prove too good for recent winner Shobiz.
Gordon Elliott has a cracking record when
sending a team over to Perth and he could record another double at the Scottish track courtesy of HAPPY D’EX (3.35) and FAUX FER (5.05).
The last named showed plenty of promise on his debut when third at Ballinrobe and will be much better suited to the quicker conditions here in the concluding bumper. WORLD WITHOUT LOVE (4.45) can reverse recent Hamilton form with Germania in the Sunday Series Stayers’ event at Beverley.
The race was run on a softish surface but top of the ground is more his kind of thing.
Fast going is also a huge plus for recent Epsom winner AUSTRIAN THEORY (6.15).
Charlie Johnston’s charge was a most game all-the-way winner at the Surrey track that day and he can defy the small penalty he has landed by leading his rivals a merry dance again.
A mile-and-a-half around the pearshaped track looks the perfect set-up for the David Simcock-trained FULFILLED (6.45).
This lightly-raced four-yearold is less exposed than his 10 rivals and can improve yet again for the extra quarter of a mile. Finally, a slow start lost LA BEAU GARCON (3.45) all chance of winning at Catterick last time out and he can take advantage of a peach of a draw in the five-furlong sprint handicap.
JACOBS’ FIVE-TIME NAPS TABLE CHAMP MOORESTYLE’S BEST BETS…
ANTE POST
At a generally available 12-1, the filly LEZOO can shake up the boys in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.