Aidan O’Brien looks to break Bobby Frankel’s world record for Group One victories on the flat this Saturday, sending four over to Doncaster to tackle the mile-long Racing Post Trophy for two-year-olds.
Chief hope according to both jockey bookings and the betting market is the Japanese-bred Saxon Warrior, with Ryan Moore in the saddle.
I can’t knock his chance for that reason but I think 6/4 is extremely short for a horse we simply haven’t seen much of this season – particularly at this level.
He has everything to prove, and similar comments apply to 7/1-shot The Pentagon, Seamie Heffernan’s mount.
Arriving after a longer break and therefore unlikely to be absolutely primed for this, I’m passing him too.
As has become habit, I like Aidan O’Brien’s third string SEAHENGE, who won at Donny two starts ago in Group Two company.
He did himself no disservice in Group One company next time out, being held up a fair way off the pace at Newmarket, a track that really suits front runners, and picking up the pieces to get third.
He’s sired by Scatty Daddy, whose progeny have not shown their best form at Newmarket – in fact, the likes of Lady Aurelia and Caravaggio have shown their worst there – so the flat Doncaster mile might really suit.
His win at the track and Dewhurst third might also be the best form on offer, depending on how seriously we take Verbal Dexterity’s chances, so the 12/1 quotes seem good to me.
I buy into the theory that Verbal Dexterity wants soft ground, but that doesn’t mean he won’t run a blinder.
His claims to having the best form in the race are perhaps stronger, as he readily dismissed Beckford in the Group One National Stakes, however that looks as weak renewal now as it did before they raced.
Of the longer prices, I like Chilean and GABR as each-way bets, but it’s the latter for Sir Michael Stoute who is trusted with the hard-earned.
His entry here is a bold statement from a conservative trainer after just a maiden win to his name, but the form ties in fairly nicely with some of these and all news clippings have suggested he’s much improved coming into this.
I like his pedigree too, as he’s by a newcomer to the breeding scene, French Derby winner and Arc-third Intello, so Sir Michael Stoute’s colt looks more than capable of outrunning his 22/1 quotes.
0.75pts each-way Seahenge @12/1, 15:25 Doncaster, Saturday (Bet365)
0.5pts each-way Gabr @22/1, 15:25 Doncaster, Saturday (Bet365 – wait for a morning price)