Richard Hannon has a really strong hand of two-year-olds in this five-furlong Group Two, with both runners making appeal.
Gutaifan looks the form pick, after an excellent 1 ¾ length second to leading juvenile Shalaa at Deauville. He can also boast the scalp of Gimcrack Stakes winner Ajaya, and a horse he beat at Salisbury in June, Husbandry, has also since franked the form by winning his maiden next time out. The issue is his price – at 15/8 he’s short enough for the relative lottery of a five-furlong sprint.
Also running is Log Out Island, who has somewhat gone off the boil after a very promising maiden success and good second to Waterloo Bridge in a Royal Ascot Group Two. Both of those successes came over today’s five-furlong trip, and he’s been well beaten on both tries over six. Like the favourite, one of those defeats was by Shalaa, where nine lengths separated the two. This horse is all speed, though, and the drying conditions will play to his strengths and he can go close over this shorter trip. We’ll forgive him his recent Deauville defeat over five as it was soft ground; if anything, it’s helped push his price out to a very backable 14/1.
With nine runners, the each-way terms appeal and he’s taken to challenge Gutaifan for top honours, with the unbeaten Bear Cheek best of the rest. There are some good bookmaker special offers on the race, with SkyBet going money back as a free bet if 2nd or 3rd, and Paddy Power offering money back if 2nd to Gutaifan.
1pt ew Log Out Island @14/1, Doncaster 13:55
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