I pretty much knew what I was going to be writing here for this day's racing three months ago. It was on April 11 that an Andre Fabre-trained runner called Gagnoa won impressively at Saint-Cloud and I made a mental note to be with this filly when she stepped up to a mile and a half.
That day is today when Gagnoa 4.10pm lines up for the French Oaks at The Curragh. She's run very well in defeat since that Saint-Cloud success, including when second to my Arc fancy Zarkava in the French Oaks last time.
She has a good draw and her brilliant trainer says the soft ground will suit. She is the Pricewise selection in the Racing Post this morning so you'll have to act smartly to get the best price of 9-2 this morning. Those look odds well worth taking.
1.45pm Tamayuz top prat!
A cracking day's racing starts with Tamayuz winning the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly. Davy Bonilla, who pulled off a brilliant tactical ride on Marchand D'Or in Thursday's July Cup, is seen to good effect again. He had his horse positioned just behind the pacemaker on the rails and got first run on the field when the pace quickened in the home straight.
Jimmy Fortune, by contrast, couldn't get favourite Raven's Pass into a good position early and he made up a lot of ground in the closing stages to grab second. Frankie Dettori made third on Rio De La Plata, the Godolphin team still underperforming overall.
Tamayuz was only ninth last time in the French 2,000 Guineas, a race which I argued on here was one to treat with extreme caution. Falco, the winner of that Guineas was fifth to Henrythenavigator subsequently, and was not sighted today. Nothing in this race would have troubled Henrythenavigator's trainer, Aidan O' Brien, and he must very much be looking forward to the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in a fortnight's time.
2.10pm Eyecatcher at The Curragh
The first race at The Curragh has thrown up some class acts in recent years. They finished in a heap today but the interesting one was Freemantle, who was making his debut for Aidan O'Brien. He was too far back when the race started in earnest to win this event but travelled well in the early stages and made up a lot of ground to finish third. He may well prove the best of these and both his breeding and his style of running strongly suggests he will come into his own when stepped up in trip. Definitely one to follow.
2.50pm Hot under the collar over Humid Climate
Humid Climate, the favourite in the second race at Stratford, was very reluctant to race and never started. However, it was clear from the pictures on Atthraces that the jockey was trying to make the beast go long after the other horses had started. In circumstances similar to this horses have been declared a runner before. Today, Humid Climate is declared a non-runner. Where's the consistency?
5.00pm Moonstone wins Oaks thriller
The Irish Oaks produced a thrilling finish and it's another for Aidan O'Brien who trained the first two home, with Moonstone getting up close home to beat Ice Queen. Gagnoa finishes third but this is a race I would want to take a very close look at again. In the meantime there are a few points to consider:
1. The race made for uncomfortable viewing for this neutral. At the turn for home the O'Brien team, who had six horses in the race, had the first five with Perihelion and Adored, who shared the pacemaking duties, leading from Moonstone and Ice Queen. There were no obvious suspicious team tactics on display but with that number of runners it was possible for the Ballydoyle squad to dictate the race. No other horses other than his ever looked like winning -- that might have been the case without the pacemakers, of course, but how are we to know.
2. Gagnoa. She looked a filly with plenty of ability but does she want to put it all in. She made up a lot of ground up the straight and would very likely have done better with a stiffer test. However, she also hung badly and crossed the line with her ears pricked, usually a sign at the end of a race that a horse has more to give.
3. How good is Look Here? Ralph Beckett's filly beat Moonstone with any amount in hand at Epsom in the English Oaks. She is being given a rest as she is a filly who goes well fresh. She will be a cracking bet in the Yorkshire Oaks and at this stage she is still the one I would want to be on in the St Leger at Doncaster.
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