Aidan O’Brien will saddle four runners in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday as he goes in search of the Group One success that would set a new record of 26 in a calendar year.
Ryan Moore, O’Brien’s principal jockey, will ride the unbeaten Saxon Warrior, the winner of the Group Two Beresford Stakes last time out, in Saturday’s feature event, and the son of the Japanese star Deep Impact will be joined in the field by his stable companions The Pentagon, Seahenge and Coat Of Arms.
The Pentagon will be making his first start since taking the Group Three Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown in July. Seahenge landed the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September and was third behind U S Navy Flag as part of an all-Ballydoyle first four in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. O’Brien’s fourth contender, Coat Of Arms, has yet to register a win in six starts and will go to post as a big outsider.
The main obstacle in O’Brien’s way on Saturday is expected to be Jim Bolger’s Verbal Dexterity, the top-rated colt in the field after his win in the Group One National Stakes at The Curragh in September. That success prompted Bolger to suggest that he could “see him being champion European two-year-old,” adding: “He’s the real deal. He’s as good as any of the two-year-olds I’ve had.”
The arrival of the final field for the last Group One of the British Flat campaign is one obvious sign of the changing seasons, while the fact that all three of Thursday afternoon’s cards are over jumps is another.
Banditry (4.35) is quite a short price for the last race at Ludlow given that he faces 11 rivals including two that were winners last time out, but Ian Williams’s runner was also successful on his latest start in a novice event at Southwell.
Unlike Excellent Team and Captain Felix, who won off 6lb and 7lb lower marks respectively, this is Banditry’s first attempt at a handicap, and an opening mark of 121 looks very fair for a gelding who landed a £13,000 race at Newmarket in June off 90 and then finished second off 94 at Ascot. He was value for a good deal more than the winning margin on his latest start and is well worth a bet at around 5-4 to make light of the 11st 13lb on his back.
Skewiff (3.35) should also go well on the same card, while the improving Barrys Jack (3.55) escapes a penalty after winning a conditionals’ race last time out and will take all the beating as he goes in search of a hat-trick. Number One London (4.55) went down to a subsequent winner at Huntingdon last time out and can go one better today, while Nightfly (4.15) and Dhalam (7.45) make most appeal on the cards at Southwell and Chelmsford City respectively.
Thursday tips
Carlisle 2.15 Dark Sunset 2.50 Mumgos Debut 3.20 Nuts Well 3.55 Barrys Jack (nb) 4.25 Bigirononhiship 4.55 Number One London
Ludlow 1.55 Magic Dancer 2.30 Fly Home Harry 3.00 Darebin 3.35 Skewiff 4.05 Bally Lagan 4.35 Banditry (nap)
Southwell 2.05 Firmount Gent 2.40 Ringmoylan 3.10 The Hollow Ginge 3.45 Stepover 4.15 Nightfly 4.45 Blue Merlin
Chelmsford 5.45 Couldn’t Could She 6.15 Mutanaqel 6.45 Bath And Tennis 7.15 Diagnostic 7.45 Dhalam 8.15 Titan Goddess 8.45 Marine One
(all times BST)
