Adayar is an obvious selection for the group one Arc de Triomphe over twelve furlongs of forecast ‘very soft’ Parislongchamp today and it’s definitely just a question of whether the Epsom Derby winner is able to cope with adverse underfoot conditions which have deteriorated due to colossal rain in the last week or so. My time-handicap rules decisions!
After romping home on the famous ‘Downs’ Adayar supplemented those colossal Godolphn gains in the ‘aged’ grade one ‘King George’ at Ascot, a feat which hadn’t been achieved for ‘donkeys years’ and particularly meritorious in current climes. The Charlie Applebty-trained Frankel colt, winner three times and second twice from six career starts, ticks a lot more boxes than his illustrious stable-companion Hurricane Lane, eight lengths third to Adam Kirby’s mount in the ‘Worlds greatest horserace’ when the long fella was a dramatic ‘eleventh hour’ replacement.
Ryan Moore is back on board unchallenged Epsom Oaks winner Snowfall, and easy winner at York in August several weeks later but, a surprise flop at Longchamp last month; at this time of year I’m not able to accept excuses for fillies under performing and, despite Aidan O’Brien’s assurances the Deep Impact filly, one of three ‘Ballydoyle’ runners, is dismissed.
Mojo Star, second at Epsom and in the St Leger around Doncaster last month, is my idea of a ‘dark horse’ but at this stage it’s only right I’ll admit to readers my betting on the ‘Arc’ will be token, minute in fact; there are other better, more definitive, propositions elsewhere under National Hunt rules at Kelso and ‘good to soft’ Uttoxeter where Grand Lord is a ‘special’ to land the concluding Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles.
This consistent, hitherto luckless Stuart Edmunds-trained five-year hasn’t been out for 207 days but should be in a totally different league to vastly inferior rivals; he could win half fit which, according to reports of home gallops, will not be the case. One to follow whatever happens.
Another long-time absentee but previous, penalised winner, Hello Judge (175 days!), makes his seasonal debut in a seven-runner Novices’ Hurdle over two miles of the Scottish Borders’ course and is unopposable.
Best not to guess but I’m looking forward to watching great sport on TV and opposing those short-priced Premier division favourites. For profit football betting is in a different league but I’m far from satisfied with the form of my old club Leicester City which takes on much-improved Crystal Palace.
Selections, Kelso, 3.00 Hello Judge; (Parislongchamp, 3.05 Adayar); Uttoxeter, 1.37 Unanswered Prayers (e.w); 5.40 Grand Lord (nap).
Jeffrey Ross, horse-racing correspondent for WMN since 1983 when winning the most prestigious racing journalist award, Sporting Life Naps Table, before winning it a record number of six times collectively in the Racing Post, the current ‘trade’ paper, including 2019