Trappy contest for the Over Around Light Special
Only 5 horses have gathered for the only stakes race at Newmarket this weekend. For 3 year old fillies, over 6 furlongs on the dirt, this looks a trappy little spriting contest. Let`s run through the field…
1 – Seven Skies : 8-1 : Francsoir`s stable have made a great start to the year but this filly comes here as outsider of the five runners. Looked a precocious sort early on as a juvenile winning his first 2 starts on turf including a 3/4 length defeat of Celestial Reef who turned out to be a consistent stakes runner. Went on to win the Boomer Belly stakes on his 5th start over 6 furlongs on good turf ground and kept on running very well, without again winning, for the remainder of the year in stakes class. So far as a 3 year old she`s won 2 allowances over 6.5f on turf split by a poor show in the Firey Kitten Bonanza and she switches to dirt for the first time here. It`s difficult to know how she`ll handle the change of surface but she has plenty of speed and, from the inside box, she could`nt be totally ruled out.
2 – Canadian Gold : 7-2 : Smart Touch Gold filly won 4 out of 6 as a 2 year old (all sprinting) who showed her versatilty by taking a dirt and a turf allowance and then topped the year off by taking a small 4 runner Stakes at South Africa. Has`nt quite followed on that form so far this year by running midfield in a couple of Stakes although she was`nt disgraced when 2 3/4 lengths 5th of 12 over 7.5f on turf last time with an 85 sp. Back on dirt here she clearly has a chance against this lot and that is reflected by her 7-2 3rd favourite spot, the main worry is that this is the first time she`s ever raced less than 6.5 furlongs and for that reason she could`nt be a confident selection.
3 – Fusaichi Flame : 6-1 : Drawn in the middle spot is Soho`s daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus. She is another who showed above average form on her first couple of starts at 2 most notably when just getting up to land a hot looking Stakes on only her 2nd ever appearance at Denmark over 5.5f. Not beaten far in the G1 Getaway Stakes next time her form has gradually tailed off and her 2 runs so far this year have been well below par. Coming off a nice lay off she should be fit enough and, if recapturing her best form, she would have a huge chance if ignoring those latest runs.
4 – Rakida`s War : 9-5 : Superbly bred filly by War Chant out of Rakida`s Road, a Grade 1 and 8 time Grade 2/3 winner. This filly had owner Bewitch mystified as she struggled to justify favouritism in her opening races as a juvenile over a mile before coming good, leading all the way, in a maiden towards the back end of last year. Very busy so far this season winning 2 out of 3 allowances and then just touched off on her Stakes debut 2 weeks ago by a decent sort in Kirby`s Thunder. She`s never been under 7 furlongs before but is a classy, improving filly and, provided this does`nt come too soon, should be involved in the finish.
5 – Mrs Focker : 7-5 : Curiously named, comparatively cheaply bred filly and the leading light of Maltese`s stable. Impressive form as a juvenile taking 5 out of 8 of her races including 2 Stakes races the highlight being the Sneaking The Phar Bonanza at Finland over a mile where she beat a very good field. Continued with a hectic schedule this season having had 5 Stakes runs already (1 win, 2 Places, 1 show and a 4th LTO), she clearly thrives on her racing and is the type of filly every owner would like in their squad. Another whos best form has been over further than this 6 furlong trip (she has looked at her best routing) and, considering the frequency of her races, 7-5 looks a short enough price and she may be worth taking on.
Summary – There are question marks about all this field. This will be Mrs Focker`s 6 race in 2 months and the feeling is that the racing will catch up with her sooner rather than later, therefore, it may pay to look for value elsewhere. The same comment applies to Rakida`s war, although to a lesser extent, but she looks like a highly progressive filly and would be no surprise to see her wire this field. Canadian Gold`s win percentage can`t be ignored but she`d be better off with an extra furlong or two. Fusaichi Flame may be an unpopular selection but she has good form if you look back far enough, she comes here off a nice break and may benefit from the likely strong pace. Seven Skies is worth watching out for trying dirt for the first time.