The There You Are Grade III Preview

In a big race day in Japan, 11 runners will contest the $750,000 The There You Are, to be run over 9 furlongs on turf. The race has attracted several top liners, and with a mix of front runners and back markers, it should be an even run affair. INFINITE BLING(KY) will be sent out the clear cut morning line favourite, just ahead of four runners sitting on the second line of betting, which shows this should be a toughly contested and close race.

PP1 SHIMMERING LIGHT(IRE) (MANDURO x HENNESSY x SHIRLEY HEIGHTS(GB)) cocoabeach 8/1
Scratch-bred 4yo who has been stabled in Japan for his last 2 starts, and again will return to the track where his best result was scored back in May, when he was successful in the Grade II Kinsho Kho Classic over a mile and a quarter, running a career high SP 114. His most recent start was a drop back in grade to a NW3n Allowance where he met a considerably strong field and finished in third place with an SP 105. He again finished in third place two starts back here when he lost ground throughout to finish a disappointing third with an SP 100. The last time he was dropped back to Allowance company, he followed it up with his best result to date, and his last time out over 9 furlongs resulted in a 4 length win and an SP 107. Can’t be ruled out.

PP2 SISSON’S STORMELLO(KY) (STORM CAT x SADLER’S WELLS x OPEN FORUM) taztiger 11/1
The drop back in distance by one furlong might be the key to getting this 4yo into the winner’s circle of a stakes race, having failed in two recent attempts over 10 and 10 ½ furlongs. He had a fantastic few months in the first half of the year, stringing together 3 successful allowance victories over distances between 10 to 14 furlongs. The best SP he managed during those wins was a 107. Deserving a shot at a stakes following such an impressive spell, he went around in the ROCKS DON’T ROLL(IRE) Stakes, but managed to beat just one home. He backed that disappointment up with another one, in the Prince Red Stakes, where he settled at the back of the field and failed to pass a single runner. Last start he was back to his best, easily accounting for an open allowance field, again over 10 furlongs. Gets another chance here, where he will be hoping the drop back in distance can see him match his career best SP 112, which he managed over the same journey.

PP3 LAST ONE HMMM(AUS) (DANE FEVER x VAGUELY NOBLE x GREY DAWN II) mogulaxius 6/1
Picked up in a maiden claimer at just his 3rd start, this bold front runner has gradually improved throughout his career, coming here with a record of 10 wins from his 20 starts. Most recently, he led the field in the Grade III The Farley, but faded for a midfield finish, beaten over 11 lengths. Had greater success at his previous 2 starts, where he firstly destroyed a field of 6 with an all the way win to score by 2 lengths in a listed stakes, and then followed it up with a similar story at this track, when he opened up a lead by as much as 8 lengths, before going on to score by 1 ¾. Has run SPs over 100 at his last 8 starts, and his career best of 115 would be enough to see him highly competitive here. Should be in it for a long way.

PP4 INFINITE BLING(KY) (MEDAGLIA D’ORO x KRIS S. x DANEHILL) lennystc 9/2
The second top ranked classic turf colt in the sim comes here off of a competitive effort in the Breeder’s Bowl Mile, where he met a couple that were a little too quick on the day, finishing in 4th place with an SP of 111. Before that he was again finishing strongly, but just fell short in the Usain Bolt Grade II in New York. He scored victory in the Boston Derby before that, clocking a career best SP of 115 over the mile and one eighth, which he will run again here. Was a winner of the French 1000 Guineas back in May and then followed that with victory in the Grade III The Moussac in June, both over a mile. Will be likely to get back worse than midfield and be finishing off strongly, and will be very hard to beat.

PP5 TAO JONES(KY) (DYNAFORMER x GONE WEST x NORTHERN DANCER) twinoaks 20/1
The super stables bring this 3yo up a steep rise in class here, having gone from winning NW3L and then NW4L only a few starts ago. He won both of those races convincingly enough to indicate he was ready to step up to stakes company, which he did at his last start against open company in the Metallic Sheba Special over 9 furlongs, where he managed to finish in third place. Has only broken the triple figure SP barrier one time, and will certainly face his toughest test here, but his record is good over this distance and is one on the improve who could surprise with a forward showing at odds.

PP6 GAVOTTE(KY) (GRAND SLAM x SINGSPIEL(IRE) x BE MY GUEST) tcrowell 8/1
Got back and failed to fire last time out in the Grade II Emirates in New South Wales, when he beat only two home. Before that he closed in solidly, but was still well beaten in the Echo Gordon Challenge Stakes. Was at his best three starts ago in the Grade II Jack The Man Stakes at Deauville in France, when he stormed home from the outside gate to win by a length with an SP 108. That was his first win in a stakes race of either listed or graded class in his career, after having previously finished on the board in 4 graded races. It was also his first win for over 12 months, which shows how despite his class, he always seems to run into one just a little better. His last two starts have been a little disappointing, failing to reach an SP of 100 both times, so he will be looking to bounce back to his best here.

PP7 PLEASANTLY BBOR(KY) (PLEASANTLY PERFECT x AWESOME AGAIN x KINGMAMBO) italst4 11/1
Picked up as a 2k claimer 2 years ago, this 5yo has brought much more success than new trainer, East Coast stables, could have wished for. The switch to turf and the step up in distance garnered immediate results, taking him from a midfield finish in a 2k claimer with an SP of 79, to a commanding win in a Grade III with an SP 109 in just 4 starts. Since then he has mixed his form, adding another stakes victory to his name, but more recently, doing better in allowances. Last start he stalked the early lead, but then weakened in the stretch to manage 4th place, with an SP 100 in the NEEDLE SAL Special. Before that, his other most recent tries in stakes fields saw him finish 3rd with an SP 98 in THE STREET(IRE) Memorial, and also a 7th with an SP 89 in the Grade III The Ormond Stakes. Will need a lift to figure here, but has proven himself in this class, and is due for a big run.

PP8 THE OIL RULES ALL(KY) (UNBRIDLED’S SONG x SEATTLE SLEW x NORTHERN DANCER) tao 9/1
A string of Grade I victories in the first half of last year saw this 5yo build up a career prize money pool of almost $5 million. Then, after his victory in the Queens’ Spring Cup in Hong Kong, he went through a barren period, failing to win a race for 15 months and eventually having to be dropped back into restricted allowance class to get him back into some winning form. 5 starts ago, he finally showed a glimpse of the class that saw him build up such distinctive credentials, with a smashing victory in an allowance, coming from the tail of the field to win going away by 3 lengths. Two starts later and he won the Classic Sky Stakes over 11 furlongs by almost 3 lengths. He made ground but never threatened two starts ago in the Grade II Carlton Fisk Handicap when 4th of a field of 6, but then last time out he was back to his best, with a last to first victory in the Grade III Harry Potter. He is building momentum after a long run of outs, and is a certain danger again.

PP9 DYNA IN DUBAI (DYNAFORMER x HALO x NEARCTIC) desperado 6/1
5yo veteran of 42 career starts, who won the Grade II The Dishpan in Paris convincingly back in May over 9 furlongs by 3 lengths. He then struck a patch of poor form after that, when he beat only 2 runners home here in the Grade II Kakarazuka Tinen Cup, was then beaten by almost 15 lengths in the Grade I Eddie O Cap, and again a poor run in the Grade II The Bernie Baruch in Upper New York. Trainer, desperado, dropped him back to an allowance race two starts ago to get him back into form, with immediate results, starting favourite and winning easily. Last time out he was back up in class to the Grade III The Farley, where he managed to beat all but one home in a career best SP of 112. Likely to take up a worse than midfield position, and if he can run up to his last start again here, should be able to figure in the finish.

PP10 DEVIL’S FLAG(KY) (GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x DAMASCUS x HOIST THE FLAG) checkmate1 6/1
Had gone the whole of 2010 without a win to his name up until two starts ago, when he was dropped back to a mile after having been raced predominantly over 10 furlongs plus. The change up saw immediate results, with a runaway 2 ½ length win in a restricted allowance, with an SP of 109. The shake up saw him step up to a listed stakes last time out, and again he impressed, this time going down after a bold front running display, finishing second with an SP 110. Was placed in Grade I company, and won in Grade II company as a 3yo, but hasn’t been able to bring those sort of results into his 4yo campaign yet, but the drop in distance seems to have ignited him. Is likely to go forward and be in the first 2 on settling, and could be in it for a long way.

PP11 MIND MOTION(AUS) (SPINNING WORLD x A.P. INDY x RAISE A NATIVE) wfstables1 6/1
Lightly raced 4yo, with just 15 career starts to his name, and winner of 7 of those, including the Grade I The Woody Ford back in May. He followed that impressive win with a worse than midfield finish in the Grade I The Prince of Whales. He was then 5th in the Eddie O Cap, beaten 10 lengths. Two starts ago he was again no threat, finishing 7th, and beaten almost 9 lengths in the Grade II The Bernie Baruch. In what may have been his last chance before a drop in grade was on the cards, he went out last start here in Japan in the Grade II The Main Oak and after settling back as far as 11 lengths from the lead, he charged home late to finish 2nd with an SP 109. A similar story would see him go close again, and obviously likes this track. Another chance, in an open race.

Best of luck to all trainers!