Preferred Power to take the Crown
This race is one of those anomalies that springs up occasionally, here we are in the middle of October and we have a graded race that excludes the sophomores. The race is to be run over 10 furlongs on turf and with four G1 races over 12 furlongs fresh in the mind it will be interesting to see what quality we have in store for us this Saturday.
1. WORLDWEARY parakeet 15/1
(Sunday Silence x Fappiano x Lyphard)
This mare ran 7th in the 1000 Guineas a couple of years ago and subsequently has had training problems where she only had one start for a couple of years. Connections have brought her back and now campaign her over middle distances where she has managed a couple of allowance wins. She looks like a miler that is being stretched out to me and I would be surprised if she were able to mount a serious challenge here.
2. BULLOCKS gosome 19/1
(Kayf Tara x Grand Lodge x Caerleon)
This guy’s whole career seems to be based on a couple of promising runs he had in mid-summer as a sophomore last year. Since then, connections have persevered with him at graded level when all the evidence shows he is not up to it. He is badly in need of a confidence-boosting win if his career is to move forward.
3. PROSPER NIJINSKY blaster2 14/1
(Prosper Fager x Nijinsky x Round Table)
Spent much of his career in the sprinting ranks until connections woke up to the fact that they had a middle-distance horse on their hands. His best performances have come on a rain-softened surface and his trainer must be spitting blood that the expected rain hasn’t arrived. Without the rain I can’t see this one being in the shake up.
4. SWAMPY STURM tmica 39/1
(Dynaformer x Roberto x Graustark)
In a race of this nature you expect to see gnarled old veterans lining up at the start. This one is the exception to the rule, with only 5 runs incorporating 3 wins, the last 2 in allowance class. He deserves the opportunity to take this step up and I feel will run a lot better than his starting price suggests. Not one to take lightly.
5. NEALE DANIHER ceres 7/2
(Danehill x Sir Tristram x Sadler’s Wells)
Connections of this guy must be feeling the exact opposite to Prosper Nijinsky’s trainer. If the expected rain had arrived then you could virtually put a line through the hopes of this one being victorious. As it is, the race will be run on a firm track and it gives the son of Danehill an opportunity of gaining his first graded win. He has the unenviable record of running second in no less than six graded races! Ranked 19 in the division, he is one of the leading lights over this distance and is the one most likely to push the favorite to the line.
6. ROIDAZOID aaihr 9/1
(Theatrical x Affirmed x Northfields)
Ran second to favorite, Preferred Power, in a weak-looking Judgemont International-G1 and then subsequently won a listed event over 2 miles by 4 lengths. Comes back after an anonymous showing in the Coalminer Cup-G1 to possibly his best distance on Saturday. I would be mildly surprised if he could turn the tables on the favorite but looks booked for a piece of the purse.
7. FLAWLESS relaunch 18/1
(Louis Quartorze x Machiavellian x Foolish Pleasure)
33 runs and still eligible for a nw2x allowance race should tell the story for this former claimer. He had a nice win over the distance in a restricted allowance race 3 runs back and probably may benefit for a little further but a G3 race is a little over his head at this point.
8. KYOGLE TIGER kyogle 5/1
(Mt. Livermore x Storm Cat x Cryptoclearance)
This guy looks a nailed-on miler to me. A wonderful 2nd in the Queen Sam-G2 to Orange Swirl was followed by a mid-division finish in the Turf Invaders Stakes-G1 over 9 furlongs. The final furlong here will see him back-pedaling faster than a clown in a circus ring.
9. PREFERRED POWER dshock 3/1
(Pulpit x Unbridled x Halo)
The favorite and likely winner. This guy is in the form of his life at present with his first G1 success followed up by a gutsy second in the deepest G1 field for the past few months in the Man Of War Stakes-G1 to Sunnybank Memorial. There were mutterings that he would be aimed at next week’s Breeder’s Bowl Turf but connections have obviously resigned themselves to the fact that he would be unlikely to draw into that event. They probably have a more able representative in that race anyway! Could this guy kick off a memorable 2 weeks for his owner.
10. SADLER’S PYE bmoney 6/1
(Brocco x Sadler’s Wells x Jade Hunter)
The first of 2 runners for connections, this mare is a G1 winner against her own sex over this distance and is no pushover against the boys either. Her best performance in open company was her 3rd in last year’s Royally Modest Cup-G1 and she boasts a G2 win this year in Japan. She probably needed the run last time after a layoff so should be primed for a big run on Saturday. Will go close.
11. EQUESTRIAN ORDER jakplummer 5/1
(Cahill Road x Green Desert x Broad Brush)
The Sydney Derby-G1 winner of 2 years ago, that was his only graded victory and begs the question, is he still up to this standard? A 2nd in the Florida Turf-G3 to Preferred Power last time proves he is, but it’s a tough ask to reverse the form with a 6 month layoff. More than likely to need the run and may be better next time
My Picks:
1. Preferred Power
2. Neale Daniher
3. Sadler’s Pye
4. Roidazoid.