Seagulls Eleven got the job done in France and managed to win at much larger odds than when he was put up.
Christophe kept it simple, and when he asked for his horse to secure the win, there was only one winner.
I wasn't happy with the ride on Prevalence. The horse was very weak before the start of the race, and the jockey looked like she was all over the place.
I hoped that James Doyle was going to force the pace in the Group 2 Fillies race, and he didn't, and I stand by that it was the wrong decision. The horse stays further, and she was plugging away at the end. She was beaten by her stablemate, so I doubt Paddy Twomey will be too fussed.
Nad Alshiba Green 3/1 (1pt) – Windsor 3.53
Even though I think Trefor is too short in the market, I fully understand why he is the favourite. If he were slightly over 2/1 I'd have been interested, but because he is so short, I think that has created value on Nad Alshiba Green.
Since moving to Clive Cox's yard, she has done little wrong from the two starts. She has been fancied in the market on both occasions, but has found herself getting going too late in her races. As a result, they've decided to chance her over an extra furlong, which could be the correct move.
She has raced over six furlongs a couple of times before, and even though she hasn't won, she is still unexposed and can't be written off. Clive Cox is very good with sprinters, so there's every reason to believe that she can improve for the trip off a handicap mark of 88. She has run to 92 on her last two starts, and if the extra furlong helps, she could easily run to a high 90s rating.
Norman Invasion 4/1 (1pt) – Redcar 2.22
We've seen the Shoemark & Walker combination achieve plenty of success in recent years, and they landed a Group 1 at the Curragh on Sunday. Kieran and Ed team up again with their sole horse at Redcar, and I'll be hoping that the gelding operation since his last run will have unlocked further progression.
I didn't expect to see Romanticizing as the short-priced favourite, well, not as short as he is. The Haggas horse is running against plenty of unexposed horses, who could easily improve. I thought Norman Invasion was worth a chance on his seasonal return as he ran with credit last year, and the form has worked out quite well.
Fitness is always a question mark, but the yard is in good form, and they tend to do alright at this track. The one I'm concerned about is the Saeed Bin Suroor runner. He is a trainer who doesn't get anywhere near enough horses from Godolphin, and he is in great form. If the money arrives for his horse, I'd be very worried.
GambleAware