No excuses for Precise in the Group 1 at Deauville; she had every chance if good enough.
Ryan Moore had her positioned in the right place at the right time, but she didn't pick up and show a good turn of foot when she needed it. Zeus Olympios finished in second, which was a tad surprising given he beat Holloway Boy last time out, but Rayif was the winner.
Fluorescence did what she had to do at Pontefract. When I saw Kylian leading and going well turning for home, I thought the worst. The front runner did tyre, and Fluorescence picked up the pieces when brought wide, winning quite easily in the end. Edward Bethell's yard have been in very good form in recent times (41% SR), so keep an eye out for his runners.
Ray Mon Dough 5/2 – Windsor 6.55
When you whittle the runners down, you realise that a lot of them are on tough handicap marks, and Ray Mon Dough might still be progressing.
Ray Mon Dough was tipped up last time out at Leicester. Whether he'd have won if the favourite was still running, who knows. What we do know is that he won that race with ease, and he was carrying 9st 11lbs that day. Today, with the penalty to shoulder, he is running with 10st 3lbs on his back. Considering we know that he is capable of carrying big weights against fresher horses, I can't see why he can't do it against exposed horses.
The likes of Under The Twilight, Amazonian Dream and a couple of others are good at this track, but we know what they are all about. Of the ones I've named, Under The Twilight is the one to be wary of. She has been in great form in recent weeks and was unlucky not to win at Glorious Goodwood.
I don't think you can go near Waistcoat. He has been improving over the last twelve months, but whenever he's stepped up to Class 4 company, he has struggled.
Stall 7 will make this tricky for Ray Mon Dough, as it will mean that he has to stay wide, or he'll have to take a sit and hope a passage opens up. In my opinion, if he gets a clear run, he is the one they've got to beat. We don't know what his ceiling is, and based on his four lengths victory last time out, you'd be silly to believe that he hasn't stopped progressing.
GambleAware