Orthodox and many others in the race at Deauville struggled, but the winner looked like a superstar.
They all sat off the leader, who was intended to be a pacemaker. The problem was that the leader didn't come back to them, but the winner showed an immense turn of foot, which the others lacked.
I cursed Havana Anna by saying that it would be a miracle if anything outside of the top four won. That happened, and Havana Anna traded around 4/6 in running when she looked to be giving her effort. She didn't do as well as they thought and finished fourth.
River Wharfe 11/4 – Brighton 4.30
As far as Class 6 handicaps go, this is one of the worst I've ever seen. The majority of the horses have been running in classified races in recent times, which gives River Wharfe a good chance.
He has struggled in handicaps, but considering the depth of this handicap, his form from classified races at Brighton on his last starts sets the standard. He won, and then a day later he finished a length behind the winner in third. Given that he only had 24 hours to recover, it was still a very solid effort, and it shows that he has a liking for the venue.
Tony Carroll has given River Wharfe a couple of weeks to recharge his batteries, and I think the odds for him winning this race are very fair. If the same level of horse turns up that turned up at the start of the month, he should be going very close.
Superstorm 9/2 – Brighton 5.00
If Nautical Sky wasn't having his stable debut for James Owen, he'd be a much larger price. It's a scary prospect of going against the favourite, as the trainer does very well with new recruits, and Fallon comes to Brighton for one ride.
However, Superstorm looks far too big a price for Charlie Fellowes. He won last time out over the course and distance, and has only gone up 2lbs for that win. With that win under his belt, more progress could be on the horizon, and he looks an attractive bet at 9/2.
The rest of the field are mostly exposed or out of form. Superstorm is still only a three-year-old, and gets a decent 5lb claimer in the saddle. The jockey mainly rides for Scott Dixon, who has a runner in this race, but Mortensen has opted for Superstorm. He rode both horses in this race, but clearly thinks that Superstorm has the better chance.
GambleAware