I didn't have the time to watch Parachutiste when his race was live, but after watching the replay, my hatred towards Barzalona only increased.
I've said it a number of times: Mikael Barzalona is shocking. He should not be the main man for F-H Graffard, as he is not competent enough. That is two times he has given Parachutiste no chance of winning. If I were Graffard, I'd be getting PC Boudot in as the main jockey, as when he was riding a few years ago, he was the best in France by a mile.
Tilted Kilt was another horse with plenty of experience to blow his chance by being keen. I think it's ridiculous how these animals are running freely when they've run over twenty times. When it happens, the chances of winning are reduced by a high percentage, and when Oisin knew he had nothing left in the tank, he eased him up.
Stolen Kiss 7/2 (1.5pt) – Deauville 3.40
I could be very wrong about this, but surely the three-year-old form isn't anywhere near what Stolen Kiss has produced.
The run in a Royal Ascot Group 1, where he finished fourth by a neck, has to be worthy of him being the favourite for this race. He finished behind an Australian and a Japanese sprinter; both nations are known to have better sprinters than Europe, and then the winner was a 25/1 shock winner, but was unexposed.
That run by Stolen Kiss was a career best by around 8lbs, but he's still a young horse, and he showed that he can rise to the occasion.
On the other hand, True Love and many others in this race have form behind Thesecretadversary. That horse won the Group 1 at Deauville in July, after winning at Royal Ascot. I tipped up True Love at Deauville, and I think she should have won. The winner got an easy time on the front and took advantage of it, and similar comments could be applied to his Royal Ascot win. I don't rate that form at all.
If Stolen Kiss was trained by one of the French powerhouses like Graffard or A & L Fabre, and was owned by the likes of Aga Khan, he'd be half the price with the form he has shown.
Ray Mon Dough 10/3 (1.5pt) – Leicester 4.44
I am surprised to see Ray Mon Dough not installed as the favourite, and to see that he was 5/1 when the market opened makes it even more strange.
I think Ray Mong Dough has the best chance in the race by quite a distance. If you look past his run at Chester, where he didn't run horrendously, then the form from his Lingfield Novice is the best on show. At Chester, he was prominent but weakened towards the end, so I don't think he was at his best. Also, Chester is a very niche track, and it's like marmite; you either love it or hate it.
The run at Lingfield behind Behike is strong form. That horse has since run respectably in a Class 2, and also runs in France today in a Class 1 that he is fancied to run well in.
GambleAware