Ante-Post Focus

Published 09/09

James Fanshawe continues to hold a high opinion of PINA SONATA, and she may be worth another chance at Group 3 level in the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies' Stakes (3:05, Sunday)  at Doncaster - live on Sky Sports Racing.

The usually-realistic trainer pitched her straight into Group 1 company at Deauville last summer, following maiden and novice wins in April/May, but later reported that she’d endured a bad journey over to France.

She finished last of six in the mud at Sandown on her only subsequent start that campaign and also disappointed in the Princess Elizabeth at Epsom this year after heavy downpours, so hopefully goodish ground here will bring out the best in her.

Her convincing Listed success in the Snowdrop at Kempton on her seasonal reappearance has worked out well, so it was no surprise to see her back in a Group 3 last time at Ascot, where she raced too freely out in front and lost three places inside the final half-furlong to eventually finish fifth.

That was over a mile, hence presumably this drop to seven furlongs, which if successful could set up a possible tilt at the Prix de la Foret - or even back up in trip for the Sun Chariot, for which she was recently given the Group 1 entry.

As an imposing half-sister to the stable’s Group 3 winner Sky Safari, Pina Sonata may yet prove herself capable of scoring in this sort of company at rewarding odds..

Published 08/09

MEZCALA has the tools to put a recent blip behind him back at the scene of his Spring Mile success in the Pertemps Network Handicap (4:15, Saturday) at Doncaster - live on Sky Sports Racing.

Jack Channon’s four-year-old was a decisive winner over course and distance on his seasonal return, impressing with the turn of foot he showed from off the pace in softish ground.

Similar conditions currently prevail on Town Moor but he won’t mind if the forecast for dry, sunny weather is accurate because he went on to prove himself equally adept on quicker surfaces.

Third in another competitive handicap over this trip at Newbury on Lockinge day, he took his form to an even higher level when getting up late under a hold-up ride to land the Buckingham Palace dropped to seven furlongs at Royal Ascot. In doing so, he overcame trouble in running and defied a 9lb higher mark than when starting the campaign. 

A return to Ascot for the International last time just didn’t pan out for him - he was one of a handful who were caught too far back with the way the race unfolded - and given his overall profile and market position that day (started 9-2 second favourite behind Sunday’s York Listed winner Extremely Zain) - he deserves another chance off only 4lb higher than his last winning mark.

Published 24/08

CENTIGRADE warmed up for a possible tilt at the Cambridgeshire Handicap with a better effort than the bare result suggests at York last week, and he looks worth backing at big prices for the first leg of the autumn double.

Ralph Beckett’s lightly raced four-year-old was making a belated handicap debut on the Knavesmire where, despite his relative inexperience, he started a well-backed 5-2 favourite in a 14-strong field over a mile.

On the face of it his never-dangerous sixth was disappointing, but that market support indicates he’s considered well-treated off an opening mark of 102 and there’s encouragement from the manner in which he finished in adverse circumstances the way the race was run.

The trailblazing Mirsky, who went off too hard, set things up perfectly for The Lost King, who sat a sensible second before forging clear two out, while runner-up Bullet Point and third home Spell Master also benefitted from prominent rides.

Centigrade, returning from a nine-week break after a Southwell novice stroll that followed a 20-month absence, had a less straightforward passage, fighting for his head in the early stages under a hold-up ride, wasting energy in the process and caught further back than ideal when the race began in earnest.

Visually he caught the eye, making up a good four or five lengths on the winner in the last couple of furlongs, and the race data backs that up as he recorded the fastest closing splits.

That first handicap experience should stand him in good stead, the extra furlong at Newmarket looks sure to suit and his strong maiden/novice two-year-old form still rates highly in relation to his mark, tying in closely with subsequent Group winners Jonquil and Furthur along with Saturday’s Ebor hero Daiquiri Bay.