Pourquoi Non is guaranteed one of three places in division and one of the Maiden Stakes over a mile of Lingfield polytrack today, even though Denis Coakley’s charge is drawn widest in stall eleven.
Alright so ‘you can’t beat the draw’ but twice-raced Pourquoi Moi knows his job and raced with zest when a creditable close third to Little Kipling over seven furlongs on this track last month, beaten three-quarters of a length. Oisin Murphy mentioned ‘further’ as more suitable.
Murphy is a positive jockey, he’ll have this Pour Moi colt handy and might just make the running against relatively inexperienced rivals; three are un-raced but all come from ‘fashionable’ yards and so the pre-race betting market needs monitoring.
On the time-handicap we have a ‘safe’ each-way bet and in division two Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned Samaawy has a ‘special’ look judged on an eye-catching turf debut over seven at Leicester last month.
Partnered by contract jockey Paul Hanagan this Alhaarth colt hit the gate, raced strong and bounced into the lead two out; fitness told in the closing stages and Samaawy surrendered three places in the last strides.
Given he was backed into second favouritism he has to be significant and Samaawy looked in need of the run; we know what he’s capable of and improvement is expected.
Similar comments apply to Baydar, half length second to Gershwin over a similar distance at Haydock three weeks ago, and John Gosden-trained Kalkrand, a Godolpin-owned Dubawi colt which shaped well on his Doncaster debut recently in a ‘hot’ race.
The current all-weather two-year-old scene is fascinating, some real ‘beauts’ are figuring and there is, honestly, nowhere else in the world I’d rather be than here, ‘clocking’ them!
Pourquoi Non and Samaawy both look solid places chances and you’re advised to play each-way on the Daily Patent which also includes Annie Salt, one of nine ‘decs’ for the opening nine-runner nursery over five furlongs.
Annie Salts was a heavily-backed favourite over six furlongs twelve days ago, probably failed to stay but this is a weak race and the Michael Meade-trained Zebedee filly must be given another chance; money talks!
SELECTIONS
8.40 Annie Salts
9.10 Pourquoi Non
9.40 Samaawy