Epsom’s two-day Derby meeting may have drawn to a close, but there is Classic action in France and Sam King returns with three selections including a fancy in Chantilly’s feature…
Epsom's two-day Derby meeting may have drawn to a close, but there is Classic action in France and Sam King returns with three selections including a fancy in Chantilly's feature.
Aidan O'Brien once again proved why he was the best in the business yesterday when Auguste Rodin bounced back to claim Epsom Derby glory and I'm hoping Continuous can continue his brilliant weekend by taking out the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly (3.05).
The stable could hardly be in any better form at present with a remarkable 41% (13-34) strike-rate over the last fortnight. Yesterday's big race success for Auguste Rodin just shows how the master trainer of Ballydoyle can rejuvenate or improve a horse and I can see Continuous taking a sizeable step forward from his reappearance effort.
He was staying on nicely when third in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York last month and having apparently suffered an interrupted preparation it's hard to imagine he would have been anywhere near ready for that. The form looks solid enough with the runner-up, White Birch, finishing third in yesterday's Epsom Classic and the winner, The Foxes, running well in fifth despite not getting home.
Ryan Moore continues to ride out of his skin, and I'd expect him to get a handy position from stall one. It looks significant enough to me that the Ballydoyle team have chosen this horse as their sole representative. He looks decent value to beat what is admittedly a strong home contingent in the shape of Feed The Flame and Big Rock with proven form on what is likely to be quick ground.
Selection: Continuous – General 9/2
Our second wager also comes from Chantilly and further Irish success could be on the cards with Zarinsk seemingly holding strong claims in the Prix de Sandringham (3.50).
Favourites have won the last four renewals of the Prix de Sandringham and I think the market has got it spot on once more with Ger Lyons' Zarinsk heading the current betting.
The Ger Lyons-trained filly produced a clear career-best when making all to land the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown last month. The form looks to have worked out nicely with the runner-up finishing fourth in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the fifth-place horse filling the third spot in the same event.
Quicker conditions should pose absolutely no issues for this daughter of Kodiac and I'd expect Colin Keane to jump and be positive from a good draw. She tops the RPR with a mark of 124 and another step forward here could see her tough to beat en-route to a Group 1 tilt at something like the Pretty Poly Stakes back on home soil.
Selection: Zarinsk – General 9/4
We head back to the UK for our third and final selection with heads turning to summer jumping action.
Caroline Flyer has had two winners from just three runners over the last 14 days and her good form can carry on courtesy of Cloudy Wednesday in the Jarrold Norwich, Cromer & Wymondham Handicap Chase at Fakenham (3.30).
Good ground looks key to this horse, and he also only seemingly does enough once hitting the front. He doubled his chase tally when winning over slightly further at Huntingdon twelve days ago and a 2lb rise in the weights may well underestimate his chances once more.
Jockey Lewis Stones gets on board again and he's also enjoying a nice run with three winners from six rides over the last two weeks.
The seven-year-old won over further here in February off 1lb higher and with course form another arrow to his bow, it's hard to see him not going close in what looks like a moderate affair.
Selection: Cloudy Wednesday – General 5/2
