Island Brave worth noting

I don’t know that I shall ever understand what goes on in certain markets and I sit here stunned by the 10/1 about Born To Boogie in the opener at Brighton on Tuesday. Although she clearly needed a seventh furling in a similar six-furling event last week, against these she clearly had a good chance of getting there in time.

To me, she was a 3/1 chance, tops. And yes, the price put me off. The bookmakers were trying to give her away and that always worries me. But how deeply do they, or their advisers, go into the form? Is the higher-class stuff at weekends the only thing that matters now? Frankly, 10/1 was something else, indicating an apparent no-hoper in a race not far above selling standards. Well, she won and it’s in the past but the hurt will linger for a while.

Monday was a happier day when Bambino Lola led and came again in the closing stages at Pontefract. One seldom sees that, which make the pick-up all the sweeter. The first two came ten lengths clear of the field in a six-furlong race and both look capable of winning again. My guess is that Bambino Zola, third in a pretty warm handicap at York, wants to come from just off the pace at a straight track so Ponte was hardly ideal. It’s worth looking back at her fifth at Goodwood as well, because I feel a few winners will come from that race.

Second Step won pretty easily at Newmarket but the price was poor in a four-runner race. He will want a faster pace in the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood, which looks the logical target.

Finally, Withhold routed the opposition in the Northumberland Plate and is clearly Group material. But for the future the one I noted was fifth-placed Island Brave, who was last early and still way out the back down the far side. He kept on well all the way up the straight and the Cesarewitch may be just about right for him.

Ian