Friday 13th September

[Devasteve]

No prizes for getting yesterday’s winner by default when the selection proved to be the obligatory N/R and I suppose given the circumstances the price was generous. Let’s hope we can get 8 to the post today and that the luck still holds.

Doncaster 17.30 Cl 2 Hcap 129 (94.8) 6.5f gd/fm – 8 Run

Last year – 129 (94.4) gd/sf – 9 ran
Von Blucher 25/1 5-8-8 (87) Dr 10 by 0.05l from Normandy Barriere 8/1 6-8-10 (96) Dr 12
Citron Major 9/1 3-8-8 (91) Dr 8 was 3.3l 3rd

Flavius Titus 4-9-6 (98) Dr 4 (92.5)
03 Aug Cl 2 Hcap (1556/98.6) 6f gd/fm Good 9/1 9-2 15.5l L/27 off 99 – 60.8
raced centre, chased leaders, pushed along halfway, ridden and weakened final furlong
08 Jun Cl 2 Hcap (129/95.5) 8f gd/fm Nwmkt 4/1 9-7 0.25l 1/13 off 95 – 92.5
always prominent, ridden over 1f out, led entering final furlong, hard pressed, held on well
A winner over 7f here as a 3yo, has been lightly raced this year with wins over 6f at Newmarket on his return in April and early June sandwiching a 3rd place finish there in May; just ran badly in the Stewards’ Cup and note he ran badly there on his only other visit the previous year; Doncaster, where he is already a winner over 7f should prove more suitable.
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); course (W); recent outing (41 days); down 1lb (OR);
Minus: up 4lbs (wt);
Verdict: has shown improvement this year, other than Goodwood, and thus ranked a contender to return to form off 3lbs higher than at Newmarket in June.
Citron Major 4-8-12 (90) Dr 1 (86.3)
17 Aug Cl 2 Hcap (467/96.0) 6f sf 18/1 8-9 4l 3/17 off 90 – 86.0
mid-division far side, ridden to chase leaders 2f out, stayed on to dispute lead that side inside final furlong, no impression final 100 yards
05 Aug Cl 3 Hcap (72/87.3) 6f gd/fm Wind 3/1 9-4 0.1l 1/7 off 89 – 86.3
slowly into stride, soon in touch, ridden 2f out, switched left and headway chasing leaders over 1f out, ran on to lead narrowly in bunched finish
Runs off 1lb lower mark than when 3rd in last year’s renewal and twice a winner this term, over 7f at York in May and 6f at Windsor last month; not disgraced when 3rd in the St. Wilfrid at Ripon lto with first-time cheekpieces, form that has been franked by the winner going in again since; runs off the same mark and will carry the same physical weight with jockey again claiming 3lbs, but this looks less competitive than Ripon.
Plus: class (F); going (W); distance (W); course (F); form run lto (27 days);
Minus:
Verdict: yet to win at this level, but a contender
Golden Apollo 5-8-9 (87) Dr 8 (93.4)
07 Sept Cl 2 Hcap (187/92.7) 6f gd/fm Ascot 10/1 8-11 1.4l 4/14 off 87 – 89.2
always prominent, led halfway, ridden and headed final 100 yards, soon no extra
Has run well on a number of occasions this year, as at Ascot lto; however, has not won since his 3yo days and is now running off 8lbs lower than his highest winning mark; must surely return to the winner’s enclosure, but the question is when.
Plus: class (W); going (W); distance (W); course (W); form run lto (6 days); down 2lbs (wt);
Minus: not won since 2017;
Verdict: has the form to be thereabouts, but likely to again find younger horses faster.
Enjazaat 4-9-8 (100) Dr 7 (82.6)
24 Aug List Stks (210/) 6f gd/fm Nwmkt 12/1 9-1 5.2l 7/10 off 100 - ?
dwelt towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, faded inside final furlong
06 Jul Cl 2 Stks (140/) 6f gd/fm Hayd 9/2 9-5 0.5l 2/5 off 100 - ?
last to break, held up, headway on outside 2f out, chased winner from over 1f out, stayed on, always just being held
Not won since 2yo days and gelded between seasons; some improvement in Haydock conditions race in early July, but looked outclassed in listed company at Newmarket last month; only hcap appearances when L/14 at York in July last year on what was final start for the season and when he was 5/8 on his return at Goodwood in May; thus little for me to go on.
Plus: class (F); going (F); distance (W); recent outing (20 days); down in class;
Minus: course (?); up 7lbs (wt); not won since 2017; no hcap win;
Verdict: little to go on and while this is easier than tasks he has faced, hardly a strong contender.

Of the other half of the runners, Medahim makes his first start at less than 7f since his debut back in December 2016 when with Hannon, although he’s almost down to his mark when winning over7f at Goodwood in August last year. Intisaab and Reputation, meanwhile, are likely to find the younger horses a little too swift, while Battered hasn’t seen a race course since February. It’s hard to place Enjazaat with virtually no hcap form but he didn’t exactly thrill in listed company at Newmarket lto and I think I’ll pass. Golden Apollo finds it hard to win, so I guess the frame is the best that he can hope for. So that leaves us with Flavius Titus and Citron Major, of which I have to go for the former forgiving him his run at Goodwood lto, a course he doesn’t seem to like. So it’s Flavius Tutus for me from Citron Major and perhaps Golden Apollo making the frame once more.