Oriental Tiger ran on for 4th earlier from what was an almost impossible position. Lynch gave him way too much to do and if he is ridden a little bit closer to the pace next time he will be in the first three.
Tomorrow at Salisbury the opening maiden is a heat with plenty of promising sorts taking their chances. The likes of Hannon, Channon, Stoute and Candy (sounds like a new Walkers Crisps flavour!) are all represented, and their horses are at the head of the market.
The gelding I like here though is Marmajuke Bay, trained by Mark Usher who has been in very good form lately (3 places and a win from last 8 runners). This son of Duke Of Marmalade made a very promising start to his career in what may turn out to be a decent class 4 maiden at Ascot.
He finished 6th that day, and was only a head behind Navajo War Dance who has since gone close in a class 2 conditions event (3rd) and is officially rated 84. That run was even more impressive considering it was Marmajuke Bay's debut and was Navajo's 3rd run.
Marmajuke just got a bit outpaced a furlong or two out, and looked a little bit green too. However,the penny dropped in the closing stages and he stayed on well between a couple of his rivals to just miss out on 5th. It was a lovely first run and he will have learnt an awful lot from it. Mark Usher's 2yo's always come on a lot from their first outings too, so he will have undoubtedly been pleased by what he saw.
He has a nice pedigree too. His dam is related to a heap of winners from 8f-12f, and her dam is a full sister to a dual Group 1 winner. Duke Of Marmalade has a solid start at stud. He has a decent 19% strike rate with 2yos, and a 30% strike rate with his progeny from 7f-9f. Jamie Spencer, who won on his only previous ride for Usher, has been booked and a odds of 33/1 Marmajuke Bay is surely worthy of a little each way interest.
STEVOS' SELECTION: 1.50 SALISBURY MARMAJUKE BAY (E/W) 33/1.
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