I am afraid Elzaa didn’t try a yard at Gowran on Tuesday and
I knew after a furlong that our goose was cooked. She raced way more
prominently than usual and it was no surprise to see her fall away in the
closing stages. She is best when held up but obviously Tuesday wasn’t the plan
if the tactics that were employed were anything to go by. To add injury to
insult McAllister had a winner the following night with Bien Chase at
Fairyhouse. Racing really tests the patience at times, and this week is a good
example.
 |
| David Menuisier's horses are coming back into form. |
Still, I will soldier on and I am convinced that once the
tide turns the winners will flow. Hopefully our luck changes with Friday’s
fancy, a 33/1 shot who comes from a yard that is returning from a very quiet
spell. Regular readers will be aware of the high regard in which I hold French born trainer David
Menuisier, and I remain convinced that his stable star Contrapposto has a
big day in him after a couple of woeful efforts earlier this season.
I don’t have a line into the yard, but Menuisier has had
very few runners in the last couple of months and that would suggest that
perhaps his horses haven’t been healthy. He had no runner from the 20th of May
until the 1st of July, but the break seems to have worked the oracle as both
horses that have run since have gone close. Kevin Stott was beaten
just half a length on Havre De Paix’s half brother Corpus Chorister last week
and Pat Dobbs will be kicking himself for getting beat by the same distance on
Thundering Blue at Epsom on Thursday night.
Meunisier’s string are obviously over whatever was ailing
them and he has a trio of runners tomorrow that all look to have live chances.
Stott has been booked to ride Havre De Paix in a rated race at Doncaster and
the 5yo daughter of Le Havre looks a big price at 33/1 in an open looking heat.
This mare is officially rated 90, and with a 3lb sex allowance she looks well
treated getting weight from all of her male rivals.
She was actually rated as high as 97 after a cracking effort
in a Listed heat at Chantilly last October (9f soft) but a couple of well below
par efforts back in April and May of this year saw her rating fall to 90. Her
sole win came in a Chelmsford maiden (8f) in March of last year on her seasonal
comeback, and she has shown her very best form at around 8f or 9f on easy
ground. However, she was beaten just half a length in a decent Newmarket maiden
on debut (7f gd/fm) so she won’t mind the ground at Doncaster and her half
brother is a quick ground winner too.
She is a mare that is at her best when able to dictate and I
am hoping that she bounces out of stall 7 and is sent straight to the front by
Kevin Stott. Sun Lover is another possible front runner but he was held up last
time so hopefully he is again and Havre De Paix gets a soft lead. If she does I think she will
make a very bold bid, and with her stamina guaranteed she could be hard to peg
back if she poaches a lead of a few lengths before they head into the last
couple of furlongs. Menuisier will be keen to get a winner on the board after
his quiet spell and at odds of 33/1 hopefully Havre De Paix can end the drought.
STEVOS’ SELECTION:
15.35-DONCASTER: HAVRE DE PAIX E/W @ 33/1
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