To say I was frustrated by the run of You Little Beauty for us earlier this week is an understatement. It looked as though she was well backed early in the day with the 25s disappearing and she was as short as 10/1 with a couple of firms. However, by the time of the first show she was available to back at 33/1, eventually going off at 20s. She certainly started like a drifter to 33/1, falling out of the stalls, and after that it was game over. I still believe she has ability, and she will pop up at a price before the season is out.
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| Michael Dods steps Dakota Gold back up to 6f at Ripon. |
Tomorrow the Great St Wilfrid Sprint is the highlight of a nice card at Ripon and I think Dakota Gold could go well for Michael Dods and Connor Beasley. This headstrong 4yo son of Equiano has been poor on his last three starts over 5f this season, with slow starts and wide rides major contributors to his below par performances. He has been struggling to settle too, and I think this step back up to 6f is long overdue.
His best effort this season came when beaten a length by the reliable Soie D’Leau off a mark of 99 over 5f at Thirsk back in May. Once again, he pulled hard in the early stages and in the circumstances he did well to finish so close to the first two. He was beaten 7L on his next start at York, but he was drawn low that day and the high numbers fared way better. He was slowly away and hampered at Newcastle on his penultimate start, and he also wore a hood.
The hood experiment was abandoned last time at Pontefract but it made no difference as he was very free, had no cover and raced widest of all. I think he will relish the step back up to 6f at Ripon and he should be able to get cover from his nice draw in stall 7. His career form figures at further than 5f read 3105221, and that is why I am amazed it has taken Mr. Dods so long to step him back up to this distance. His 5th came behind Accidental Agent incidentally, beaten just 2L and conceding 2lb.
Regular partner Connor Beasley is back in the plate, replacing apprentice Callum Rodriguez who has ridden the last twice. Beasley has been on board for all three of Dakota Gold’s wins, the last of which came at York in July of last year off 87. His run behind Soie D’Leau off 99 shows that his current mark of 91 is well within his capabilities, and at odds of 25/1 he has to be worth chancing each way back at his optimum trip for the first time this season.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: 3.15 RIPON-DAKOTA GOLD E/W @ 25/1 (5 PLACES)
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