9th-Dec-2023

This is obviously very competitive, but I think that Spirit D’Aunou has a big chance.

Gary Moore’s horse was seriously progressive last season as a juvenile, he won four on the bounce, including a competitive juveniles’ contest over today’s course and distance on heavy ground in March.  He rounded off the season by winning easily at Chepstow off a mark of 120.

He is off a mark of 129 now, and he was beaten on his seasonal debut.  But he was very keen through the early stages of that race at Cheltenham, and he got out-paced before keeping on.  Also, he was beaten by Blueking D’Oroux, who won the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle next time and is now rated 148.

Spirit D’Aunou should settle better today with that run under his belt, and in a bigger field. Gary Moore often targets his horses at Sandown, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this has been Spirit D’Aunou’s early season target for a little while.  He is only four and he has the potential to go well beyond the handicap rating of 129 off which he races today.

SPIRIT D’AUNOU WON (ADV 6/1 [R4], SP 4/1)