29th-May-2010

Les Fazzani was interesting at 7/1 when they priced this race up yesterday, even on the forecast good ground, but now with the rain that fell overnight and continues to fall this morning, she is a fair bit over-priced at that in my book.

A high class filly last year, who won a good fillies’ handicap at Leopardstown on Champion Stakes day off a mark of 103 and top weight, and rounded off the season with a good win in a listed race on the all-weather at Kempton, Kevin Ryan’s filly kicked off this campaign most encouragingly, running really well from the front in the Group 3 Huxley Stakes at Chester, and giving best only to Debussy, a classy performer on his day, the pair of them finishing clear of some useful rivals, South Easter and Kings Gambit and Kingdom Of Fife (among them).

The rain had fallen at Chester that morning, which changed the ground to just on the easy side of good, which was just soft enough for Les Fazzani, and enabled her put up a performance that was probably a career-best. The rain has come again, and the step up to a mile and a half from that 10-furlong trip will be in her favour. She finished second in this race last year, and it is probable that Ryan has had it in mind for her again since the start of this season, so it is likely that she will improve for her Chester run. She has a big chance.

I do like Barshiba, she was amazingly courageous in winning last time in a race in which she was messed about a lot, but she may need faster ground than she is going to get today to be at her best. Polly’s Mark is the main danger for me. She was a progressive filly last season, she will handle the ground, and she shaped with a lot of promise behind three top class prospects Harbinger, Manifest and Claremont in a really good Group 3 race at Newbury on her debut this season. At 6/1, she is worth saving on. With Bet365 going 1/4 the odds a place, she is an each-way bet.

LES FAZZANI WON (ADV 7/1, SP 9/2)

POLLY’S MARK 2ND (ADV 6/1, SP 7/2)