25th-May-2013

Chigun isn’t a massive price for this, but I would have had her in as clear favourite, and she is worth backing at 11/4.

She is just a really talented filly who progressed significantly towards the end of last season, and appears to have continued that progression on the evidence of her debut this term.

That was in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket on Guineas weekend, when she ran a cracker to go down by just a short head to the useful Dank. She was keener than ideal through the early stages of that race, she hit the front probably too early on the near side, and she just failed to get up the hill in front of Dank, who raced out in the centre of the track – her early exertions probably taking their toll in the final 50 yards – and the pair of them clear of the talented Thistle Bird.

Chigun should come on for that run. She shouldn’t be as free through the early stages of today’s race now that the freshness has been knocked out of her. It is significant that Henry Cecil is taking her over to The Curragh, he doesn’t send his horses over here that often, and when he does it is usually for a Group 1 race. It is also significant that Tom Queally is coming over to ride her when he could have gone to Goodwood to ride Stipulate and Noble Mission in listed races. Also, with so much good racing in Britain today, he would surely have been able to pick up good rides at Goodwood. At The Curragh, he has picked up just a 20/1 shot in the Greenlands Stakes.

Caponata is obviously a danger, she is a talented filly, but I still think that she is at her best when she can get her toe in just a little. Conditions just might be a little fast for her today.

CHIGUN WON (ADV 11/4 [R4]), SP 11/8)