21st-Jul-2024

Lord Massusus was my starting point in the Minstrel Stakes, he is an old friend and he was very good last time in the Celebration Stakes on Irish Derby weekend when we had him on side.  But he is short now, he is becoming fashionable, and I am just a little worried about the drop back down to seven furlongs.  It may be that a mile is his optimum trip these days.

I am backing Poet Master against him.  You have to forgive him his run in the Listed Spring Trophy at Haydock last time, but that was on the fastest ground that he had ever encountered.  It was too bad a run to be true anyway, so you can allow him that.  It is significant that Karl Burke gave him a break afterwards, and that he is happy to take him over to The Curragh now.  On slightly easier ground, you can be more than hopeful that he will run his race.  

His best performance last season was on his final run, when he was impressive in winning a seven-furlong handicap at Doncaster on good to soft ground.  He continued his progression on his first run this season too, when he won a good handicap at Newmarket’s Craven meeting.

This seven-furlong trip is his trip, he doesn’t have much to find on the top-rated horses on ratings, and he has run just six times, so he has plenty of potential for further progression.  

POET MASTER WON (ADV 4/1, SP 7/2)