Marchand D'Or

Mentioned here after he was a fast-finishing third in the Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly in early June, Marchand D’Or produced another good effort in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last Saturday. Drawn in stall three, he raced in the near side group, and was held up by Davy Bonilla in behind, up against the rail. He was a little short of room as they passed the two-furlong marker, his run was checked, and when he eventually got out he ran on well inside the final furlong to finish sixth in his group. He never troubled the leaders, but was only beaten just under five lengths in the end.

The Mikel Delzangles-trained gelding needs a bit of cut in the ground to be seen at his best, but the feeling remains that he could be as good as he was two years ago for Freddie Head, when he won the July Cup, the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Prix de l'Abbaye. He won a good Group 3 race at Longchamp over an inadequate five furlongs on his debut this season and it just looked as if connections were priming him for something bigger when he was third in the Prix du Gros-Chene last time, his regular rider Davy Bonilla never got serious with him and, despite having to move to the wide outside to get a run, he nearly got up, going down by just a half a length in the end. He probably would have been much closer here had he got a clear run.

Marchand D’Or only moved to his current trainer this year and that seems to have brought him back or got him nearly back to his best. He will be interesting if he goes for a repeat bid in the July Cup or the Prix Maurice de Gheest. Hopefully he will take his chance in the former. If you knew that he was a definite runner in the July Cup, current odds of 25/1 about him would be far too big.

19th June 2010

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