John Ingles highlights four horses who should be suited by the heavy ground at Doncaster and Leopardstown on Sunday.
Dame Kiri - 3.10 Leopardstown
Ryan Moore has opted to partner Never Ending Story in the 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and she looks the form pick judged on her third on soft ground in the Prix Marcel Boussac on her final start last year. But whether the shorter trip is in her favour is another matter, whereas the seven furlongs looks sure to suit Ballydoyle stablemate Dame Kiri.
She ran well over a mile last year but blitzed her rivals dropped back to six furlongs when winning a maiden at Naas by ten lengths on her final start. Crucially, that was on heavy ground, and the fact that she evidently handles those conditions very well should stand her in good stead again here. Out of a useful sister to Alice Springs who herself finished third in this race on heavy ground before winning three Group 1 mile races later at three, and by US triple crown winner Justify, Dame Kiri is entitled to improve further back up in trip.
Aleezdancer - 3.20 Doncaster
Fast Company is a sire who gets plenty of winners when the mud is flying and that makes Kevin Ryan’s runner Aleezdancer worth a look in Doncaster’s sprint handicap. Aleezdancer didn’t encounter very soft ground at all last season, though he still won at Ripon on good ground and was a creditable third at York and Ascot under similar conditions later in the year.
However, if you look back at his two-year-old form, his three wins that season at Beverley, Carlisle and Pontefract were also the only three occasions that he has run on soft ground. He certainly looked to relish testing going at two and it will be interesting to see what he can do back on it for the first time since.
Sir Rumi - 3.55 Doncaster
Bad Company is another son of Fast Company and, with a proven record in testing conditions, including a win at Epsom on the last occasion he encountered heavy ground, he looks set to run well under top weight. But Gleneagles has the best strike-rate of any sire on heavy going which points to a big run from his son Sir Rumi trained by Richard Hannon.
He certainly doesn’t need testing conditions as all three of his wins have come on either good or good to firm ground, but he showed he handled heavy ground with a good second on his final start last year which was also at Doncaster. He found only smart three-year-old Israr too good there and can go well again for a stable that’s in form for the start of the turf season.
Aurifodina - 4.20 Leopardstown
Jim Bolger’s smart colt Vocalised went well in the mud, running up a hat-trick in the spring of his three-year-old season under such connections, including in the Greenham at Newbury. His daughter Aurifodina also looks to appreciate some give in the ground, having won nurseries at Naas and Leopardstown last autumn, both times over a mile.
She ran well to finish second in a similar event on soft ground, also at Leopardstown, on her final start despite dropping back to seven furlongs, when keeping on for second behind the Aidan O’Brien filly Delightful. Aurifodina looked to be crying out for a stiffer test last year, so should appreciate the testing conditions stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time.
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.