Oh Goodness Me

22-03-2009

Jim Bolger won this race with Alexander Goldrun in 2004, and he fields two this afternoon. Prima Luce looks like the stable's first choice, with Kevin Manning jocked up, but she may struggle under her 3lb penalty on her seasonal debut, and Bolger's other runner, Oh Goodness Me, is more interesting at a much bigger price. We didn't see the daughter of Galileo until August last year, but she was impressive in landing her maiden at Gowran Park in September, and then ended the season on a high by getting to within two lengths of Derby hope Mourayan in a listed race over nine furlongs at Leopardstown in November. It looked for a few strides on the run to the furlong pole as if Oh Goodness Me was going to get the better of the John Oxx horse, but the colt proved to be just too strong inside the final furlong.

Although Oh Goodness Me is by Galileo, she is out of an Indian Ridge mare Coyote, who was essentially a miler, so there is a chance that the drop back down to a mile for today's contest will be in her favour. Three-year-olds receive 15lb from their elders over a mile at this stage of the season, which is a huge concession, and is undoubtedly a significant contributor to the fact that the Classic generation have won five of the last seven renewals of the Park Express. If Oh Goodness Me can continue the progression that she showed last season, she could be a real player at the top table this season. She handles soft ground, and she could go well this afternoon at a decent price. With the dead eight runners, she is an each-way bet.

OH GOODNESS ME WON (SP 12/1)

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