Simenon

19th-Jun-2012

Simenon has improved over hurdles since joining Willie Mullins, finishing third to Alderwood and Trifolium in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April, and bettering that effort on his only subsequent start by winning a conditions hurdle at Cork three and a half weeks ago.

He is now rated 144 over hurdles, but he can race here off a mark 2lb lower than when he was last seen on the flat, admittedly when disappointing in the Northumberland Plate last season on his final run for Andrew Balding. He had been quite progressive on the flat before that, finishing third to Times Up in the 2010 November Handicap as a three-year-old from today’s mark of 95 and running well in a mile-and-three-quarter handicap at Goodwood on his first run of last season off a mark of 97.

He has Ascot form, which is always a positive, having finished third in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes as a two-year-old, Willie Mullins’s horses continue in top form at present, the fact that the trainer has booked Ryan Moore is significant, and he has every chance of staying the longer trip as a five-year-old now that he has strengthened up after running over hurdles.

SIMENON WON (ADV 8/1, SP 8/1)

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