Mustajeeb

18th-Jun-2014

Mustajeeb remains a top class prospect. Second to one of last year’s leading juveniles War Command in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes after winning his maiden at Galway impressively, Dermot Weld’s horse was really impressive in winning the Amethyst Stakes on his debut this term. He came from the rear that day and quickened impressively past useful older horses, coming clear of Brendan Brackan, who was in turn clear of the remainder.

Mustajeeb ran a cracker to finish third in the Irish 2000 Guineas on his only subsequent run. He came clear with Kingman and Shifting Power, the three of them had it between them from the two-furlong pole. He ultimately had no answer to Kingman’s finishing kick, but there was no disgrace in that, as we saw again yesterday in the St James’s Palace Stakes, and it looked like he was getting the better of Shifting Power for second place before he appeared to be out-stayed by that horse for the runner-up spot, but he was clear of the fourth horse.

That form is rock solid. Kingman and Shifting Power finished second and fourth in the 2000 Guineas respectively, and this year’s 2000 Guineas continues to work out ridiculously well. It has now produced the Irish Guineas 1-2, the Derby 1-2, the Dante and French Derby winner, and the St James’s Palace Stakes 1-2-3-4 as well as a Group 3 winner in France. For Mustajeeb to get as close as he did to two of the main protagonists from Newmarket was a huge run.

The faster ground today is a little bit of a concern, but only a little bit. Both his runs this year have been on easy ground, but his Futurity Stakes run last year was on good ground. The drop to seven furlongs could really suit him. He has loads of pace, his pedigree is all seven furlongs, and he appeared to be reaching the end of his stamina limitations in the Irish Guineas. It is significant that Dermot Weld left him in yesterday’s St James’s Palace Stakes until final declarations stage, and that he has chosen to run Mustajeeb here, despite the fact that he had a ready-made Jersey Stakes horse in Alkasser.

MUSTAJEEB WON (ADV 6/1, SP 9/2)

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