Bondi Beach

12th-Sep-2015

I am backing Bondi Beach for Saturday’s St Leger.  We had Aidan O’Brien’s horse on side when he was beaten by Storm The Stars in the Great Voltigeur at York last time.  He may have won had he not been carried across the track by the winner, but even on the bare form of that run, even if he was a half a length inferior to Storm The Stars on the day, I would still have him in at a shorter price than William Haggas’ horse for Saturday’s race.  He was racing for just the fourth time in his life, and the first time since June, in the Great Voltigeur, whereas Storm The Stars was racing for the eighth time this season.  Bondi Beach should come on for that run, whereas it is highly unlikely that Storm The Stars will.  Indeed, he has been so busy all season that he could regress for it.

Bondi Beach beat Order Of St George in the Curragh Cup at The Curragh in June over Saturday’s distance, the pair of them coming clear of Forgotten Rules and Panama Hat.  That is high-class staying form, and the Ballydoyle pair could have it between them on Saturday.

Of the two of them, I just prefer Bondi Beach.  The faster ground will be in his favour, and he is more lightly-raced and therefore has more potential for progression.  Indeed, if the ground gets very fast on Saturday, there has to be a small chance that Order Of St George will not run.  It is interesting that he has been left in Sunday’s Irish St Leger.

If you can get some of the 7/2 about Bondi Beach, that is a bonus, but he is a bet in my book at the generally-available 3/1.

BONDI BEACH WON (ADV 3/1, SP 2/1)