Ribchester

15th-Jun-2016

Ribchester was a classy juvenile last year, he finished second in the Gimcrack Stakes, then stepped forward from that to win the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes.

On his debut this season, he looked set to go close in a Group 3 seven-furlong contest at Maisons-Laffitte before he veered sharply to his left. He finished second, but was unsurprisingly disqualified and placed fifth.

His latest run was in the Guineas.  Stepped up to a mile, he was just too keen through the early stages of the race, so it was to his immense credit that he was able to keep on as well as he did to finish third.

The Guineas was decried a little at the time, the first three favourites finished third last, second last and last, but the form has just got stronger and stronger as time has gone on.  The winner Galileo Gold won the St James’s Palace Stakes yesterday, and eighth-placed First Selection finished second in the French Guineas, while sixth-placed Zonderland won a listed race at Sandown.

This seven furlongs could be Ribchester’s ideal trip, and it is significant that Richard Fahey and Godolphin have kept him for the Jersey Stakes since the Guineas.  He should step forward again from his Guineas run, and it looks like he is well-drawn today in stall seven.  Low numbers appeared to have the upper hand on the straight track yesterday, and Ribchester is just two stalls away from likely pace-setter Gifted Master.

RIBCHESTER WON (ADV 8/1, SP 7/1)