Starman

12th-May-2021

Art Power has been all the rage for the Duke of York Stakes, especially now that the rains have come.  He may well win, but I think that he is shorter than he should be now.  Oxted was tempting, the market may have over-reacted to the rain for him.  He is at his best on better ground, but he is a top class sprinter and he might get away with the ground today. 

But I prefer Starman at the prices.  Ed Walker’s horse ran in just four races last season, but he won the first three, including a listed race over today’s course and distance.

He was impressive in winning that day.  He travelled well in rear and towards the far side and, while he came under a ride early enough, he picked up well and he kept on impressively to get up and beat Dakota Gold, who had won that race last year, with the pair of them pulling well clear of their rivals.  It was a big performance by a three-year-old, taking on talented older rivals.

You have to forgive him his final run last season in the Champions Sprint Stakes, but that was way up in grade on heavy ground at Ascot at the end of the season.  You can allow him that.

He will have to be good if he is going to win today, he has 6lb to find on ratings with Oxted, but he is progressive, we don’t know how good he could be, and the fact that he put up the best performance of his life over today’s course and distance is a big positive to take into the race.

STARMAN WON (ADV 5/1, SP 5/1)