Saturday, 16 June 2012
York Preview
Marco Botti sent out Acclamazing to dead-heat for second in last year's Bond Tyres Trophy and Bartolomeu will try to go one better for the trainer at York on Saturday.
The Footstepsinthesand gelding had done most of his running on the all-weather before putting up a decent performance on turf to finish second to Mince in a competitive six-furlong handicap at Newmarket last time.
Botti said: "He has come out of his race in good form and I was pleased with his performance at Newmarket. He would not want too much rain but I'm happy with him and I think six furlongs is his best trip."
The handler added: "He probably goes into the race with a stronger chance than Acclamazing as that horse was one of the top-weights and he is off 92, a bit off the top. He is progressive and I hope he is a few pounds better than his rating."
Trainer Denis Coakley is praying heavy rain stays away from the Knavesmire ahead of Gabriel's Lad's bid, saying: "He seems in good form. The only thing I would be worried about is if the ground came up soft.
"He's a good-moving horse and I don't think that would suit him. The more rain they have, the worse chance he'll have. I'm sure being drawn 12 will be fine. He needs a bit of cover, so it should be OK. It's great to have Kieren (Fallon). He's as good as anyone.
Roger Charlton reports Priceless Jewel to be in good form but is hoping her relative lack of experience and the ground will not go against her. She showed she could be a progressive filly when making a successful seasonal debut at Kempton, for which the handicapper raised her a total of 9lb.
"She went up initially 6lb and then another 3lb more recently because the form had been franked by the second and the third. Compared to some she's a bit light on experience and I don't really know about the ground if it gets very soft as it is likely to be," he said.
"It's an unknown dimension. She's a good-moving filly and it may not suit her, but in every other way she's in good form."
Charlton believes his other runner, Tioman Legend, will probably handle the cut in the ground, adding: "He might like the ground better because he's by Kyllachy and they seem to like the ground. He ran very well last time behind Mince at Newmarket. It looks an open race as you'd expect."