Purple Moon to rise in Yorkshire Cup
A horse who has not won in his last nine starts, and for over two-and-a-half years, might not rate as the best betting opportunity but the recent form of Purple Moon tells only part of the story.
Purple Moon has missed out on three Group One victories by an aggregate distance of about a length and has an excellent chance of putting the record straight in the Group Two Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup on the final day of York’s Dante meeting.
His last victory came over course and distance, when he won the Ebor Handicap in 2007, since when Purple Moon has finished a half-length second in the Melbourne Cup, a short-head second in the Hong Kong Vase and a short-neck third in the Dubai Sheema Classic.
After that run in the Sheema Classic, Purple Moon was off the track for more than a year and clearly needed the run when he returned in the Group Three John Porter Stakes at Newbury last month, where he finished 12½ lengths seventh to Harbinger.
That run gives Purple Moon the edge over Clowance, who is unlikely to find the fast ground at York to her preference, and Oasis Knight, who has yet to find his form of last year. Manifest, who was second in that race, is having only the fifth run of his life, is open to improvement and rates as a danger. Another is Kite Wood, second in the St Leger last year, if he is ready to do himself justice first time out this season.
Philip Robinson made a belated start to the Flat season, after undergoing surgery on his hip, and he is in hot form with a 40% strike-rate for this month. But he still needs to be on the right horse, like Decorative in the sportingbet.com Fillies’ Stakes.
The filly is open to plenty of improvement after just the one run as a two-year-old when she won a Yarmouth maiden by four lengths, from which the second, third, fifth and sixth all subsequently won.
Clive Brittain won the Langleys Solicitors EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes last year with Misheer and may do so again with Breedj. She did not look quite right in her coat when she was beaten a length on debut at Lingfield but the trainer’s two-year-olds have been in smart form this month with a 50% strike-rate.
Dangerous Midge is the likely market leader for the sportingbet.com Jorvik Stakes but the Brian Meehan yard is still not really firing yet (1-27 this month) and Thin Red Line, trained by Michael Dods (24% strike-rate in May ) can follow up last week’s Chester win.
The main race at Newbury is the Swettenham Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes which may throw up an Oaks filly in Pollenator. Her run in the 1000 Guineas is probably best forgotten as she got the worst of the draw but her form from when she won the May Hill Stakes last year (the runner-up Hibaayeb went on to win the Group One Fillies’ Mile Ascot) looks good enough for this.
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