Flat racing returns to turf at Doncaster in a week's time, but the climax of the all-weather season takes centre stage today with the sportingbet.com Winter Derby (3.05) at Lingfield Park. John Gosden has his horses in excellent form already - he saddled Mafaaz to win the Kentucky Derby Trial at Kempton Park on Wednesday - and the classy Bronze Cannon can give him another valuable prize.
Touted as a possible for the real thing at Epsom after showing smart form in winning two handicaps at Newmarket early last year, Bronze Cannon instead went to Royal Ascot for the King Edward VII Stakes, finishing a disappointing seventh having been sent off second favourite.
He returned to form after a four-month break when a good third in this grade back at Newmarket and was then unsuited by a slow early pace when only fifth to Yahrab over this course and distance in November.
Twice a winner over a mile on this surface at Kempton Park, he has a good record when fresh and still has the potential to be a cut above these rivals. The booking of champion jockey Ryan Moore, who returned to Britain this week, adds to confidence and Bronze Cannon looks too big at a general 6-1 this morning.
The main threat comes from Premio Loco. Brought along with typical patience by Chris Wall, Premio Loco has been beaten just once in six starts on the all-weather and has looked a class act on his past two starts over a mile here and at Kempton Park. The doubt is whether he will be as effective over this longer trip as, while he is bred to stay, he races keenly and appeared not to last home over a furlong shorter when sixth in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
The sportingbet.com Spring Cup (2.35) has also attracted a good-class field, with Damien taken to come out on top. He showed smart form in going close in valuable sales races at Newmarket and Doncaster before an excellent fourth to Lord Shanakill in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury in September. Sure to have been freshened up by a five-month break since disappointing at Chantilly, he can bounce back to form.
Matsunosuke will appreciate a return to the minimum trip and can add to his excellent course record in the sportingbet.com Hever Sprint Stakes (2.05). He has racked up four wins, a second (in this race 12 months ago) and two thirds in seven starts here and is fancied to prove too strong for the front-running Arganil in the closing stages.
Over jumps at Newbury, Dancingwithbubbles, trained by Alan King, is sure to go close in the EBF Byrne Bros Mares Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final (3.30). She showed smart form in bumpers and has progressed well in three starts since switching to hurdles.
Unsuited by heavy ground on her reappearance, she then found Carole's Legacy just too strong at Ludlow in December before winning in tidy fashion at the same track last time. Weighted to turn the tables on Carole's Legacy, she should be more effective back on better ground and can continue her rise through the ranks.
Source:the times
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