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Duntle and Chachamaidee stand out for each-way value

By Tommy Lyons - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The lightly raced and very promising Duntle stands out as a filly with plenty more to give and she represents great each-way value at 6-1 in the closing Sandringham (5.35) fillies’ handicap at Royal Ascot this afternoon.

David Wachman’s three-year-old got a nice introduction to racing when sixth behind Twirl on her debut at Leopardstown last November but she was not seen again until making her return on the all-weather at Dundalk back in April, when she showed marked improvement.

After travelling strongly at the head of affairs that day, she stretched stylishly clear of her rivals, scoring by a massive 18 lengths. It wasn’t a very strong race but third-placed Zariyna went on to win a maiden at Gowran Park on her next start, giving the form a degree of substance.

Stepped up considerably for her return to the turf, Duntle was sent off favourite for the Derrinstown 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, where she finished fourth behind Yellow Rosebud.

One of today’s rivals, Devotion, was a couple of places in front of her there but that one benefited from being ridden with restraint, whereas Duntle was on the pace from the outset and sent for home early - perhaps a little too early.

Those exertions told in the closing stages but not before she showed considerable pace to go clear early in the home straight. She was reeled in by some very useful fillies and the experience at that level is certain to have brought her on again.

She likes to be ridden prominently, which should ensure she suffers no trouble in running in this 18-strong field, and if held onto a little longer here, she could prove very hard to beat.

Richard Fahey’s Lady’s First is the most interesting of the selection's rivals but she's wrong at the weights and that's enough to give her a miss this time. German 1000 Guineas winner Electrelane sets the standard but she has less scope for improvement than Duntle.

Earlier on the card, another filly screams each-way value and in this case it’s the Henry Cecil-trained Chachamaidee in the Windsor Forest Stakes (3.05).

I haven’t always been convinced of her finishing effort but that certainly couldn’t be said of her victory at Lingfield last time, where she came from a most unlikely position to win going away.

That may not have been the strongest of Group 3s but there was some encouragement from the fact that third-placed Dysphonia landed the odds next time, admittedly in a race where conditions were heavily in her favour.

Chachamaidee finished second behind Tommy Stack’s Lolly For Dolly in this race last year. She probably hit the front too early on that occasion, appearing to respond well when passed by the winner in the closing stages.

Today’s renewal is hotter than last year’s but she was runner-up in a Group 1 last year (behind hat-trick recording Sahpresa in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket) and the way she finished at Lingfield on her seasonal debut suggests she may have improved over the winter.

This is almost certain to have been her early-season target for some time and as long as she behaves herself, I find it hard to see her out of the frame.

The obvious danger is the Dermot Weld-trained Emulous, who won the Group 1 Matron Stakes, beating Together and Misty For Me, in Leopardstown on her final start of last season.

She also made a winning seasonal reappearance late last month, beating One Spirit and Alanza, both of whom franked the form by winning next time out.

She looks sure to go close and is entitled to come in for plenty of support, but I’d like to see Chachamaidee ridden to pounce late. If that’s the case, this quirky but very talented lady could spoil the party. At 5-1, the Cecil runner looks strong each-way material.

Trainer Jeremy Noseda loves to target a lightly raced colt at the Jersey Stakes (2.30) and his unbeaten Valbchek looks the right type for the race. He capable of a big run but there’s a huge field (26 runners) and luck-in-running will play too big a part to make him a strong recommendation for the seven-furlong opener.

IrishExaminer.com - Monday, May 20, 2013

Duntle and Chachamaidee stand out for each-way value