Marshall Jennings can lay down the law
Previously with Richard Hannon, in Britain, where his sole success came in an Epsom maiden, he made his debut for his new yard in very competitive handicap on 2000 Guineas day at the Curragh. Slowly into stride, he made sustained progress along the rails to mount a late challenge but was cut off in his run, and eventually settle for 13th place, not beaten very far, behind Duca Valentois.
He returned to the Curragh last month, for another competitive handicap and, after racing quite keenly in the early stages, finished well to be beaten less than a length behind the same horse.
Today’s race represents an easier opportunity for the three-year-old and, being a son of Lawman, he should cope with underfoot conditions. If jockey Fran Berry can get him settled early, he’ll be very hard to beat. Shes No Joke, who sports blinkers for the first time, can give him most to think about, though the ground could be plenty soft enough for her.
Specific Gravity is long overdue a winning turn, and he can earn it in the opening claimer. The Adrian McGuinness-trained seven-year-old has long been running well without much luck, but this looks there for the taking.
He ran well in defeat behind Vitally Important at Killarney last week and, as that was his first outing since January, he’s entitled to be better for it. With a little progression from that, he’ll take beating.
The obvious danger is Wider World, who was a winner over course and distance on her penultimate start. She was a little disappointing last time out, at Navan, but is relatively unexposed and receives a stone from the selection. She’ll be hard to keep out of the frame.
Hudson’s Bay can take the closing maiden, over a mile and five furlongs. Thomond O’Mara’s gelding was having his first run is just under a year when finishing a creditable third behind Affinisea at Roscommon just a couple of weeks ago, and can be expected to take a step forward from that.
Although it’s irrelevant, to some degree, he had some smart form two seasons ago, including when beaten favourite behind subsequent Epsom Derby winner Ruler Of The World. He had just two outings last seasons, both of which were very respectable, and recent evidence suggests he retains the ability to win a race of this nature.
