Longchamp and Musselburgh Sunday Tips – DS
Longchamp and Musselburgh Sunday Racing Tips
Finally a couple of places on Saturday. Moroder ran a great race, finding just the admirable Kitty’s Light too good. Leigh Roche almost nicked it from the front on Wobwobwob but at least he hung on for 2nd. Bertie’s Wish ran as though something went amiss and Witch Hunter got no run up the inner. Just a couple of e/w bets for tomorrow, Longchamp and Musselburgh Sunday selections are below.
2.50 Longchamp – Prix Ganay (Group 1)
We have top table action in France this weekend and what a race it is. The bookies make it a match between last year’s Arc runner up Vadeni, and last year’s Champion Stakes winner Bay Bridge. Belgian superstar Christophe Soumillon maintains the partnership with Jean-Claude Rouget’s charge and Ryan Moore is booked for Michael Stoute’s horse.
On the form of their last runs they do look the most likely winners on paper, but Bay Bridge lacks a recent run and is 0/1 on ground easier than good to soft. Vadeni won’t have any issues on the ground but he was only 5th on his seasonal reappearance in 2022. Surely all roads lead back to the Arc for him where he’ll try to go one better.
Skewed Market
The market is skewed because of those two horses and, for the reasons outlined above, I am more than happy to take them on with Junko. Trained by master handler Andre Fabre (also runs Place Du Carrousel), this son of Intello will be piping fit having had two runs already this term. The first of those came on the a/w at Chantilly in early March where he laughed at dual G3 winner Monty and Botanik, the runner up in the G1 Hong Kong Vase in December.
The reason this horse is 14/1 is because of his 6th in the Dubai Turf (9f gd) last month. However, not much went right for him. He got squeezed leaving the stalls, which seemed to light him up. He was keen and throwing his head around in the early part of the race and then he also had to make his challenge widest of all. In the closing stages he ran on nicely and all things considered, he did really well to get to within 4.75L of the winner Lord North.
Solid Course Form
Unlike the two market leaders, he has already won at this track. On his last visit he was very unlucky to miss out on victory in a head bobbing finish with Anmaat in a G2 (10f VSft). Fabre’s charge landed a C&D G3 on his third run of last season and I’d imagine he had this race very much in mind for Junko ever since that fine effort behind Anmaat here back in October.
That run in Meydan was the first time in his career that he has finished out of the first three, I think he is more than capable of getting back on track in this contest. Odds of 14/1 look massive and are too big to turn down. Junko is the e/w selection.
Longchamp and Musselburgh Sunday Tip: Junko e/w @ 14/1 nap
6.45 Musselburgh – Sunday Series Sprint Handicap (Class 3)
Our only bet on the Sunday Series card at Musselburgh is in the finale. A field of 16 will go to post for the sprint and I am taking a chance on Edward Cornelius. Trained by Keith Dalgleish, Joe Fanning takes the ride. This 4yo son of Bungle Inthejungle is making his seasonal reappearance. In 2021 he won on his debut in a Novice over this C&D (gd) and on his comeback in 2022 he landed a handicap at Thirsk off 85.
This lad’s form figures first time up read 11 and while he has run well in subsequent races, he has never managed to win. To be fair, he has run some huge races in defeat, like his head 2nd to Rathbone off 89 in July and his 0.75L 3rd off 90 at Sandown in August (5f gd).
Well Handicapped
Dalgleish’s charge makes his return to action off 87 so he is definitely handicapped to win on the form of those Hamilton and Sandown efforts. His record on his first run of seasons gone by is flawless and he’s won on good and soft, so he won’t mind whether it rains or not.
Dalgleish also runs The Thin Blue Line, the mount of Conor Beasley. Joe Fanning has won on him before though so it is a good sign he is on Edward Cornelius instead. His draw in stall 3 is a slight worry but even so, odds of 14/1 are more than big enough to warrant an e/w bet.
