Flying Childers Stakes Tips: Magnum To Force His Way To Glory
A hugely competitive renewal of the Flying Childers Stakes is coming our way on Friday afternoon from Doncaster as Day Two of the St Leger Festival heats up. There are chances aplenty and speed drawn all over the track, but Billy Grimshaw believes there is one horse whose claims stand clear of the rest...
When I first checked the prices for this race I was a smidgen perplexed at the disparity between recent York second and favourite MAGNUM FORCE and his conqueror that day on the Knavesmire Tropical Storm. I'd actually not seen the race in question and was all set to be tipping up last time's winner to confirm the placings as so often we see an unlucky second be over-bet coming into the rematch, but then I watched the race back.
It was laughable how well Magnum Force was travelling while those around him were struggling, cruising into the race like a seasoned pro. It was actually midway in the race that his rider that day noticed the main action of the race was developing on the far side and he had been drawn near, so he exerted plenty of effort (although the horse didn'r show it) to switch and sit at the back of the pack on the far side waiting for gaps to appear.
In the end, he waited a touch to long and the game frontrunner Tropical Storm was given the perfect ride by Oisin Muprhy who had got the fractions absolutely spot on. Nevertheless, it is impossible not to imagine that were Magnum Force drawn on the right side that day he'd have been a cosy winner. Indeed, if Colin Keane had gone for his whip a few strides earlier the result would surely be different.
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This looked a smart race and the way the front two finished clear of the rest over the minimum trip indicates both are perhaps above average, so I could put not one off backing Magnum Force to beat Tropical Storm in a forecast. I'd imagine Keane will track the leader before swooping past and taking the prize back to Ireland for Ger Lyons before this rapid two year old heads away for winter before a group 1 chasing three year old campaign.
Despite my clear admiration for the favourite and my opinion that the York race is the best form on offer, this is no two horse race. Big Evs won this race in style last season for Mick Appleby and while Big Mojo may not be quite as good, he is still a smart sort in his own right and will have been aimed here in the same style Big Evs was by his shrewd team. I expect him to be up with the pace in here, along with the aforementioned Tropical Storm and Aesterius who showed good speed to win last time out at Longchamp.
They may all at first be chasing the blink and you'll miss him Zayer for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle, who has flown out of the gates like a seasoned campaigner on each start so far. Whether he can maintain that pace is another question in this company. There are a host with chances and of course every horse in here is still fairly unexposed, but I'm confident Magnum Force is a top notcher in the making and he rates the Nap of the day.