John Of Gaunt Stakes Tips: Pogo Can Bounce To Glory
The headline attraction at Haydock on Saturday afternoon - live on ITV Racing - is the John Of Gaunt Stakes over seven furlongs, a Group 3. Billy Grimshaw has scoured the runners and riders and likes the chances of a course veteran...
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Although Witch Hunter headed the market in here for a long time, I'm not sure that price was ever justified and I'm happy to take him on despite his drift as the day of race market has emerged. He was flattered in my opinion in the Lockinge last time out and I thin with the bags of pace on in here, he will struggle to reel the lot of them in with his customary late charge. One horse I was surprised to see so readily discarded by the odds compilers is Quinalt, the winning machine from last season who began this year with a bit of a wimper.
Look back at his efforts last season, however, and we can see it took him a few goes to really get running to his best and I do anticipate him stripping much fitter here and holding the lead at half way. Whether he can keep hold of it is another question as there are pacey types aplenty in contention, but he should never have been 33/1. Point Lynas only has one way of going and that is like a bat out of hell, so he will presumably be Quinault's main pace rival in the early stages while the new market leader Noble Dynasty one suspects won't be far off them.
Alongside Quinault he was one I was toying with backing earlier in the week, however his price of 7/2 doesn't really excite in a race this deep. Flight Plan needs excusing his Lockinge blowout but could well bounce right back to form and is another who will be up with the pace setters, while Ramazan attempts to go into Group company after a smashing second in the Victoria Cup a month ago. His trainer Richard Fahey could not be in better form and if there is a pace collapse he looks best placed of all to benefit.
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It is tough to rule anyone out with certainty in here, even the old boy Bless Him who could stalk and watch the madness unfold in front of him before coming with his customary late Spencer surge. The downside with him is he does seem to save his best for Ascot, but it'd be no shock to see him nick some place money late on.
My selection is the 2022 winner of this race POGO, who although a winner when going from the front in the past is best when given a strong pace to sit just off. He will certainly get that on Saturday!
One example of his front running not proving perfect is his neck second at this track last time out - a race in which he beat Witch Hunter home - when he got to the lead too soon, ended up in a battle for it with another rival too early and in the end just could not regain himself to reel in the winner. If he can be settled by Kieran Shoemark just off the pace setters here, I think his late finishing kick can prove decisive and providing the battle for the lead doesn't result in them all going far too quick early doors, Pogo at 7/1 looks as reliable an each-way bet as one is likely to find. He'll do for me.
