Moore seeing more stars?

IT’S fair to say that if Ascot is Frankie Dettori’s favourite track, it might not be Ryan Moore’s this year, King George on Highland Reel aside. He didn’t have the best of times at the Royal Meeting and endured another nightmare on Stargazer for Sir Michael Stoute last Saturday, meeting interference and seemingly taking the troublesome route to the front. The Canford Cliffs colt is better than his fifth place behind New Caledonia when favourite last Saturday.

Suedois surprise?

DAVID O’Meara has quickly gained a reputation as someone who can find a horse from another trainer and improve it. This season Suedois has been another shrewd purchase, somewhat in the same vein as Mondialiste. A five-year-old gelding, he could be the type to hold his form after some younger horses that have been on the go all season tend to tail off in the autumn. Although he hasn’t won, he was second in the Listed Cammidge Trophy on the opening day of the season in April, he has since completed four placings from six runs and his last three runs have been at Group 1 level, never worst than fifth in top-class races such as the Diamond Jubilee, the July Cup and the Haydock Sprint Cup. He is worth keeping an eye on, at home and abroad and could pop up against more fancied rivals before the end of the year.

Born to sire

TO gain a career at stud, most stallions need the evidence of the racecourse to boost their claims.

With Urban Sea as a dam Born To Sea was never going to fully bear that burden.

He would always have appeal by virtue of his parents.

His first run, a win in a listed race on his debut might have paved the way and created premature expectation for much better things.

He never added to that initial success but an Irish Derby placing and the Invincible Spirit-Urban Sea parentage would not put anyone off. By some standards €10,000 might have expensive for just a listed winner but he now looks excellent value when compared to his two half-brothers, Galileo and Sea The Stars.

Perle De La Mer became his fourth individual winner in Ireland or Britain last week and Sea Of Grace, unfortunately missing from action this weekend, looks above average.

Star Of Rory was listedplaced in a decent contest last weekend.

He looks sure to see increased demand for his services next season.

Irish pointers feature well

IT’S the time of year for the attention to the jumping scene and various trainers will talk up or talk down their team for the coming season. Paul Nicholls was one of the first to appear in print this week after reports from his owners day.

There’s no doubt he’ll be as determined as ever to maintain his British title. There seems to be more Irish pointers than in recent seasons in the Ditcheat armoury with winners Give Me A Cooper (Donal Coffey, Athlacca), Topofthegame (Donnchadh Doyle, Belclare), One More Hero (Denis Ahern, Dromahane), Secret Investor (Donnchadh Doyle, Athlacca), Blackwater Bramble (T.J. Nagle Jr. Dromahane) all adding Irish interest to the team.