Hugh Taylor

Published 9:04, 9.23, 9.33 - all selections online

George Boughey’s Perfect Nation is near the head of the market in the 7f nursery at York (4.45) and rightly so, as he defied a penalty in what looked a good race for the track at Ffos Las last time, has Billy Loughnane on board and holds entries in the Champagne Stakes and the Royal lodge Stakes. However, his presence possibly means that his stable mate MIRZIMAAN is available at bigger odds than might have been the case, and he looks potentially well-handicapped in his own right having not been seen to anything like best effect at Newcastle last time.

He finished second at Newcastle, but in a very messy race he left the impression he would have won comfortably with a clear run, short of room for much of the final 2f and getting going too late.

The most interesting part of his performance was that he finished with a real flourish at this stiff track, leaving the impression he would progress again upped to 7f; indeed, if the field had raced for a further furlong that day, it’s not hard to assume that Mirzimaan would have stretched several lengths clear, and ended up with a mark significantly higher than his current one of 82.

That’s interesting because Mirzimaan’s Pattern entry is in the 6f Mill Reef stakes, whereas Perfect Nation’s two Group Two entries are over 7f and 1m. That might be a reflection of Mirzimaan’s pedigree – he’s closely related to Battaash – but he left the impression at Newcastle that he’s well worth a try over this trip.

I suspect Perfect Nation shows more of the pair at home – he started at 6-4 and 6-5 on his first two starts, compared to 16-1 and 20-1 for Mirzimaan – but although Billy Loughnane has reportedly said he thinks Perfect Nation might be suited by easier ground, Mirzimaan’s sire Mohaather has a very good record with his progeny on ground softer than good.

I think both Boughey horses have live chances, but at the prices this morning, it might be worth siding with Mirzimaan.

There’s an interesting little nursery at Newcastle this evening (7.54), with two or three of these potentially well handicapped, but STAR PEOPLE has shaped very well on his last two starts, won’t be inconvenienced by the drop to 5f, and if the fitting of blinkers doesn’t have a detrimental effect he should go well off what looks a very favourable mark.

Time may show that he did very well to give a real race to debutant Great Oak – who holds four Group Two entries and a Group One engagement – at Ayr on his penultimate start.

Kept to 6ft on his nursery debut at Nottingham last time, he finished a close third and was neck and neck with heavily-backed favourite Mobadir 100 yards from the line in a race that produced a good time figure/sectionals combination.

Star People is able to run off the same mark here, and if the blinkers don’t fire him up too much he should go well.

I wasn’t anticipating selecting CARNIVAL OF LIGHT in the 7f fillies’ handicap at York (5.20), the combination of the return to turf and her wide draw meaning she clearly has the potential to blow out completely, but following her drift this morning the risk/reward ratio looks favourable enough to take a chance on her at fancy odds.

She has been a revelation in her two all-weather starts, and she was value for more than the winning margin when recording a fast time at Wolverhampton last time, going clear before being closed down in the final 100 yards.

There’s clearly a big question mark over whether she can reproduce that form on turf (though plenty of her sire’s progeny act very well on softish ground), and her high draw is another obvious problem, but she has loads of ability and at this morning’s prices she appeals as a win-only, boom-or-bust selection.

HUGH'S BEST BETS (scale 1-5 points)

4.45 YORK

1pt win MIRZIMAAN (11-1 William Hill, Unibet, 10-1 general)

5.20 YORK

1pt win CARNIVAL OF LIGHT (22-1 general)

7.54 NEWCASTLE

1pt win STAR PEOPLE (6-1 general)

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