There isn’t a great deal of recent form to go on in the 7f claimer at Nancy (5.00pm), and I’m keen to take on Khatoun, who heads the market. He was beaten by Why Chope (who re-opposes, but is poorly drawn in stall 14) on similar terms last time, and this looks a slightly deeper race.
There are a couple of viable alternatives; Cartaojal is unexposed and represents a bang in-form yard, while Why Chope’s stablemate Lagoone Chope is taking a big drop in grade. She could well be the main danger, but at the prices I’m backing Anno.
He gave weight and a beating to a similar field over this course and distance on heavy ground in November, conditions which he gets again today. We can forgive the run on the AW next time, and the absence since late December shouldn’t be an issue, given he was returning from over two months off when scoring here.
Andreas Suborics does really well at this level (10-46 last two seasons) and we have a good draw in stall 2, so double-figure odds look attractive.
5.00pm Nancy – 1pt win Anno @ 10-1 (all firms)
Later on the card, I think Amiata makes a fair bit of appeal in the 1m7f claiming handicap.
She hasn’t run in a claimer of any kind since scoring at Marseille Vivaux in December 2020, since when she has won four handicaps, three of them coming on very soft ground. She had dropped a long way in the weights prior to a runaway success at Bordeaux in March, but this mark is still well within her compass and this ground should bring out the best in her. It has only been a week since her latest run at Marseille Borely, but like many from this yard, she runs a lot (30 starts last year) and her previous successes have come after 15, 11, 12, 11, 5 and 6 days off.
Marano could be a danger. He was claimed after a last-gasp success over 1m4.5f here in a claiming handicap (off a mark of 29.5) in October, when in the care of his only previous trainer, Carmen Bocksai, for whom his record here read 621251.
I thought he ran well enough over this course and distance on his return from six weeks off in mid-March, when looking to kick too soon in front, and I wouldn’t read too much into the run in a conditions race under the lights at Saint-Galmier last time. Given his course form, this may well have been his aim since…and having learned his trade with Julien Phelippon, it would be no surprise if rookie trainer Alexandre Dubreuil likes targeting one.
6.00pm Nancy – 1pt win Amiata @ 13/2 (all firms)
