The morning card at Marseille Vivaux looks an inviting one and I have a couple of fancies on the card, but We Love Daisy looks the standout bet to me and is well worth backing on handicap debut (11.35am).
She started her career in a 7f Listed race at Vichy last summer behind Sealiway and she actually ran really well, and would have finished a length or two closer but for some trouble in running in the straight. She didn’t run to that level on her next outing the following month, but she was given a considerate ride that day and finished a staying-on eighth.
Back from over six months off, I thought she ran a very nice race on her seasonal reappearance at Lyon over 1m1f, travelling well and just keeping on at one pace in the home straight, finishing 4L in front of her stablemate Mystery, who won a maiden on her next outing and is now rated 36.5.
Her dual-purpose sire Crossharbour tends to get winners over a trip and the extra furlong, upped to 1m2f, is a plus today for this scopey filly, who looks the type to improve with racing this season. I think the handicapper has taken a real chance putting her in off a mark of 32 and hopefully she can take full advantage.
11.35am Marseille Vivaux – 1pt win We Love Daisy @ 6-1 (Bet365, 11/2 Unibet, Betfred, 5-1 elsewhere)
Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte doesn’t run many at Marseille and he sends Griegos on the long trip along the south coast from his base at Mont-de-Marsan for his first start of the campaign. A triple AW winner in late 2019/early 2020, he was highly tried in two starts on turf and then didn’t quite get the rub of the green in two AW outings at Deauville and Chantilly last autumn.
He returns from a five-month break here, so fitness has to be taken on trust, but it looks a really winnable race and Guillaume Guedj-Gay, who was on board for all three wins just over a year ago, renews the partnership for the first time since.
10.35am Marseille Vivaux – 1pt win Griegos @ 4-1 (all firms)
