Timeform Daily: Sunday September 27, 3:55, Curragh

Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 26 September 2009 / Leave a Comment

Timeform run the rule over a competitive field for the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes...

A field more about potential than achievement in the main, with the once-raced trio of Passion For Gold, Reiteration and St Nicholas Abbey towards the head of the market, the last-named of that group getting the nod after a highly impressive debut. Another to consider is Layali Al Andalus, arguably the form pick, even though he ran poorly on his first foray into group company.

Bobbyscot won at Leopardstown in July in workmanlike fashion and improved when second to Viscount Nelson in a listed race at Tipperary. This is a fair bit tougher still and he's likely to get taken on up front.

Lastofthemohicans is by Galileo and from a good German family, being closely related to a useful seven furlong/one mile winner and half-brother to three more winners. He looks to be on pacemaking duties here, though.

Layali Al Andalus made big strides on his first three starts, winning at Doncaster and Newcastle (readily), before flopping in the Champagne Stakes. He can get back on the up now returned to one mile, though, and is still a smart prospect.

Montecchio is already likely to outstay pedigree (will stay 1m) and has quickly made up into a useful sort, finishing runner-up twice at Leopardstown before scoring at Gowran in June. He has place claims at best in this grade, though.

Passion For Gold is by top US sire Medaglia D´Oro, out of a high-class mare who scored as a 2-y-o, and became another two-year-old winner for the yard after a taking display at Thirsk. He is open to improvement and is an interesting runner.

Reiteration has plenty going for him, being a half-brother to a Grade 1 winner and out of one who won at minor stakes level, whilst he was a good second on his debut. He surely has more to come and is worth his place in this field.

Senior made a decent start when third at the Curragh on debut, behind Reiteration, and seemed to better that in the face of a stiff task when fifth in the National Stakes last time, but he may have been flattered.

St Nicholas Abbey is a son of Montjeu who hails from good middle-distance family and looked a chip off the old block when winning a maiden here in August, easily drawing clear. He should be well up to this level.

Top Spin is from a prolific family, listed class Liss Ard being his most notable sibling, and he shaped better than on his debut when third at Leicester last time. That level of form is a far cry from what's needed here, though.