Rhys Williams' Tuesday Racing Tips: Genetique overlooked on British debut

Looked open to further improvement in France

Catterick 13:35: Genetique 2pt win 8/1

David O'Meara has had success with purchases from France, most notably Mondialiste, Suedois and Lord Glitters. While Genetique has a long way to go to reach the levels those horses achieved, I think she could prove to be another successful acquisition from France and has a much better chance than the market suggests on her British debut.

She showed a fairly good level of ability as a two-year-old over a mile and 1m2f but after being well beaten on her first start of this year over 1m3f, she was dropped significantly back in trip to race over seven furlongs at Strasbourg. She showed more that day when finishing fourth before a career best over handicap debut at Longchamp over 6½ furlongs.

She travelled with plenty of enthusiasm early on in fifth and was nudged along to make headway about two furlongs out. She got to the front a furlong out and gradually drew clear of her rivals under only gentle encouragement to win by four lengths.

On her final start in France, Genetique's chance was severely affected by the draw as she was drawn widest of all over the same C&D. She was then bumped slightly by the horse next to her coming out of the stalls and she was dropped out in last place. Still in last with two furlongs to go, she ran on strongly in the closing stages to be beaten 2¾ lengths in tenth.

Considering how much was against her that day, it was still a good run from Genetique and both that run and her previous victory suggested that she could be better than her rating.

She was since bought for €35,000 to join David O'Meara and now makes her first start for him after being taken out due to unsuitable ground at Newmarket when it was good to firm. The surprising aspect of that is that her action suggests she doesn't want cut in the ground and she ran well on ground that was quicker than the official description on her last two starts in France so I think that ground may have been fine for her and the good ground today should be ideal.

She should also have a good pace to track given that Street Kid, Captain Cooper and Toussarok could all try to make the running and I think the slight step back up in trip to seven furlongs should be no issue for her.

There is the unknown over whether she will be as at home on this tight track as she was at Longchamp and the unknown over the impact that the first time cheekpieces will have, although for connections to make the switch from the regularly worn blinkers to cheekpieces I expect they have worked her in them and she's gone well.

I'm very surprised that she is now the outsider of the field given the quality of her final two runs in France and that none of her rivals stand out as being particularly well handicapped. Any 5/1 or bigger appeals.