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All aboard the Lidster bus at Carlisle
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Bluffer can prove the real deal on Bell day
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O'Brien can put her rivals to sleep in Naas Group 3
Quite how Blufferonthebus failed to win at Carlisle on her penultimate start is still a mystery as she quickened readily clear at the distance only to be overhauled late on by Catton Lady.
Her supporters in the in-running market were equally aghast as she hit a low of 1.3, while that level of support was also repeated 48 hours later at Hamilton where she was matched at 1.27 when failing to overhaul Hostelry by half-a-length over the extended mile.
In both instances, she didn't look to do a great deal wrong and the handicappers clearly believe both displays were among her career best efforts, rating both of them as good as she has achieved in a 28-race career.
Admittedly, the fact remains that she didn't get the job done, but she has another opportunity here at a track she likes and the forecast rain won't dampen her chance either so, with her stable in decent nick at present courtesy of a victory for Triple Force and a fine effort from Ubetterseethis, Blufferonthebus is taken to gain an overdue success under Sam James.
Back Blufferonthebus E/W in the 17:25 Carlisle
Joseph O'Brien was probably pleased to see the back of Royal Ascot as runner after runner ran creditably without getting their head in front.
From Al Riffa in the Hardwicke Stakes to Galen in the Wolferton to Nurburgring, Comfort Zone and Leinster who incredibly were second, third and fourth in the Ascot Stakes beaten less than a length-and-a-quarter by Ascending, O'Brien found frustration wherever he turned.
Not that you would ever get a sense of that exasperation from a trainer who is pretty much unflappable in any scenario, dealing with narrow Ascot defeats as if they were ten a penny.
The master of Owning Hill has probably parked last week and is looking forward to Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh where he will no doubt have a massive of runners competing for the biggest prizes.
In the interim, he has two entries in the Group 3 Jannah Rose Stakes with And So To Bed the preferred choice of the duo following a narrow defeat at Gowran earlier this month.
Admittedly, the daughter of Kodiac didn't look the easiest ride that day as she can be keen and she weaved around a little when she hit the front, but both her and stablemate Green Triangle stretched three lengths of Viking Invasion and Dignam who completed a 1-2-3-4 for O'Brien and prices ranging from 11/112.00 to 80/181.00.
The selection appeared like a step up in trip would be within her compass too given her stride frequency, both minimum and maximum, which suggested this trip could induce further improvement.
This is no easy assignment with the lightly-raced Faiyum (data suggests this trip and further will prove ideal) and Gowran maiden winner Darzina in opposition, but the half-sister to the Charlie Appleby-trained Kidmenever is fancied to hit the podium at the very least.
Back And So To Bed E/W in the 18:40 Naas
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