GASP HIS CHANCE
PETER O’HEHIR
TRUST Gasper de Lemos to bounce back from a lacklustre seasonal debut effort in Newmarket by taking today’s listed Yeats Stakes in Navan.
The Justify colt strikes me as a dour stayer, so this step-up to a mile and five furlongs should bring improvement as he bids for a stakes-race breakthrough.
An eye-catcher when fourth to stable-companion Chief Little Rock on his debut in Leopardstown last August, he took a step forward to land a sevenfurlong Curragh maiden in late September, staying on powerfully to beat Taraj
(ran well in the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial last Sunday) by three lengths.
Sent straight into Group 3 company, he then proved no match for Godolphin colt Arabian Crown, now a leading Derby contender, in the Zetland at Newmarket.
And most people would have been underwhelmed by his return to action, in the Fielden, at the same venue last month.
Then, Gasper De Lemos missed the kick, tried to get into contention with two furlongs to race, but appeared to get tired and had to settle for sixth place behind Jayarebe, beaten almost seven lengths.
That outing should have brought him forward and, having run over 10 furlongs as a juvenile, today’s extra yardage should play to his strengths.
Wayne Lordan might dictate things today, or take a lead from stablecompanion The Equator, conqueror of subsequent scorer Ortelius in a Leopardstown maiden last time, and make full use of the selection’s stamina.
The Equator is a threat in his own right, along with Bellezza, winner of her maiden in Leopardstown at two and fifth to Ezeliya in the Salsabil here on her seasonal debut, and Birdman, a surprise winner on debut in Cork, form boosted by the third Highbury at Leopardstown on Sunday.