More 2yo’s of interest on Thursday and the bid by Needle Match to be the first Somerville Lodge trained colt to win a Group 3 race in Ireland this century.
Needle Match has been given a break since the impact of a bad draw, fast ground and chasing a fierce early pace proved too much for him in the 2,000 Guineas. He was quietly expected to run well but everything that could go wrong did so and it is no surprise that he has been given plenty of time to recover.
The ground seems likely to remain fast at Leopardstown for the 70,000 Euro Desmond Stakes due off at 6.00pm it has attracted a competitive if not high quality field of 9.
Needle Match has been introduced to the market at 9/2 which is not generous given his lack of experience in terms of ratings he is one of several on 106 behind the 109 rated early favorite Sparan Nua at 11/4. That isn’t a major concern as Needle Match is expected to rate much higher based on his home work.
From a betting prospective the big issue is the fast ground I am slightly surprised he is running , but Haggas must have thought there was a chance Dublin would get some of the rain that engulfed parts of Southern Ireland on Monday but it appears to have been minimal with nothing of significance forecast on Thursday.
If the ground stays fast and he takes his chance I don’t expect Tom Marquand to be hard on him and the run may well become a preparation for future targets when there is more cut in the ground.
No Bet Recommended
2yo’s stay in focus and there are a couple of potential juvenile winners at Newmarket and Brighton.
Fast Performer is the choice of Ceiren Fallon and in what looks a weak race for a Newmarket Novice stakes at 3.30. He can go one better than on his debut at Nottingham when only beaten by Paper View who is now rated 79 after following up in a Ripon Nursery. By Showcasing out of a mare who won twice as a juvenile Fast Performer is bred for speed and is looks ready to be at his best as a 2yo rather than next season, like many of the Somerville Lodge juveniles.
We won’t get rich but a 1pt win Bet is recommended.
Recommended Bet 1pt win Fast Performer 3.30 Newmarket
At Brighton Regalism is the mount of Harry Burns who travelled to Musselburgh last weekend to win on Monhammer ( a former Somerville Lodge inmate) for Linda Perrett. Harry is a key member of the Haggas team and he can get another win on the board the 2yo who he rode on debut at Doncaster. He has to find 3L on that form with The Monkey King, who is also in the line up, but that was the Ralph Beckett trained juvenile’s 2nd run and It is always likely for a Haggas 2yo to improve 7lb to 10lb for their first run.
The form was boosted by the runner up Keep Grating winning a Class 2 Novice at Yarmouth and I expect The Monkey King and Regalism to fight this out. They are drawn in stalls 1 and 2 and with the help of the rail I am expecting Burns to track Rhys Clutterbuck and pounce inside the final furlong.
Haggas has a 100% record with 2yo’s running at the track in August over the past 25 years – it is 4 from 4!
Recommended Bet 1pt win Regalism 3.13 Brighton.
Chrysalis Consortium 
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