Robbie Wilders' play of the day at Pontefract
Maxident
2.45 Pontefract
David Egan has made a fine start to life as Kia Joorabchian’s number one rider and the good times can continue with his mount Maxident taken to do the business in Pontefract’s Jamaican Flight Handicap (2.45) over a stamina-sapping 2m2f trip.
Maxident was thrown into the Group 2 Long Distance Cup at Ascot on his final start at three despite only holding a BHA rating of 79 going into that. While he was beaten 45 lengths into seventh and fell short behind top-class stayers Kyprios and Trawlerman, that does not tell the full story as he shaped much better than the result.
The Dominic Ffrench Davis-trained four-year-old set a fierce and unsustainable gallop under apprentice Owen Lewis, who was unable to utilise his 7lb claim that day anyway, and he began to fade around four furlongs out as everything in behind was off the bridle.
Backing up the visual impression that Maxident went too hard was the fact the Long Distance Cup was much the best relative time on a Champions Day card that was as always packed with some of the most talented horses in the business, and with the handicapper keeping him on the same mark, it is only a matter of time before he collects a decent staying handicap.
The ground at Ascot was changed to soft immediately after that race and Pontefract’s surface will be similarly testing, if not more so. That will be no concern for Maxident, who strolled to a 50-length success at Leicester on his debut and sole run on heavy going.
Egan’s sole ride of the day at the northern track can be a winning one for an in-form team who were responsible for 33-1 Lincoln winner Mr Professor recently.
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