Maarek may not be the Group One contender he once was but the popular veteran can still successfully bring a touch of quality to Navan’s Wednesday card.
If it appears to be very much an ‘industry day’ fixture there will be no shortage of sentiment around the opening sprint handicap.
Another veteran Bubbly Bellini is going for a 20th career victory but could be trumped by his fellow ten year old, Maarek.
Evanna McCutcheon’s star hasn’t won in over two years but will always be fondly regarded by many for his dramatic Prix de l’Abbaye success in 2013.
The year before he also won the British Champions Sprint Stakes – now a Group One – and although not up to such a level these days Maarek retains plenty of ability as he showed over the course and distance earlier this month.
His old habit of starting slowly unfortunately reared up again but he was running on well to be third in a Listed race to Texas Rock.
Deep ground will be no trouble and the talented Killian Hennessy again takes 5lb off topweight after getting a good tune out of Maarek the last day. Given an adequate break he looks a leading player.
Shane Foley is on board Lone Voice for Ken Condon in the second juvenile maiden and ground conditions shouldn't be an issue based on his promising Gowran debut behind Saracen Knight.
Foley could also strike in the concluding fillies handicap with the mud-loving Rosin Box.
World record
In other news, Saxon Warrior has been backed into as low as 7-4 favourite to give Aidan O’Brien a world record 26th Group One victory of the year in Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.
O’Brien has nominated both the Beresford Stakes winner and The Pentagon as his principal hopes for an eighth success in the final top-flight prize of the British season.
However betting trends appear to favour Saxon Warrior at the top of a market dominated by Irish horses with Jim Bolger’s Verbal Dexterity a best priced 4-1 shot.
Cracksman’s 2017 campaign has already finished on the back of his seven -length Champion Stakes rout at Ascot on Saturday, a performance which looks set to see him end the year as Europe’s top-rated racehorse.
His latest display has earned Cracksman an official handicap mark of 130, 2lbs superior to his Arc-winning stable companion Enable.
“For those who believe this to be a slight on Enable, I believe it is worth pointing out that these figures are a measure of performance rather than a measure of inherent ability,” said the BHA handicapper, Dominic Gardiner-Hill.
“The truth is nobody knows how good Enable is. She just keeps winning. By the same token we don’t know the limits of Cracksman’s ability. It is my opinion that the latter’s performance on Saturday was better than her [Enable’s] efforts in winning the King George and the Arc,” he added.
