It doesn’t look like the strongest renewal of the Group Three Jannah Rose Stakes at Naas on Saturday afternoon and Je Zous has found a nice opportunity to make the breakthrough at this level.
Joseph O’Brien’s charge was beaten at a short enough price when travelling over to Saint-Cloud for a race at this level early last month but should have benefitted from that outing.
It came in very testing conditions and the daughter of Australian sire Zoustar may prefer a much nicer surface now.
She did win in soft ground last season when taking her maiden at Thurles but the stable representative said then it probably wasn’t ideal for her.
Subsequently she ran a cracker to finish second in a Newmarket Listed race, again in heavy ground, and there looks scope for improvement now on better going.
Her mark of 94 sets the standard in this 10-furlong contest and if she runs up to that it’s probably enough to get the job done.
The potential improver in the field is the Ger Lyons-trained Madam Celeste.
She’s a daughter of legendary sire Galileo so should improve for stepping up in trip now having won a Dundalk maiden on her debut last November. This is a significant rise in class though.
Aidan O’Brien saddles Flight Of Fancy, another daughter of Galileo, and she has to be respected despite still being a maiden.
Je Zous has proven herself in stakes company and looks the one to beat on paper.
The following rated race over the same 10-furlong trip has only attracted four runners and Joseph O’Brien-trained Naturally Nimble could prove the pick.
This Too Darn Hot gelding kept on one-paced when behind Norwalk Havoc on his return at Leopardstown last month and that form has worked out well.
The winner went on to follow up at Gowran while the runner-up, Gallantly, scored at Chester the other day.
Stepping up in trip should suit Naturally Nimble now and he is entitled to improve a bit from his comeback run.
It will be interesting to see how Inishmot Prince gets on in the five-furlong handicap on the card.
He has been a big improver on the all-weather over the winter and is now rated 90. He enjoys a 15lb lower mark back on the turf.
SELECTIONS
1.25 Celtic Chieftain
2.00 Inishmot Prince
2.35 Snapdragon
3.05 Only Spoofing
3.40 Eclipse Emerald
4.15 Je Zous (Nap)
4.50 Naturally Nimble (Dbl)
5.25 Red Viburnum
