Jockey Alan Johns celebrated his
hundredth winner as a professional when Cap St. Vincent won
the novices’ handicap chase at Ludlow 11 days ago and can make the
long journey north to Musselburgh on Monday worthwhile by winning the
Saltire Festival Handicap Chase (3.00) on the same horse.
A Paul Nicholls’ ‘castoff’, Cap
St. Vincent failed to trouble the judge in four starts over hurdles
for Tim Vaughan last season, but made a promising start to his
chasing career at Southwell in October, finishing third of 14, albeit
beaten 16½ lengths, in a novices’ handicap chase won by stable
companion Chozen, and confirmed that promise last time. An 8lb rise
for his 8-length defeat of previous easy winner Centreofexcellence
looks fair enough and, although the value of that form has yet to
tested, Cap St. Vincent can reasonably be expected to improve again
on just his third start over fences and his eighth in all.
In recent years, Vaughan has invested
heavily in unraced, or lightly raced, young horses and, while Cap St.
Vincent doesn’t have a traditional National Hunt pedigree, he looks
just the type to do well for his new connections. The minimum trip of
2 miles – or 1 mile 7 furlongs and 182 yards, in this case – on
good going, on a sharp track clearly suits the son of top-class miler
Muhtathir and he must have every chance of becoming winner #102 for
Alan Johns, who already has a healthy 2-9 (22%) strike rate in
steeplechases at the East Lothian course.
Selection: Musselburgh 3.00 Cap
St. Vincent to win 6/4
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