Prixdelahorse Tracker - Doctorino

OSARUS - PRIX RAYMOND MARSAULT

Le Lion D’Angers - 13th August

There was a very early start at Le Lion D’Angers on Thursday as the French Racing Authorities were keen to avoid the worst of the latest heatwave. However, despite a first race going off at 7:52am (UK Time), I was keen to watch this card with interest once I saw that Doctorino had been declared for his 2nd start in the 3-year-old hurdle. He was a debut winner at Clairefontaine for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and was claimed by Davide Satalia for €40,200. Given that he won by 20 lengths despite carrying 69.5 kg on his back, that figure seemed more than fair, but having run the best time figure of any claiming hurdle so far this season, there was more to this performance than just a good horse running in a claimer. Purchased to run for a syndicate that includes a 50% stake from Mbappe Racing, this was a chance to see how his form would stack up and even though he finished 2nd in this morning's race, I think we can remain very positive about this son of Doctor Dino going forwards.

Sent off at 2.0 PMU, he was clear favourite in the market and appeared to be going best of all as they approached the final 1,000m. Racing in a prominent position under Felix de Giles, he made a couple of slight mistakes over the obstacles in the back straight, but still appeared to be the most likely winner as they began the long swing for home. Jumping the 2nd last in front, he looked to be in control as he was brought across to the stands side rail, but he tired in the closing stages and was caught inside the final 50 yards by the fast-finishing Nuncio D’Elipe. He was making his debut for David Cottin and JPH Dubois and it is hard to know from his pedigree what he may go on to achieve. However, with Oceane Launay claiming weight off his back and both the hood and tongue-tie on for his debut, it would suggest that he was ready to run a big race on debut and having conceded 6 kilos to him, I don’t think Doctorino lost anything in defeat, eventually finishing just a length behind him. It was another decent time figure from the 3-year-old, whose dam was a Listed winner over hurdles in the Prix Spumate for Richard Chotard in 2020.

It can be quite hard to get a handle on the Summer hurdles form and how it compares to Auteuil, especially given the heat and the dry conditions that we have been going through. However, Doctorino has run a pair of nice races, with a big weight on his back on both occasions and he looks likely to appreciate some slightly easier conditions later in the year. He isn’t in the same bracket as the likes of Huron Bleu (for what it’s worth I have him at least 15 lbs behind Dominique Bressou’s Prix Aguado winner), but he is one of the better prospects to have come out of the summer meetings and I do expect him to prove that if he is switched to Paris later in the year.