Prixdelahorse Tracker - Mississipi

I’ll always try to focus on the Racing in the Provinces on a Monday morning before I get stuck into the analysis of the Auteuil card. With that in mind, the first piece this week will look at the winner of the 4-year-old AQPS race at Durtal, the Prix de la Touchardiere. This meeting was certainly run on some of the quickest ground that we have seen so far this season, with an official going description of “Bon Souple” and a 3,4 reading on the penetrometer. Those conditions probably help to explain why so many of this field were still in contention as they came into the home straight for the 2nd time. However, under a very cute ride from Arnaud Bourgeais, I thought that MISSISSIPI was very eye-catching for Louisa Carberry in the colours of Lord Daresbury and he probably won with a lot more in hand than the winning margin (a neck) would suggest. Having sat on the outside of the field around 3 lengths behind the early leaders, he was shaken up as they reached the 400m pole and responded to his rider’s urgings to get his head to the front. His action would look to suggest that this is about as lively as he would want the ground to be, but I liked his attitude in the closing stages and although the field finished in a bit of a heap behind him and one or two, most notably the 6th placed Mascaret de Loire were slightly short of room, I have no doubt that he was the best horse in the race.

A 4-year-old gelding by Tunis (Sire of Kawaboomga and Kiss Will) and his Dam (Oranie Jolie) was a Listed winner over hurdles. This is the family of JP McManus’ Jagwar, trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero and so there is a chance that he may have his suitors in the UK and Ireland, especially given that the same connections have already sold Majisco from the AQPS ranks this year. The runner-up on Sunday, Mistral Roque, had run a decent race on his debut at Fontainebleau last month and the 3rd placed Miskia had been quite eye-catching when chasing home one of her stablemates at Saumur. The winning time was slightly faster than the thoroughbred race won by Alhena 30 minutes earlier and I think this race should work out as a decent piece of AQPS form. With that in mind and the firm view that the best horse won the race, I think Mississipi is worth making note of.