Patrick Janssens realises that he is on borrowed time with BGBF British Bred Oaks favourite Fabulous Azurra.
A litter sister to Derby winner Romeo Magico, the Dave Firmager owned and bred blue is looking to defend a title she won at Henlow last August, to add to a portfolio that includes an Empress Stakes and two British Bred Derby titles.
Patrick said: “I think she has a great chance but she isn’t the 2-7 shot that is being quoted in my view. She is probably 4-5 or 4-6. It is a decent race, the six is running well, Kevin’s bitch is improving, and Kim’s two are underrated.”
The dog sized 33 kilo bitch has a strike rate of almost 63% but is now in the veteran stage with her trainer taking things a race at a time.
He said: “At one stage, Dave said he was thinking about retiring her but I asked him to reconsider with this competition in mind. I don’t want to see her running down the field as she gets older, but she is in great form.
“She is due in season at any time and at that stage she will definitely be retired, but the Empress Stakes isn’t far away, so you never know.”
On Saturday night, Patrick has the likely favourite for the XL Windows East Anglian Challenge Grand Final at Yarmouth.
A glance at the SPs and throughout Shado’s career shows how highly he is rated, though a 44% success rate doesn’t equate to his ability. He is the current Oxford 450m and Perry Barr 480m track record holder. He was the fastest hound last year over Yarmouth’s Derby trip (27.33) and was just six spots outside the track record in solo.
Patrick said: “What can I tell you? I don’t know more more than you do as to how he will run. He is in good shape and I would take on any dog in the country over 400 metres in a straight gallop. But how he will run on Saturday, I have no idea.
“He is what he is.”
Also on the same night, Hawkfield Ozark goes from trap one in the first semi final of the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore.
The Laurels winner is an 11-2 chance to win the event with the Pall Mall winner Links Maverick the 2-1 favourite.
Patrick said: “Maverick is exceptional, as far as I am concerned he is currently the best dog in the country. But I think a lot of Ozark who is a real professional and born winner. He might not be as fast as Shado but he will always give you a run. I think he is better than his Pall Mall form; I don’t think he really took to Oxford but he likes Monmore and I fancy him on Saturday.”
“There is no solution. In my view, most of the arguments come about because of bad dogs.”
In typical fashion, the big Belgian gives a very succinct vision of the current seeding debate.
He said: “There are certain exceptions, dogs like Bockos Doomie, Fear Zafonic or Fear No One, who should be ‘double R’ seeded. But in my view, good dogs adapt to trap draws. It has happened many time where a racing manager has been concerned about one of my dogs being badly drawn.
“I remember Deelish Frankie being drawn trap one for the Trainers Championship at Monmore and Tony Williamson being concerned because he had won the Puppy Derby from four. I said, ‘don’t worry, if he doesn’t get the space he won’t move over’. He did, and he won by six lengths.
“Some dogs can adapt better than others. I had Crossfield Dusty who preferred the middle but won from every trap from one to six. But I have others who are middle runners who I would never want to see running from trap five. Lautaro was a middle runner but lost so many races because he kept drawing five and six. Of course many dogs change their styles as they get older and wiser. It isn’t as simple as some people make it out to be.
“If a dog is wrongly seeded though, I would expect a racing manager to stand his ground.”
