Robbie Wilders' play of the day at Epsom

Qitaal
3.20 Epsom
2pts win

Qitaal15:20 Epsom

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Jky: Joe Fanning Tnr: Charlie Johnston

Qitaal has an unusual but compelling profile. He won a back-end Nottingham maiden for Mark Johnston in 2021 before changing hands for 220,000gns and, after racing only once for new connections in Ireland, found himself back with the Johnstons for a cut-price 4,000gns last July.

Charlie Johnston has had to be patient with Qitaal as we didn't see him again until last month at Doncaster, but that approach is evidently bearing fruit. Joe Fanning seemed to have everything covered a long way out as his mount defied a market drift to saunter home for a smooth victory. It was money superbly spent. 

While the bounce factor is always a concern when assessing horses with Qitaal's profile, a 30-day break should have provided him with sufficient time to overcome those exertions, and Johnston's quotes in the aftermath of the Donny success are a giveaway that much bigger things are expected of this horse down the line.

He rates a good bet to defy a 6lb higher mark before potentially taking up his entry in the big handicap on 2,000 Guineas day at Newmarket next month, a race for which he would likely need a rise in the weights to get into. 

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