4:05 – Ascot – JOHN GUEST BROWN JACK STAKES (HANDICAP) (CLASS 2) (3yo+ 0-100) Good To Firm 2m
Montaser won on his last start at Haydock back in May over 1 mile 4 furlongs and was going better the further they went suggesting that stepping up to 2 miles today presents him with an excellent opportunity to win again. The 3 year old bay colt has only had five career starts to date so is definitely unexposed and until his performances say otherwise is still improving.
Montaser is the only 3 year old in the race today and as such receives big chunks of weight from the rest of the field due to his weight for age allowance. He gets 10lbs off the duel purpose Kangaroo Court and up to 25lbs off the top weighted Hurricane Higgins. He has had three runs so far this season resulting in one win, which was his last run at Haydock. He evidently likes to hear his hooves rattling on the Good to Firm going as on the two occasions he has run in the going he has won and he has Good to Firm ground today.
As an early foal, Montaser was born on 3rd February, he should have matured enough to take on the older horses as we approach August. His sire, Rail Link is a good president to look at as he won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as a 3 year old and if he has passed on the genes of his super-sire father Dansili, Montaser should have no problem getting the 2 mile trip today.
There is a lot more to come from Montaser and he was declared to run at Ascot over 2 miles last week, but was withdrawn when the ground came up soft. Conditions now are very much in his favour and his connections will be looking at bigger prizes down the road with the Cesarewitch a possible longer term target. The race he won at Haydock has only had four renewals so far but both Opinion Poll and Brown Panther have won the race before going on to much better things. Montaser could possibly be good enough to join them and given his weight for age allowance could well take this Class 2 event today.
