Sport

Good opportunity for Minds Music

MINDS MUSIC can cap a memorable few days for Henry Cecil and Pat Eddery with victory in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester today

Thu May 09 1996 - 01:00

MINDS MUSIC can cap a memorable few days for Henry Cecil and Pat Eddery with victory in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester today. The former champion trainer and jockey hit the heights last Sunday when Bosra Sham defied injury to give them Classic success in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

But leading Derby hope Dushyantor's win the previous afternoon showed that there are plenty of other good horses for the pair to go to war with this season.

Minds Music will almost certainly figure near the top of the duo's list. He is a late maturing middle distance stayer, just the sort to show improvement as a four year old.

Which makes him an exciting prospect given that he was good enough to finish second to Classic Cliche in the St Leger last September. He had no trouble landing the odds in a Listed event on his final start last term and looks set to make his mark in Group races this season.

READ MORE

Cecil has found the perfect opportunity for Minds Music to land his first pattern race success.

Apollono can reverse a recent trend with success in the Wynn Handicap. Much has been made of the improvement shown by horses switched to join Reg Akehurst but Apollono is set for a successful season after a move away from his Epsom stable to James Fanshawe.

Not that the gelding was a sort for Akehurst he won at Brighton and Epsom last season.

But he looked an improved performer on his reappearance for Fanshawe when second in a limited stakes race back at the Sussex. course last month, leading inside the final furlong until unable to hold off race fit Star Talent.

That effort has been made to. look even better by good efforts from the winner and third placed Jo Maximus since. Yet the handicapper has dropped Appollono 1lb for today's race, in which he will be all the better for his first run of the year.

The gelding should take advantage of such lenient treatment on a course he should handle after proving himself on the switch backs at Brighton and Epsom.

Don Pepe is worth another chance in the Brighton Festival Handicap. He ran too badly to be true when a well backed favourite at Musselburgh last month and a subsequent four weeks lay off suggests all was not well with him.