Woodbine Mile: Brits can get revenge on Tepin

Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile headlines the card at Canada’s premier track, and has attracted a pair of high-class milers in US-based Tepin and the UK-trained Mutakayyef. Throw in the likes of other European challengers Arod and Mr Owen, along with the smart ex-French performer Full Mast (now based in the States with Bill Mott), and we have a tremendous renewal.

Mark Casse’s five-year-old mare Tepin has carried all before her since taking last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland. Unbeaten in five starts since then, her crowning glory came when shipping to Royal Ascot in June and taking the Queen Anne Stakes, beating Belardo by half a length. Although not her best performance in ratings terms, the fact that Tepin overcame the travelling and a lack of raceday medication, along with a somewhat alien straight mile, ranks it up there as one of her most impressive wins.

While Tepin has Lasix reapplied for this run, William Haggas has opted not to use the anti-bleeding medication on Mutakayyef, who comes here following a career-best effort when third to Postponed in the Juddmonte International at York. Possibly a little unlucky not to finish closer after finding a bit of trouble in running, Mutakkayef is a strong contender, for all that he may be at a slight disadvantage without Lasix. Equally effective at a mile or ten furlongs, this strong-travelling gelding will have no issue dropping back in trip.

The keen-going Arod has struggled to recapture his very smart 2015 form this year, though did hint at a revival last time, finishing third to Lightning Spear in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood. Arod races on Lasix for this assignment, and he does strike as the sort of horse who will benefit from the use of it. He has every chance of being in the shake-up if the medication can help him move a few pounds closer to last year’s best.

In the same ownership as Arod, but trained in France by Francois Rohaut, Mr Owen is back to try and improve on last year’s Woodbine Mile sixth-place finish behind Mondialiste. That effort was probably as good as he is, and it is something of a stretch to see him being good enough to challenge the principals here.

The same comments probably apply to Full Mast, who hasn’t quite recaptured the best of his French form since shipping to the US. Formerly trained by Criquette Head-Maarek, Full Mast’s best French effort came when second to Gleneagles in the 2014 Jean-Luc Lagadere, where he was subsequently awarded the race on the disqualification of the winner. Yet to quite match that effort for Bill Mott, it would be a surprise if his excellent trainer couldn’t get him back to that level at some point, and it is still relatively early days for him Stateside (this just his fourth US start).

It would be something of surprise if any of the others were to seriously challenge for the prize, and this looks to principally lie between Tepin and Mutakayyef, with a narrow vote going to the latter. A gelding operation seems to have been the making of Mutakayyef, and there is a possibility that he may still better the 125 Timeform rating he earned last time. With Tepin receiving no sex allowance here, she will have to be at her very best to deny the UK raider, and at the current prices, Mutakayyef makes most appeal.

The supporting Grade 1 contest on Saturday is the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, which has a quite open look to it. There is little to separate the likes of World Approval, Wake Forest and The Pizza Man on their best form, albeit The Pizza Man does seem to be on the wane somewhat.

From a value perspective, the bet has to be David Simcock’s UK challenger Majeed, who is on the up, and produced a career-best effort when narrowly beaten by Berkshire last time. His trainer knows the time of day too, having taken this race two years ago with Sheikhzayedroad, and Majeed has just the right kind of profile for this contest. With Lasix added, which could perhaps bring about a bit more improvement, Majeed looks to be overpriced at around 9/1.

Recommendations:

Back Majeed in the Northern Dancer (22:34 BST)

Back Mutakayyef in the Woodbine Mile (23:39 BST)