This counts as shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, but clearly we need to pay close attention when Oisin Murphy rides something other than the horse he was expected to be on. Until Saturday he was the regular rider of Tamfana, who ran in the Lockinge, and Sunway, who was in the Aston Park, but he got off both of those for horses with less obvious chances and won both races.
Seemingly, he pledged himself to Lead Artist when he was expecting Tamfana to go elsewhere. Then he declined to change his plans when the filly was committed to Newbury, which turned out to be a fine decision.
Lead Artist had been last of eight on his previous start and had 13 lengths to make on Dancing Gemini but, as the late John McCririck would have said, “They knew!” The Lockinge winner shortened from 16-1 to an SP of 17-2 and looked a much-improved performer as he rallied past Dancing Gemini in the closing stages.
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