Swiss Diva can prove she’s a top performer

Jun 13 2009 by Paul Cunningham, The Journal

THE moment of truth beckons for Swiss Diva when she appears on the big stage at York today.

Is she a talented performer or a bit of a prima donna? David Elsworth’s filly puts her reputation on the line in the £100,000 Reg Griffin Memorial Trophy and the jury is still out as to whether she has what it takes to make her presence felt in an ultra-competitive three-year-old handicap sprint.

There were signs of temperament last time we saw her at Newmarket, where she gave the impression she was keeping something up her sleeve when questions were asked.

Admittedly, she didn’t help her cause by pulling hard early on after missing the break and met with some interference at the other end of her performance. When the curtain came down, however, she was only in third place and had failed to justify favouritism. I am prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt as she had shaped with plenty of promise before that.

While Swiss Diva may have her quirks, the ability seems to be there and, fingers crossed, the mood takes her to reveal all to the betting public.

Favourite Girl should have her conditions to play to her strengths as well, while Proclaim has earned his place at the top of the handicap with three successful appearances already this season. He broke the track record at Doncaster a fortnight ago and looks capable of further improvement to remain competitive with another ratings rise. Alan King, better known as a jumping trainer, still does well with his Flat campaigners and Manyriverstocross is worthy of serious consideration for the Queen Mother’s Cup. Although he hasn’t tackled two miles yet, he holds a Northumberland Plate entry, and stamina seems to be his strongest point.

Proven over today’s shorter trip, he came in for plenty of support on his Goodwood reappearance and ran a sound race in third behind Red Merlin. He shouldn’t be far away. Dunaskin isn’t easy to win with these days and failed to maintain the gallop on his last visit in claiming company when lit up by a first-time visor. The headgear is off this time. His front-running style is suited to York where he has winning form over a shorter distance. I expect him to make it a true stamina test, lead the field for a long way, and set it up nicely for Manyriverstocross.

It’s only a matter of time before City Dancer clicks in this country following her arrival from Ireland. She has performed admirably in all her starts for Alan Berry and can demonstrate she is better than her form figures by making the successful step up into Listed company at Sandown in the Agfa Healthcare Scurry Stakes.

Adorn, fourth in last year’s Cheveley Park Stakes, is sure to have come on for her promising seasonal debut at Haydock and looks the pick of the opposition. Northern Quest, sidelined since injuring a hock in a fall at Hexham in May, 2008, made his comeback in the same event this time round and, despite a lack of fluency with his jumping, made the running until headed going to the last and faded into fourth.

The outing should not be lost on him and he makes some appeal for the Haden Young Ltd Handicap Chase on his return to the Yarridge Heights.

Although Run Forest Run has already won a couple of races for Karen McLintock, I think there is more to come and he can defy a career-high mark in the Hay & Kilner Handicap Hurdle.