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GR1 Champion Stakes: Could The Specialist be the value?

The renamed World Pool Moment of the Day Champion Stakes from the Premiers Champion Stakes last year, the race has some repeat runners attempting the extra 200m from the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on July Day.

The race on that day was won by the well drawn Cosmic Speed from the card scratching Proceed. The draws were unkind to Proceed on that day and he would have been the horse to beat in this event with the draw difference, had he run. However, with that in mind, attention is drawn to another runner coming out of that event.

This time around Cosmic Speed (28/10 @ Tuesday 23 July) may have his work cut out for him against a smart horse called The Specialist (8/1). Drawn 13 on that occasion as opposed to 2 and Cosmic Speed drawn 9 this time as opposed to 2 last time out means that a turn around in the form could be in the offing.

This is especially so when one considers the paths they will take to the line this time around, all things being equal. Cosmos Speed beat The Specialist by 3.15 lengths but had a inferior run by just over 1.3 lengths. If one adds the current draw bias into that and the fact that The Specialist was finishing the fastest of anyone over the final 600m as a collective, means that the extra 200m will play into his hands. He is good value at 8/1 needing to make up less than 2 lengths on form. This puts him bang into the race as a runner to seriously consider for the top prize.

Smanga Khumalo retains the ride and could be seeing Grade 1 glory if he is patient like the last time on this MJ Odendaal runner.

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