Weld’s English hot streak bodes well for Olympiad in Cesarewitch

Dermot Weld is a trainer that should be respected when sending horses over from Ireland in 2012 and this fact may make Olympiad a worthy competitor in the Cesarewitch.

Olympiad is currently 12/1 to pass the finishing line first in the 2m2f Newmarket handicap and is particularly lightly raced after just five career starts.

This suggests that he is open to further improvement, even if his breeding does not automatically indicate that a stamina test should be up his street.

He is a son of Epsom Derby winner Galileo and middle distances would seemingly be a better fit based on his pedigree.

However, Olympiad did win a decent staying handicap at York last time, when slightly comprehensively beating a host of battle-hardened, experienced campaigners in this level of company.

This should allow him to step up on that effort and interestingly he has winning form already on both firm and softer ground.

As long as it does not come up too heavy at Newmarket and that the early pace is not blisteringly fast, he has a good a chance as anything off just a 7lb raise from his last winning mark.

Meanwhile, Weld has only sent horses for six races in the UK so far this season and his careful selection strategy has reaped rewards with three victories and another each-way place in this time.

Therefore, given Weld’s cautious nature, he must firmly believe that Olympiad has more than an average chance in the Cesarewitch.

Princess Highway was one of these success stories in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot when handing a six-length beating to The Fugue.

Weld also knows what is required to train a winner of the Cesarewitch as he saddled Vintage Crop to victory in 1992.

All odds and markets correct as of publication