Man Of Action runs in the 1.45 Ascot, where he is the class/form horse, top on both the basic and the time-based ability ratings, and suited by course, distance, going etc. He is also, in a useful term of Lee's, ultra consistent, one of the "winner in the race" characteristics.
The only point of concern is the rise in class - from 91 to 312 - and whether the reservation VDW had about Billet in relation to the 1988 Northern Dancer, "reaching a bit high", should be cautionary. I'm inclined to think not, this is by no means an unrealistic target for a decent 3yo, and see Man Of Action as just about as a good a 3yo handicap class/form horse as one will find. Obviously with a number of relatively unexposed and potentially progressive rivals, some of whom have run well in high class (eg Greyfriarschorista, 3rd in a class 623, but at 40/1; Side Glance, 5th in a class 648 at 8/1), others may prove better, but on the necessarily limited evidence one usually has with 3yos, a bet for me at or above the Post's forecast price of 2/1.
