October 12 – Naas – Fleur De Chine – 89
They went off like the clappers in the listed fillies event and no surprise to see the winner, held up and coming from some way off the pace. Up until this effort, Jessica Harrington’s filly had been out of sorts this season but the addition of the first-time headgear clearly worked and she was able to bounce back to something like her best. Whether she will get these set of circumstances again is open to debate but she clearly is a talented filly when events do drop her way.
October 17 – Haydock – Eternal Force – 83
A competitive mile handicap run at a solid gallop and it produced a taking winner, very much on the up. Good value for his previous success on handicap debut, William Haggas’ inmate followed up in good style at the Merseyside venue and the overall time figure and closing sectionals he posted point towards a horse very much hitting his straps. Seemingly turned inside out since undergoing a gelding op, the son of Dubawi remains one to keep on side for the foreseeable future.
October 18 – Ascot – Trawlerman – 87
No surprise about the result here, only the SP of 5-6 returned on John Gosden’s champion stayer. Dominant in this division all season long, he looked to have this race at his mercy and off a strong pace, he duly delivered the good for the fourth time during the campaign. Seemingly as good as ever, he is in the right hands to go again next season and it will take a good one to lower his colours at the top table, especially with seemingly not much coming through the system.
October 18 – Ascot – Powerful Glory – 85
A day of whacky results, typified by this outcome in the Champion Sprint, the only puzzle was how he was sent off only 200-1!. To say he had done nothing so far this season was an understatement and where he found this level of form from is hard to fathom. That said, there appeared no hard luck stories with too many others and it was yet another result that summed up this division this season.
October 18 – Ascot – Cicero’s Gift – 86
A proper low-draw result, with the far side of the track having a big influence in yet another head scratching set of events. That said, our data did suggest the winner was not a total million – having three of the top eight fastest times – and his victory at Sandown previous suggested he arrived at the Berkshire venue in top form. He also exhibited a decent change of gear to sweep past his field and it is probably unfair to crib him too much. How the likes of Field Of Gold and Rosallion would have fared if they had been better draw is a conversation to be had over a pint or two but we are left with the overall feeling there is on outstanding horse in this division.
October 18 – Ascot – Calandagan – 88
The outstanding race on paper beforehand and it did not disappoint with the winner showing all the class that was on display previously in the King George. The only question to answer was whether the four-year-old would be equally effective over 1m2f but in a strongly run environment, the race could not have panned out any better. One of the world’s best horses between 1m2f and 1m4f, the Japan Cup could next be on the agenda for the son of Gleneagles.