Neil Morrice takes a look at five UK dark horses who could impressed at Goodwood recently. Featured here are METAL MERCHANT, BACK SEE DAA, MAKE IT EASY, BLUE ROSE CEN and TRONADOR.
BACK SEE DAA August 1st
BACK SEE DAA appeared to be travelling beautifully well over two out in the Class3 fillies’ handicap over a mile. However her pilot was faced with a wall of rivals and had to sit and suffer until getting room for manoeuvre, but by then the birds had flown. This well regarded individual can show in her next handicap assignment that she’s better than her sixth placing indicates.
MAKE IT EASY August 2nd
Another denied racing real estate at a crucial time was MAKE IT EASY in the fillies’ conditions stakes. Her pilot has walked the track but he made the mistake of allowing his mount to get behind rivals on the rail where he was imprisoned all the way to the line. The result was that Make It Easy didn’t have a race, and her connections can surely prosper from her should they elect to send her down the nursery route.
BLUE ROSE CEN Nassau Stakes, August 3rd
As the winner of the Pouliches (French Guineas) and the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) BLUE ROSE CEN was along with Paddington the most high profile horse on view at this meeting. Her pilot Aurelien Lemaitre in the race fell for the tactical ploy adopted by the other riders that can adveresely effect the judgement of overseas jockeys that are inexperienced at this course. With Ryan Moore on Above The Curve keeping him locked on the fence after the cutaway, Lemaitre had nowhere to go and had to sit and suffer as Al Husn took the spoils. Beaten just a length and a quarter, the Christopher Head-trained Blue Rose Cen would need to be supplemented into the Arc and may now be prepared for the shorter Prix de l’Opera.
METAL MERCHANT August 3rd
While Moore showed his tactical skill in making life difficult for Blue Rose Cen aboard Above The Curve, he was not nearly as effective on METAL MERCHANT who after being ridden from well off the pace met interference on two occasions that ended his hopes of a win. The first problem happened three furlongs out while the combination were again denied racing real estate just inside the distance. Metal Merchant appeared to enjoy the cut in the ground and will be of serious interest when reappearing, as the assessor has dropped him.
TRONADOR August 4th
In the longest race of the week the Gordon Elliott-trained TRONADOR attracted plenty of support. On the instruction of Elliott, who informed Jockey Joe Fanning the horse can’t be rushed, he was held up well off the pace and had the proverbial mountain to climb running down the hill into the relatively short home straight. To his credit Tronador picked up and flashed through beaten rivals to grab third. He was also hampered, and should be tracked to land a decent stayers’ prize later this summer and autumn.
