A maiden over 6f on GD-FM going with a field of six colts.
Mark Johnston's Step In Time took a good while to get motoring at Haydock but ran an encouraging race and is likely to improve today. This colt by Giant's Causeway was relatively short priced which adds to his chances and a decent run is expected here. The form of that race has given rather mixed signals with Kylladdie winning a poor race at Ripon while Reeds Bay was comprehensively beaten at Newcastle. However, I can see this juvenile improving a good deal and battling away as is usually expected of a Johnston runner.
Running Mate featured in the second division of that Haydock maiden and looked the weaker of the two maidens, although the times were similar. Gosden's two-year-old was very well backed that day and travelled with ease for most of the race before being run out of it by a late charge at the finish. It's possible this colt by Acclamation may have needed the run. A number of Gosden's juveniles have followed this trait in previous seasons.
Fanstatic Prince didn't show too much sparkle on debut. He's Invincible was a costly purchase at 120,000eur. It makes me wonder if Dettori had the choice of of rides and favoured Cole's today, which wouldn't speak well for the Meehan runner. His juveniles are usually better for the run.
Tiradito has been a relatively short price on both starts and after showing a touch of promise at Yarmouth disappointed at Salisbury. This is a difficult horses to assess as it could just be the case that it has ability. Unless this colt is a speculative price (which it won't be) I wouldn't consider its chances and take a watching brief. It has too many question marks for its own good and may disappoint again. There will be no excuses today.
This may not be a straightforward race.
A watching race.
Race review: 'An intriguing race that is difficult to fathom. They set off at a pretty modest pace and a number of these were pulling and took time to settle, especially the winner, Step In Time, and Tiradito. Mark Johnston's victor is a good-looking colt (as were the whole field to be fair), always travelled well and was seemingly held by Cole's Fantastic Prince who probably lost the race by wandering away from the whip in the final furlong. Running Mate had every chance and was given a very easy ride by Fortune, simply being pushed out. Tiradito is difficult to weigh up. He pulled hard for a couple of furlongs and then ran about, and is a very awkward ride, before running on well in the final furlong to suggest that he may have won over further. Rumool ran well on debut, too. It is difficult to know whether this was a god race or not. They were a good-looking bunch so it may be the case that all have a chance of going on from this. The jury is out at the minute.'
