Pepsyrock

Pepsyrock ran out a really impressive winner of a Class 3 handicap chase at Sandown on Friday. Cruising under Barry Geraghty throughout, and jumping really well, the rider had only to give him a slight squeeze on landing over the last to encourage the six-year-old to put a distance of ground between himself and his rivals. The race may not have been that strong, and was further weakened by I Hear A Symphony’s tool-downing, but Pepsyrock did it with ease and looked really good in so doing.

Always apparently held in high regard by the Henderson yard since arriving from Guy Macaire, it has taken the son of Video Rock a little while to show signs of achieving his potential. His penultimate run, when he finished second behind Fix The Rib at Kempton, provided a little bit of encouragement, although it was disappointing that he didn’t find as much as it looked like he might. However, Fix The Rib went on to win easily again since that contest, and on last Friday’s evidence, Pepsyrock has improved again.

The thing that was most encouraging about the Sandown run was that Pepsyrock found plenty once Geraghty gave him a squeeze, and left the impression that he had plenty more to give. He probably wouldn’t want to be getting into a scrap and, as such, it may be that small fields will suit him best – his four wins now have been gained in fields of six or less – so he may be better in conditions races now rather than in big field handicaps. It may also be that he is at his best on a flat track, so he could be a rare Henderson runner that is best kept for Aintree rather than going to take on the hill at Cheltenham.

20^th February, 2009