Raine’s Cross

Mentioned here before after he was noted staying on well to take third place behind Monsieur Chevalier over five furlongs in the National Stakes at Sandown in May, Raine’s Cross is worthy of another mention after finishing fast again to take third place in a Class 2 nursery over seven furlongs at Goodwood on Friday. Keen enough through the early stages, Jim Crowley was keen get his horse settled out the back, which he eventually succeeded in doing after about a furlong. However, he was well back in the field, and the pace was no better than fair, not frenetic. Checked in his run a little at the top of the home straight, Crowley managed to get him out to the outside with two furlongs to run, from which point he finished with a flourish. Actually, he and the favourite and eventual winner, Black Snowflake, made their ground together, with the latter just having the jump on Raine’s Cross, but he was in receipt of 5lb from him, so Raine’s Cross actually comes out the better horse even on the book, despite the fact that he was beaten a neck in the end.
Raine’s Cross has been disappointing since Sandown, but there have been mitigating circumstances. He was out of his depth against Canford Cliffs in the Coventry, and then it rained heavily before his only other race at Salisbury, with the result that the ground rode softer than the official description of good, which favoured the winner Dick Turpin, who followed up by winning the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on Friday as well. Raine’s Cross was well suited by stepping up to seven furlongs, and he could even get further if he learned to settle better. All the talk afterwards was about the Godolphin winner, Black Snowflake, but Raine’s Cross is still a horse to have on your side and, from a largely unfashionable yard, he could be under-rated when he next appears.

31st July 2009