Pevensey

The other horse to take out of the 12-furlong heritage handicap at Ascot on Saturday, as well as the winner Opinion Poll, was fourth-placed Pevensey. John Quinn’s gelding was settled well out the back in the early stages – he couldn’t go the early dash and then got caught in behind runners as they settled down – on a day when it proved difficult to come from too far back. Stone last of the 19 runners as they began the turn for home but still travelling well, he stayed on really well despite being forced to race widest of all up the home straight to take fourth place.

Pevensey has now run 60 times, he doesn’t have too many secrets from anybody, but he is in good form now and that is key. He won nicely at Catterick on his last start before Ascot, and that was his first win since he won the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot in 2007. The handicapper raised him 6lb for that win, but the mark of 93 off which he raced on Saturday is still 2lb below the mark off which he raced when he finished second to Night Crescendo in the same race last year. He does like Ascot, but he has run well at Ayr and at Newbury before as well, the long home straights at those tracks play to his strengths. He was well backed on Saturday, so he was obviously in good form going into the race. The handicapper has left him on a mark of 93, and he will be interesting is he runs again on the flat on turf (he doesn’t seem to be at his best on artificial surfaces) before the end of the season.

4th October, 2009