Huygens

Huygens put in a decent effort to finish third in Friday’s Esher Cup at Sandown. He jinked right coming out if the stalls but with no harm done, Eddie Ahern settled him in around second last, tracking the eventual winner Fallen Idol. He was a little outpaced when they picked up at the top of the home straight, and he had no answer to Fallen Idol’s turn of foot, but he did stay on really nicely to take third, doing his best work inside the final furlong.

This was an encouraging effort from Huygens. Given the pace was steady enough throughout the race, it was probably not to his advantage as he was held up, but he stayed on really well in the closing stages to get to within three lengths of the winner, a St James’s Palace Stakes entry who looks potentially top class.

There were some progressive sorts in behind as well, including Invincible Soul, who was well fancied and well backed. Huygens won a handicap at Kempton off a mark of 84 on his debut this season, and he looked useful as a two-year-old, when he won his maiden at Folkestone last June, a maiden which has produced some nice winners, including the runner-up on the day, Astonishment, who won twice since and was only beaten a length in a listed race at Pontefract at the end of the season. The handicapper has left Huygens on his Sandown mark of 93, which is 9lb higher than the mark off which he won at Kempton on his seasonal debut, but it is a mark off which he will be able to win on this evidence. His pedigree is all sprinting, and he is by St James’s Palace Stakes winner Zafeen, but he gave the impression here that he would benefit from a greater test of stamina.

23rd April 2010