Glass Harmonium

Glass Harmonium was weak in the market before the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown on Saturday, but he travelled like the best horse in the race throughout, he made nice ground on the near side to take it up off the well-backed Laaheb just inside the two-furlong pole, despite drifting right across to the rail, then he battled on really tenaciously to hold the late lunge of Redwood. He idled a bit when he hit the front, but the manner in which he found more when he was challenged again by Redwood was impressive. Redwood definitely joined him and may have even gone a nostril up, and it may have been that the Barry Hills horse just didn’t get home on his first run in almost 12 months, but Glass Harmonium had every opportunity to chuck it if he hadn’t fancied it. Also, the time was good, just 0.1secs/furlong slower than standard.

Michael Stoute said afterwards that Glass Harmonium would improve for the run. An impressive winner of the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, it is not unusual for Ballymacoll Stud-owned, Michael Stoute-trained colts to improve from three to four, and this fellow could be knocking on the door of the top middle distance performers this season.

24th April 2010