Fareer

Fareer did benefit from a good tactical ride from the front by Richard Hills when he won a listed handicap at York on Thursday, but he didn’t set that slow a pace, the time was good, and he may be under-rated as a result. He may have benefited from racing from the front, the horse that tracked him through, Balcarce Nov, finished second, and the highly talented Rainbow Peak was the only horse to get into it from the back, but Fareer proved here how uncomplicated he was. Always held up in his previous races, he seemed to enjoy being allowed stride on in front, he settled well, and he may improve for these new tactics.

There is also the chance that he will be even better next time if he is allowed settled just behind the leaders. He is classy, and Ed Dunlop thought enough of him even before this race to enter him in the Queen Anne. He is also in the Royal Hunt Cup and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, and he will be of interest whichever race he contests, given that his best performance before this was in the Britannia at last year’s Royal meeting, over the Queen Anne and Hunt Cup course and distance. The handicapper raised him 5lb for this, so a mark of 107 may rule him out of handicaps in the future, but he is classy enough and progressive enough to step up in grade again now.

13th May 2010