Desert Sage

Desert Sage ran a really nice race to finish fourth in the Swettenham Stud Stakes at Newbury on Friday. This race has been won by Oaks winner Eswarah and Irish Leger runner-up Clowance in the previous five years, and this looked like a particularly strong renewal. Desert Sage was the first filly off the bridle, the sedate early pace that Fatanah was allowed set didn’t suit her at all, but she did stay on well. This was a good race, the first three, Principal Role, Fatanah and Pollenator, could be very good, and Desert Sage had the useful Hymnsheet behind her in fifth. It was only her second ever run and, according to her trainer Ralph Beckett, she has been slow to come to hand this season, so it is reasonable to expect that she will improve appreciably for it.

14th May 2010