Bated Breath

Bated Breath put up in a really nice performance to win a six-furlong Class 2 three-year-old handicap at Haydock on Saturday. He travelled like the best horse in the race throughout, just in the slipstream of the leaders, he got a gap when he needed it and he quickened up impressively to win well. Runner-up Little Garcon, who was hampered a little when Confessional moved over in front of him a furlong out, is a decent horse, but he had no answer to Bated Breath’s turn of foot. The time was good, was only a fraction slower than the conditions race for older horses, won by Genki, run a half an hour later over the same course and distance, and Richard Hughes was fairly easy on the son of Dansili inside the final furlong.

Roger Charlton’s colt was winning off a mark of 95 here, the handicapper has raised him 10lb for this, but looks like a listed or Group 3 or even Group 2 class performer now. He is now three for three, he has won at the stiff track that is Pontefract and he has now won at a sharp track as well. He has progressed from his last run – where he came from a wide stall and managed to catch Besty, a winner since, who got first run, the two of them pulling clear – and there is no telling on how good he could be. Connections have indicated that they may go down the heritage handicap route instead of going for a Pattern race, in search of better prize money, and indicated that a long term target is the Sprint Cup back at Haydock next year.

3rd July 2010