Astrophysical Jet

Astrophysical Jet was most impressive in winning the five-furlong handicap, the last race at Newmarket on Thursday. She travelled really well in the van, upsides Lenny Bee and Crimea, who are both fast, but she always had their measure, she was on the bridle until the furlong pole, it was just a case of whether or not she would find as much as it looked like she had in the locker when Graham Gibbons went for her, and she did, she quickened up really impressively when she met the rising ground to put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Five Star Junior ran on well on the near side, but he was never getting anywhere near her. The form is strong enough, Five Star Junior and third-placed Invincible Lad are useful, and they had some decent sprinters like Sohraab and Lenny Bee well behind, and the time was the fastest of the day by a fair way, just 0.12secs/furlong slower than standard.

A daughter of Dubawi, Astrophysical Jet is only three, this was just her seventh ever race, and she hadn’t won since she won on her racecourse debut at Nottingham last August, but she had run really well until the furlong pole in the Reg Griffin Trophy at York on her previous run over six furlongs. This was her first run over five furlongs, and she seemed to really benefit from dropping down in trip. She can progress again from this now if kept to the minimum trip, and she showed so much pace and travelled so easily that even a fast five at York or Epsom should suit her well. She was running here off a mark of 93, but that could seriously under-estimate her ability, she could be very good indeed, she could be Group class over five furlongs, and a tilt at the Nunthorpe would not be the craziest idea in the world.

8th July 2010