Viva Vettori

Viva Vettori was a bit unlucky in a highly competitive seven-furlong handicap at Newmarket on Friday. Drawn in stall one, he travelled well for jockey David Probert on the near side rail, towards the rear of his group. Probert went for a run up the rail two furlongs out, but he met traffic in the form of the Mark Johnston-trained Sailorman, who led the group for most of the way and was just starting to get tired. He never really got into it after that, it wasn’t until inside the final furlong that he got a run and he was staying on well at that stage, giving the impression that he may well have gone fairly close had he got a clearer run.

This was another fairly decent effort in defeat by Viva Vettori, and his time may not be far off now. He kept on well at the end of the Cambridgeshire on his previous start as well, he was only beaten by six lengths in the end, but the return to seven furlongs here probably suited him better. He has rating of 84 now, the handicapper has gradually eased him down, and that mark could be generous, especially given that he was a listed winner at Kempton back in February on his seasonal debut. He has had a long season so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wasn’t seen out again this term, but he would be of significant interest on his first run back next year. His trainer David Elsworth, has said before that he goes very well fresh and he has won well coming back from a long break before. A measure of his ability coming off an absence may be best indicated by that listed win at Kempton, where he had it all to do on official ratings, by giving weight away to horses rated higher than him. He is one to keep an eye on off his current mark for next season.

15th October 2010