Galaxy Rock

Galaxy Rock impressed in his first-time blinkers when hacking up in a three-mile beginners’ chase at Ffos Las on Sunday. His jumping soon took him up to join the pace-setting Cool Mission after the second; he was always travelling powerfully, and ultimately did not have to work hard at all to secure the victory. He was heavily eased in the closing stages so the official winning margin of six lengths does no justice to the manner of this victory.

He stayed the trip well and he handled the very testing ground. He and Mortimer’s Cross came clear and Mortimer’s Cross tired so badly that he got caught for second place by Flight Leader, who had been 25 lengths behind him jumping the third last. Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding should be better on better ground though as he had failed to win on his six previous tries on officially soft going (he did start at 20/1 or bigger on four of those occasions though) and he could be one for a decent staying handicap chase now. This was only his third chase, and the first time that he has completed. For all of that, bar a slightly slow jump at the second last down the back and a scare at the last, his jumping was very good, much the best of the field. He seems to have really got his act together over fences, which bodes well as when he did so over hurdles he won three handicaps on the bounce, admittedly starting from a lowly mark. He could be even better over fences now than he was over hurdles, and he should have much more progression in him.

16th January 2011