Indian Jack

Indian Jack was very well backed for his return to the track as a three-year-old in a 0-85 seven-furlong handicap at Kempton last Saturday, and he was well on top at the finish. He raced fourth of the five runners on a day when it paid to race handily, and he was keen and green, not appearing to be that comfortable going around the home turn, which makes sense given that he is such a big horse. It did take him a while to get going, but once he did he picked up well and came clear, with Luke Morris taking a long time to pull him up after the winning line.

This was the Indian Haven gelding’s first run in a handicap, and off a mark of 79 he has serious scope for progression. He is a lovely big horse who should be even better back up at a mile, and he should stay even further (he stayed a mile well as a two-year-old), or perhaps on a straight mile, or a more galloping track with a longer home straight. Returned to Kempton on Wednesday night, he had to overcome a 6lb penalty and, more challengingly, a slow pace in another smallish field with Fallon nearly stealing the race from the front. He managed to get up right on the line and is fast becoming an upwardly mobile sort with a really likable attitude. He was re-assessed at a mark of 84 before Wednesday’s run, which was actually 1lb lower than the mark off which he effectively raced under his 6lb penalty. The handicapper will have his say now, but he shouldn’t put him up more than 1lb or 2lb, and he seems the sort who could stay ahead of the assessor for a while.

2nd April 2011