Lyric Street

Lyric Street had looked promising in his first three starts, one of them at two and then two of them at three last season, but he had just started to become a little disappointing in three subsequent runs, two last season and one this season. He put in a much better effort in finishing a highly creditable third in the John Smith’s Silver Cup at York on Saturday though, and should be able to build on this now.

The Hurricane Run gelding was weak in the market beforehand, but he travelled really strongly into the race, and he was still going well when he took it up on the near side two furlongs out. He looked just about the most likely winner at that stage, and, while he had no answer to Mount Athos’s surge, he still kept on well to finish third, just having to cede second close home to the strong-staying High Jinx.

This was a big performance from 1lb out of the handicap, and there is every chance that he will improve again for this run given his weakness in the market. Also, this was just his second run for Ed Dunlop and his second since being gelded.

He has been left on the mark off which he ran here, 94, 4lb lower than his highest mark, and he is interesting off that mark now. He would be of interest if he got into the Ebor, he stays a mile and six furlongs well, he has good experience of York now, and a really strong pace should suit him, but he is unlikely to get into the race off his old mark of 93. Even if he doesn’t get into the Ebor, having run just seven times he still has scope to improve further, and he will be of interest wherever he runs next.

14th July 2012