Ultrasonic

Sir Michael Stoute looks to have found the key to Ultrasonic with the application of a hood, and his filly ran another good race in the headgear when stepped up to listed class again for the Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract on Sunday.

The Mizzen Mast filly had been impressive in winning on her previous run at Newmarket in her first-time hood, settling well, and she was at least a little unfortunate here. She may not have beaten Mince however the race had panned out, Mince having returned to her own rich vein of form of late, but it is unlikely that she is a two-length worse filly than Mince. Ultrasonic raced out the back in a race in which it was a benefit to race handily – the other three fillies who filled the first four places were first, second and third turning for home. On top of that, Ultrasonic was checked a little around the home turn, and she had to be pulled to the outside to challenge, by which time Mince was away, but she finished best of all.

She is quirky, she probably has to be settled out the back and as such she will always be a hostage to pace, but she finished well here, she showed a nice attitude having met some interference, and she continues to improve, now that she has learned to settle. She would have been seen in better light off a stronger pace, and Pontefract wouldn’t be her ideal track either, it is likely that she is better on a straight track as a hold-up horse. She is bred to get further than six furlongs, being a half-sister to Arch Fire who won his maiden over a mile and a quarter and who was placed over a mile and a half for Sir Michael Stoute last year, and she may well improve for stepping up to seven furlongs or a mile now that she has started to relax better with the application of the hood.

This was only her seventh run, she should continue to improve with racing, and it may also have been that the quick ground (and the ground really was quick with several races on the card, including this one, being run in a faster time than standard) wasn’t totally in her favour either. It was soft ground for her win on her previous run and also when she ran a good race behind Nunthorpe-aspirant Pearl Secret in the Scurry Stakes at Sandown earlier in the season, when she raced off the far rail, and it may be that she prefers some ease in the ground. She will be of interest, though, wherever she goes next.

19th August 2012