Don’t Bother Me

All the attention after the 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday was on the winner Fort Knox, and Andrew Tinkler’s horse does look like a talented individual, but the effort of the runner-up Don’t Bother Me may have gone slightly under the radar.

Niall Moran’s colt tried to make all in a race in which it was probably an advantage to be ridden patiently. All the horses who pressed him for the lead faded out of it, while the winner was a clear last at halfway and the third horse was also held up.

Don’t Bother Me jest edged the lead from Canary Row for the first four and a half furlongs, but he picked up impressively in the soft ground early in the home straight and kicked three lengths clear just over a furlong out. He looked the likely winner, he traded at 1.5 in-running from an SP of 12/1, before Fort Knox ran him down late on. The son of Dark Angel raced hard up against the far rail in the home straight once he had kicked on from Canary Row, and that was probably the slowest of the ground at Leopardstown, as it usually is when it is soft. Also, the time was good, comparatively the quickest of the day so the race probably had depth to it.

Don’t Bother Me goes on quicker ground and on Polytrack as well, so he should be at least as effective back on better ground. (The ground at Leopardstown on Sunday was changed to soft, heavy in places after this race). He is progressive, he had been second to the talented Gale Force Ten in a listed race at Dundalk on his previous run just nine days previously, and this was another step forward on his first try at a mile. This looks likely to be his optimum trip, and he could prove to be a useful and under-rated three-year-old.

14th April 2013