Roserrow

Roserrow is a horse worth noting now after winning his second one-mile handicap at Sandown on the bounce on Saturday.

He led just about all the way, but he didn’t have an easy time of it in front, he had to set fast enough early fractions and he was pestered all the way to the three-furlong pole by two rivals in turn. He picked up impressively from there, however, to leave his immediate pursuers floundering, and he found lots for pressure. There were plenty of challengers up the home straight and it looked like Danchai was gong to get him, but he stuck his neck out willingly and galloped all the way to the line, winning in the end by three parts of a length, and even going away again a little right at the line.

The time was comparatively good, for all that the ground probably got progressively softer as the day went on, but the most likeable thing about Roserrow’s performance was the manner in which he battled and kept finding for pressure, especially on testing ground.

He will probably get further than this mile, which gives him options, but at the same time he had the pace to travel comfortably out in front in what was a fairly high-quality handicap. Long term, he could perhaps be a Cambridgeshire horse.

He probably won with more in hand then the winning margin suggests, he was chased home by largely unexposed horses, and a 5lb rise may not stop him winning again (he was weak in the market here). He will be of interest wherever he runs next, but he obviously loves Sandown and would be of particular interest if he returned to the Esher track at the Eclipse meeting.

15th June 2013