Producer

Producer ran out a good winner of the Group 3 Criterion Stakes, a warm seven-furlong contest at Newmarket on Saturday.

Well backed into joint favouritism, he travelled well in the hands of Richard Hughes just behind the leaders but it did take him a little while to pick up and he had to switch around horses towards the far side. His stamina kicked in when they met the rising ground, however, and he went on strongly in the finish to win by three quarters of a length.

The Dutch Art colt didn’t stay a mile and half a furlong in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom on his previous run, although his task was not made any easier by the fact that he was rushed up around the home turn, probably with a view to taking advantage of a sedate early pace, but the move wasn’t ultimately to his advantage, a horse whose stamina was suspect over that trip.

He is still progressive and capable of better, is clearly in good heart and is worthy of respect wherever he runs now. His narrow defeat of Aljamaaheer in a listed race at Leicester at the start of the season looks much stronger now since that horse has gone on to be placed twice in Group 1 races on his next two runs, the Lockinge Stakes and the Queen Anne Stakes. Richard Hannon’s horse is generally a really consistent horse, but he is not overly fashionable and he could remain slightly under-rated after this. The Lennox Stakes at Goodwood could be the race for him now, he won a Group 3 race over the Lennox course and distance on his only previous visit to Goodwood.

28th June 2013