Gamesome

Gamesome ran a fair bit better than his finishing position suggests in the big six-furlong handicap at Newmarket on Sunday. Relatively slowly away and moved over behind horses towards the near side by Andrea Atzeni through the early stages of the race, he travelled really well through the middle section of the race. He appeared to get a little unbalanced on the run down into the dip at a crucial stage of the race but, once back on an even keel, he made ground among horses. He didn’t really have a clear run, he had to weave his way among traffic a little, but he still closed on the leaders all the way to the line. No better than 11th or 12th passing the furlong pole, and about five lengths behind the leaders, he closed to finish in a dead-heat for fifth place, beaten a total of around two and a quarter lengths by the winner Easter Impact.

This was another step forward by Olly Stevens’ horse. He did best of those horses who were held up in a race in which it was ultimately an advantage to race up with the pace. The first four home were in a line across the track disputing the lead a furlong and a half from home, with Gamesome about four lengths behind them at that point. Also, the race was run in a good time, just dipping under Racing Post standard.

Winner of his maiden on easy ground at two, the Rock Of Gibraltar colt only raced three times last season as a three-year-old, but he ran well in two of those three races, including in a big six-furlong handicap at York’s June meeting off a mark of 98. He also ran well in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket’s Craven meeting on his debut this term to finish sixth, about four lengths behind the winner Astaire running on from the back in a race that was run to suit the prominent racers.

He is better than he was able to show on Sunday, and he remains a potentially well-handicapped sprinter on a mark of 100. He has raced just seven times now in his life, he still has bags of scope for progression as a sprinter. He goes well on fast ground, but he also handles some cut, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next.

3rd May 2015