Earth Drummer

Earth Drummer ran a fine race to finish second to Halation in the Shergar Cup Mile at Ascot on Saturday.

David O’Meara’s horse got a little warm beforehand, but he was still solid in the market. Smartly away, he raced prominently in fourth place through the early stages of the race, up there with a fast pace. He travelled well into the home straight, but he hung a little to his right, into Alfred Hutchinson, when Graham Lee wanted to go forward. That made it difficult for the rider and, once he had him on an even keel, Halation surged at him from the rear. He didn’t have any answer to the winner’s finish, but he still ran on well after Halation had got past him to finish second.

It was a fine effort by Earth Drummer on his first run since he ran at Meydan in January and racing up with a fast pace. The three horses who raced in front of him finished fourth, seventh and ninth of 10, while the winner was last early on. Also, the time of the race was good, the fastest time of the day and just 0.09secs/furlong slower than standard and Racing Post par.

Earth Drummer can go on from this now. Winner of a seven-furlong maiden at Limerick as a four-year-old for Jim Bolger, he was never out of the first three in his last six raced for O’Meara last season. He picked up well to win a decent nine-and-a-half-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton in December off a mark of 95, and he did well on his sole run in Dubai to finish third behind Al Saham and Fire Fighting over a mile and a half, beaten a nose and a neck.

Saturday’s run, back at a mile, was another good run, and he should be able to progress again for it. The handicapper has raised him just 1lb to a mark of 99, and that is more than fair. He is versatile in terms of trip, he goes well on fast ground and on Tapeta, and there could be a decent handicap in him off this mark.

8^th August 2015