The Tin Man

The Tin Man put up a really impressive performance to land the six-furlong three-year-olds’ handicap at Ascot on Friday.

Held up towards the rear of the field towards the far side by Tom Queally through the early stages of the race, he moved really easily through his field towards the front rank. Switched to the far rail, he cruised up to Dawn’s Early Light’s withers on the run to the furlong pole and, when Queally gave him a squeeze, the response was seriously impressive. He cleared away from his rivals in the style of a horse who was competing at a level that was way below his grade and won, eased down, by four and a half lengths.

A half-brother to top sprinter Deacon Blues, James Fanshawe’s horse looked like a talented individual when he won his maiden over six furlongs at Doncaster in June, and when he followed up back over the same course and distance in July. He was well beaten at York over six furlongs in September, but that was his first run in six weeks, and he raced on the stands side in a race that developed on the far side. Also, that was his first run at York, a track that not all horses handle.

This was much more like it. He proved here that his York run was all wrong, and he is a hugely exciting three-year-old sprinter now. The handicapper raised him 14lb to a mark of 105, but that is understandable, and he could be better than a handicapper now anyway. It is interesting that his astute trainer had him entered in the Champions Sprint on Champions’ Day at Ascot before the last forfeit stage. That is a measure of the regard in which he is held. He may well still reach those type of heights, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next.

2^nd October 2015