23rd-Jul-2016

I think that Highland Reel is over-priced at 7/1 against Postponed …

Beaten in the QEII Cup at Sha Tin in April, Highland Reel returned to Europe and ran a cracker to finish second to Dartmouth in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.  Racing for the first time since that run in Hong Kong last April, lots went wrong for him in the Hardwicke, so he did well to go down by just a head to Dartmouth.

The ground was softer than ideal for Highland Reel at the Royal meeting, and he was passed over by Ryan Moore in favour of Exosphere.  He sweated up before the race, and he was keen and wider than ideal through the early stages.  Also, his rider lost his whip just when he was engaging Dartmouth in battle, and the winner hung into him through the final furlong.  He emerged from the race as the better horse in my book, so it doesn’t make sense that he is over one and a quarter times Dartmouth’s price for Saturday’s race.

A dual Group 1 winner, he should progress from that run, his first since April, and his first at Ascot.  He handled the track well, and there is a good chance that he will have Ryan Moore for company on Saturday.  He should be better too on the faster ground that he should get on Saturday, and he is an under-rated horse in my book.

HIGHLAND REEL WON (ADV 4.875/1*, SP 13/8)