28th-Jul-2012

The fancy prices have gone about Barnet Fair this morning, which is a little frustrating, but he is the most likely winner of the race in my book, and he is still worth backing at 8/1.

Richard Guest’s horse ran a cracker to finish a close-up third in the really good five-furlong handicap won by Taajub over today’s course and distance last Sunday, an effort that was all the more meritorious than face value because of the fact that he got loose before the start.

He didn’t have the best of runs through the race either, he lost some ground by moving over to the far side group from stall 18 in the early stages, he shipped a slight bump as Kieren Fox moved him out to deliver his challenge, and he had to make his progress towards the middle of the track, away from where the main action developed on the far side, so he did really well to get up for sixth place, just a length and a half behind the winner.

Barnet Fair has good form on fast ground and on Polytrack, which is always an asset on Ascot’s straight track. He was nicely progressive last season, his last run was his best of the current campaign, he is still potentially well-handicapped on a mark of 88, he is at his best over a strongly-run stiff five furlongs, and now he is proven at Ascot. He is rock solid. His trainer’s horses are in good form and, as long as he gets the splits when he needs them, he should run a big race.

BARNET FAIR WON (ADV 8/1 [R4], SP 7/1)