5th-Sept-2015

Nakeeta is a hold-up horse who wasn’t seen to best effect off an ordinary pace in his last two races. He should improve for the faster pace that he should get today, as well as for the step up in trip.

His penultimate run was at Chester, a prominent racer’s track, when he came from the rear to take second place behind Mysterial.  His latest run was in the Silver Bell at Hamilton last weekend when, again, he came from the rear to take second place behind Polarisation in a race in which the prominent racers were advantaged.  Four of the first five home were ridden prominently or just behind the pace.  Nakeeta was the only horse who got into it from the rear.

The handicapper raised him 4lb for that run, but that is fair.  He raised Polarisation 7lb and, if Mark Johston’s horse had stood his ground for today’s race – he goes at Ascot later on instead – he would probably have been favourite.

Nakeeta is stepping up to a mile and six furlongs today for the first time, but that is a positive, it could bring about significant improvement.  He is by Leger winner Sixties Icon, and his dam is a half-sister to stayers Sendintank and Sendinpost.  His trainer Iain Jardine has his horses in fine form, and Nakeeta could have been a little over-looked, given that he just gets into the race under the safety limit, number 17 of 17.

NAKEETA WON (ADV 20/1, SP 20/1)