Tazeez

There was a lot to like about the performance that Tazeez put up in landing the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday. Settled just off the pace by Richard Hills, he took it up travelling well a half a mile out, he quickened nicely a furlong and a half from home and kept on going all the way to the line.

John Gosden can do little wrong these days, and Tazeez justified the market confidence that saw his price contract from an opening chalk of 3/1 to an SP of 9/4. Tazeez sprung a bit of a shock when he landed the Cambridgeshire over this course and distance at the end of last season, but this performance proved that there was no fluke in that, and the son of Silver Hawk could go on from this now. Gosden won the Cambridgeshire with Pipedreamer in 2007. He, like Tazeez, was rated 102 when he won that big end-of-season handicap, and he went on to finish third in two Group 1s and to win a Group 2 contest last season. Tazeez could easily prove to be good enough to contest Group races next. He is most progressive, and he should be up to the step up in grade.

15th April 2009