Society Rock

There was a lot to like about the performance that Society Rock put up in winning the listed six-furlong race for three-year-olds at Ascot on Wednesday. Intentionally slowly away and dropped in behind horses from his draw furthest from the stands rail in stall nine, the James Fanshawe-trained colt was second last of the eight runners with two furlongs to run, looking for gaps. It looked for a long while as if the gaps were not going to appear, but Corporal Maddox rolled slightly to his right a half a furlong out as Reignier rolled slightly to his left, which gave Pat Cosgrave on Society Rock just enough space to ask his horse to go through, which he duly did. The turn of foot that he showed was really impressive, he went from a length down to three parts of a length up in the space of 100 yards against decent sprinters and without Cosgrave having to resort to the whip at all.

Society Rock was a decent juvenile last season. He won his maiden on his second attempt, and he won the valuable Timeform Tattersalls Sprint at Newmarket in September, both over six furlongs. He was stepped up to seven furlongs to contest the even more valuable Tattersalls Millions race at Newmarket in October, and he came up short, finishing only seventh behind Oasis Dancer. However, the seven furlongs was too much for him, and even at that, he was drawn on the wrong side, the near side, but finished second in the group of 13 that raced near side, second only to Alfred Nobel.

He was much more at home over this six-furlong trip, he is all speed, and the turn of foot that he showed inside the final furlong will be a potent weapon in sprints this season. It can be difficult for three-year-old sprinters when they have to compete against their elders, but they can do very well, as Total Gallery proved in the Prix de l’Abbaye last October. Society Rock is entered in the Duke of York Stakes at York on 12th May, he is also in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot, and he wouldn’t be out of place if he lined up in either or both. James Fanshawe sent out Sir Gerry to win this race in 2008, and that horse finished third in a Group 2 race at Chantilly and third in the Golden Jubilee on his next two runs, and it would not be at all surprising if Society Rock turned out to be at least that good. Odds of 25/1 about him for the Golden Jubilee, run over this course and distance, look big.

28th April 2010

© The Irish Field, 1st May 2010