Captain Carey

Captain Carey was impressive in winning a five-furlong handicap at Chepstow on Thursday. He travelled well through the early stages, picked up impressively two furlongs out, took it up approaching the final furlong and went clear to beat two useful types in Abraham Lincoln, who was well backed, and Olynard. Captain Carey is a big horse, he has taken a little time to come to himself, according to trainer Malcolm Saunders, but he was good here, this was a Class 3 race, and he can progress again.

Saunders is a small trainer, he has just 15 or 16 horses in training, but this fellow appears to be his stable star and he has done well with him. A three-time winner last season, the son of Fraam is an improved performer this term. He is progressive now and he can improve again. The handicapper has raised him just 4lb to a mark of 90, which is fair, he appears to be more progressive than that, and he should be able to win another handicap off that mark. He is in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot, but that would mean stepping up to six furlongs, a distance over which he has failed to win in four attempts. Also, he is at his best on easy ground, so he may not be a Royal Ascot horse. These is a five-furlong handicap at Ayr at the end of July, which could be the race for him, or the Beverley Bullet at Beverley at the end of August, where the ground can come up on the easy side. He shapes like a five-furlong specialist, and he is probably best kept to the minimum trip.

21st May 2010