Ziggy Lee

Ziggy Lee was a bit unlucky in a good five-furlong handicap at York on Saturday, but still produced a really good effort to finish second to the talented sprinter Hamish McGonagall. He was not the fastest out of the stalls and then got bumped a few times before eventually settling in at the rear of the field. He travelled okay for William Carson from here but had to be switched right to get a run, he then stayed on really well inside the final furlong to chase home the winner and finish a length ahead of the rest.

Considering how the race was run, this was a solid effort by Stuart Williams’s four-year-old. He lost ground at the start and looked to be getting outpaced at the back before staying on really well towards the finish. The winner, who was ridden prominently, is very useful and was taking advantage of a potentially favourable mark, 8lb lower than his highest rating last season, having shown a turn in form this season. Ziggy Lee was progressive last year after he won on his first handicap start at Wolverhampton, he was then unlucky to be disqualified at Newmarket (after hanging into the runner up) before he won on his final start at Brighton, ending the season on a handicap rating of 80.

The son of Lujain seems to have carried that progression into this season, he won nicely at Newmarket on his last run before Saturday, and his new mark of 86 potentially under-rates his ability considerably. While he raced here like he would appreciate a step up to six furlongs, the balance of his form suggests that he is at his best over a fast-run five, when he can be held up and delivered late off a fast pace. He probably needs fast ground to be at his best, but he is a talented individual when he has his conditions, and he is progressive. He is entered in a big five-furlong handicap at Musselburgh on Derby day, and he could be a big player in that if he takes his chance in it.

22nd May 2010