High Heeled

High Heeled ran a cracker to finish third behind Fame And Glory and Sariska in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday. Settled back last of the nine runners off a fast pace that was set by the Ballydoyle pacemaker Dixie Music, helped along by Jukebox Jury and Fame And Glory, she was at least 12 lengths behind the leaders passing the five-furlong pole. She moved up nicely in behind horses, however, and picked up nicely on the outside to pass Youmzain and Cavalryman, two top class older colts, to move into third place. It never looked like she was going to get close to Fame And Glory or Sariska, but she just seemed to tire inside the final furlong, she was probably short of peak fitness on this, her seasonal debut, and she was still able to keep on well to hold Youmzain and Cavalryman at bay for third place.

The time of the race was exceptional, it was as good a Coronation Cup as there has been in years, and High Heeled probably put in a career-best to get so close. Even so, it is probable that she will come on for this. It was her first run for John Gosden since George Strawbridge bought her out of Barry Hills’s yard, she wasn’t that strong in the market beforehand, and Gosden said afterwards that she would come on a fair bit for it. As well as that, we know from last year that she is at her best on easy ground. It was fast ground at Epsom on Friday, faster than it usually is on the first day of the Derby meeting, and she will be better later in the season when she can get her toe in. She could be a Yorkshire Oaks filly as long as the ground isn’t too fast at York in August, which it can be. Also, Gosden mentioned the Prix Vermeille as an autumn target, the race that his Dar Re Mi won last year but lost in the stewards’ room, and it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that she could be an Arc de Triomphe filly. She wouldn’t have to progress a great deal to be a live contender in that race – Dar Re Mi was fifth in the race last year, just three and a half lengths behind Sea The Stars – especially if the ground came up soft, which it can do in Paris in October. She isn’t quoted for the race at present, but she could be interesting at a massive price.

4th June 2010

© The Irish Field, 12th June 2010