Horses To Follow » Precious Gem

Precious Gem

Precious Gem produced a good performance when stepping up in grade to win a 10-furlong Group 3 race at The Curragh last Saturday. She travelled well for Pat Smullen throughout, settling into second place off a decent pace set by Grand Admiral. Dermot Weld’s filly was travelling the best of the five runners heading into the straight, she picked up nicely to take it up at the two-furlong pole, and she was always holding Shintoh at bay inside the last furlong.

Precious Gem was completing a hat-trick here. She seems to have improved with each run this season. She won a 12-furlong handicap at Leopardstown on her second start of the season and took a decent listed race at Limerick on her previous run, and she gave the impression here that she is still on the upgrade, she picked up well and was always in control inside the final furlong. It is not ideal for the form that Recharge, the 8/13 favourite on the day, did not seem to fire, but the second horse Shintoh is a decent yardstick and the front pair pulled clear of their field.

There should be more to come from the daughter of Sadler’s Wells, she stayed on really well here and a return to 12 furlongs could bring about further improvement. She has form on both types of ground and she will be of interest wherever she appears next.

26th June 2010