Varenar

Varenar was mentioned here before after he ran so well in the Golden Jubilee and he is worthy of another mention after a cracking run in the July Cup at Newmarket on Friday. Racing on the far side, he was one of the prime sufferers in the scrimmaging that developed as an indirect result of Starspangledbanner’s move over from his starting position in stall 11 to the far rail. Alain De Royer Dupre’s colt got shuffled back as a result, but he still travelled well after that, made his ground against the far rail, was switched out to the centre of the track a furlong and a half out and finished well, going down by under three lengths in the end.

This race was dominated by the horses that raced prominently, as were a lot of the races at the Newmarket July meeting this year, so Varenar did well to finish so close from so far back. He is effective over six furlongs, as he proved in the Golden Jubilee when he just got a little outpaced late on, but the feeling still remains that he will be better when stepped back up in trip. He won the Group 1 Prix de la Foret over seven furlongs last October, when he had Goldikova behind him, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville would be a good target for him now. He was fourth in that race last year, only beaten a length despite running on the unfavoured stands rail side on the day.

9th July 2010