Vertigineux

Vertigineux ran a cracker to finish second to Premio Loco in the Summer Mile at Ascot on Saturday. Held up at the back of the field throughout, he was stone last at the top of the straight behind Premio Loco. His rider Philippe Sogorb angled him out for a run just on the outside of Dream Eater and he was still travelling better than anything a furlong out. He picked up well enough, but he galloped to the line whereas Premio Loco quickened impressively on the far side. There is a chance that Sogorb may not have seen the winner, who just squeezed through on the inside rail past Forgotten Voice, and he may have been just aiming to get past Dream Eater.

Vertigineux may have been under-rated coming into the race, that can often happen when French-trained horses come across for big races in England, but he has already won three Group races, he won the Group 2 Prix de Muguet at Saint-Cloud in May 2009, and he was not beaten far by subsequent Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Byword in the same race this year. He has produced his best form on easy ground, so the ground may have been on the fast side for him on Saturday. Also, he might have done better if he had been asked for his run a little earlier. He appears to be more of a galloper than a quickener. He will be interesting wherever he goes next, especially if he gets a softer surface, and he may continue to be under-rated outside of France.

10th July 2010