Desert Recluse

Desert Recluse is worth another chance after he finished fourth in a two-mile handicap at Ascot on Friday. He held a nice position in fifth place in the first half of the race, just tracking eventual winner Colloquial on the run down into Swinley Bottom, but Kieren Fox decided to take a pull and move in towards the rail, further back in the field. Unfortunately for him, it was just at that point that Kieren Fallon decided to steady things up front on Becausewecan, with the result that there was a concertina effect and Fox had to snatch Desert Recluse back to stop him clipping heels. From there on the pace was steady, and Desert Recluse was a hostage to it, stuck on the rail, seventh of the nine runners, all the way out of Swinley Bottom and around to the home turn. Pat Eddery’s colt did run on a bit in the home straight, but he is a stayer rather than a quickener and he was trying to make ground into a quickening pace. He did get to within two and a half lengths of the winner, he did get up to finish fourth, but he was never in with a realistic chance of winning the race.

There is still a lot to like about this run, Desert Recluse has won over shorter distances four times already this season, but he shaped again here like a real stayer and he there could be a lot more to come from him over this trip or even further. It is also worth mentioning that Pat Eddery’s horses aren’t going so well these days. He is better than this and he is worth another chance in a similar contest.

23rd July 2010