Edinburgh Knight

Edinburgh Knight looked by far the most likely winner two furlongs out in a Class 4 seven-furlong handicap at Kempton on Tuesday, before he faded badly inside the final furlong, but he is worth another chance. The son of Selkirk travelled strongly through the race, held up out the back off a strong pace, and he was still travelling really well at the top of the home straight. He came there with his challenge at the two-furlong marker, rider Tony Culhane motionless as the rest of the jockeys scrubbed away, and traded at as short as 1.16 in-running on Betfair, but he faded badly inside the final furlong to finish fourth in the end.

Always highly-regarded, Paul D’Arcy’s colt won a maiden and a handicap on the all-weather tracks in the early spring, and he was considered good enough to take his chance in the Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket in April. He disappointed in that, finishing last of the nine runners behind Elusive Pimpernel, and he may not be up to Pattern standard, but he is certainly worth following back at this level. He is such a strong traveller, it may have been that he hit the front too soon here, or it may have been that he didn’t fully see out the seventh furlong, but he has won twice over the distance, so he may benefit from a more patient ride next time. Either way, he is worth another chance. He may not be very popular next time given how little he appeared to find here. A fast-run race over seven furlongs on fast ground or on Polytrack seems to be his optimum, but he is such a strong traveller that you wouldn’t mind seeing him dropped down to six furlongs.

24th August 2010