Bright Horizon

Bright Horizon was most impressive in winning the Hackett’s Bookmakers Irish Cambridgeshire at The Curragh on Sunday. Held up out the back in the early stages by Colm O’Donoghue, the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt travelled well, moved up noticeably easily on the far side early in the home straight, got the gap at the two-furlong pole, took it up a furlong and a half out and scooted clear to win well in a good time. Immaculately bred, by Galileo out of the Sun Chariot Stakes winner Kissogram, from that really good Meon Valley Stud family, he won twice at the start of this season before disappointing in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot. They have tried to make the running over shorter distances with him in the past, but this was his first attempt at a distance in excess of a mile and a half, and this could be the key to him now, holding him up over a distance and probably on easy ground. He is not devoid of pace, he apparently works with pacey horses at home and he won his maiden over a mile and a quarter on fast ground, but he is now a pacey horse who stays two miles, and he could prove to be a very good stayer now.

He raced here off a mark of 91, the handicapper raised him a stone to a mark of 105, but he could be much better than a handicapper now, and it will be interesting to see what the plan is for him now. He could be an interesting stayer for next season.

26th September 2010

© The Irish Field, 2nd October 2010