Prompter

Prompter put up a good performance to finish second to Life And Soul in what looked like a competitive 12-furlong handicap at Ascot on Sunday. This was his first try over 12 furlongs, and he seemed to be ridden to get the trip, Jamie Spencer just dropping him in at the back, around two lengths off the second-last horse. He was still stone last when they straightened up for home, and slightly interfered with when Anhar broke down and unseated Ted Durcan, but he made significant headway on the outside when switched wide, finishing best of all to get to within three parts of a length of the winner.

A son of Motivator and, like his sire, trained by Michael Bell, he was a useful two-year-old, he was only beaten a head in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes on his last run as a juvenile and he made an encouraging start to this season when just beaten by Dreamspeed in a competitive four-runner handicap at Epsom in April, having raced a bit too freely early on. He was desperately disappointing when well-backed in the Dee Stakes at Chester in May, but he was gelded after his next run at Leicester and he shaped much more encouragingly behind Prince Siegfried at Epsom on his subsequent start. He was ridden patiently that day, as he was on Sunday, when he put up what was probably a career-best, and that seems to suit. He stayed the trip well and, now that connections know that he does, the waiting tactics do not have to be as exaggerated if he races over 12 furlongs again. This could be his optimum trip now, there could be plenty of latent talent there, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next. He is in a 12-furlong heritage handicap back at Ascot on Saturday – a track that he obviously handles – and he will be of interest if he lines up in that.

26th September 2010