Desert Law

Desert Law was an impressive winner of a six-furlong maiden at Newmarket on Friday. He had raced far too freely in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury on his previous run, but he settled much better here in a cross-noseband. He was always travelling well in a prominent position and he showed a good turn of foot to pick it up off the second favourite Jinky two furlongs out, before staying on inside the final furlong to win by just under three lengths.

Andrew Balding’s colt was probably racing on the slowest part of the track here, but he was still able to pick up really well to win this easily. It did appear to pay to race handily, the first three home where always towards the head of affairs, but in saying that the front four actually finished five lengths clear of the rest and the time of the race wasn’t that far behind the competitive handicap won by Dever Dream over the same distance later on the card. The second, Mick Channon’s Jinky, had already shown a decent standard coming into this and that gives the form a solid enough look.

A son of Oasis Dream and out of a Cadeaux Genereux mare, Desert Law showed lots of pace here and he is all sprint-bred, but he stayed on well at the end, which suggests that seven furlongs could be within his compass in time. Connections obviously hold him in high regard given that they let him take his chance in the Mill Reef, and he showed enough ability here to suggest that there could be some decent prizes to be won with him next season.

15th October 2010