Gouray Girl

Gouray Girl patently benefited from the step up to seven furlongs in the Class 3 EBF Bathwick Tyres Fillies’ Handicap at Newbury on Saturday. It was her first win in eight tries since her debut victory, although she has been beaten into second by a length or less on four occasions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her attitude though, judged on this win as she battled on very bravely inside the final 100 yards having taken it up entering the final furlong. She made quick headway on the far side to get right into the race two furlongs out on what was in all likelihood the least favoured part of the track. Indeed in this race, like in many others on the day, the action took place down the middle, which makes Gouray Girl’s effort to make up all her ground on the far side before coming over to the middle in the last furlong all the more commendable.

It is surprising that it has taken this long for Walter Swinburn’s filly to be stepped up in trip given that she finished a very close second over six furlongs in a 20-runner soft ground nursery last backend, and given the way she has been finishing her races this term over six furlongs. The times of the races on the day suggest that the ground was more soft than the official good to soft, and this is clearly a surface that Gouray Girl relishes – she was just touched off on both her previous tries on soft ground. Given this liking for testing ground and the fact that she is still relatively fresh having only resumed this season in August – this was her fifth run of the campaign – it could well be that we see Gouray Girl out again before the end of the season. Even if we don’t, she is one to keep on side early next season, especially on easy spring ground.

23rd October 2010