Lucaindubai

Lucaindubai ran a better race in the Class 2 0-145 32Red Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday than his finishing position of fifth, beaten 12 and a half lengths, indicates. He was always prominent in what was a strongly run race, there was a three-way go for the lead as they passed the post first time, and it was a race in which those who were held up early ultimately dominated. He tanked into the race, he went through for a share of second over the second flight on the final circuit travelling powerfully, he was pulled outside of the leader Sacrilege half way down the back straight and he arrived there full of running. He had the leader covered as they levelled for home, but Havingotascoobydo ranged up going better coming to the second last and went on. Lucaindubai did fade over the final two flights, but he did remarkably well to stick on to finish fifth given how he had tanked through the race up in the front rank on energy-sapping ground, and given that the four horses to beat him were all ridden much more patiently through the race.

Lucaindubai has only just turned six, he is still a young horse, and he has slipped down to a mark off which he is well capable of winning. He has been left unchanged on this mark of 122 following Saturday’s run, and he should be seen to much better effect now on better ground. All his best runs have come on good ground – his two novice hurdle wins last season were on good ground, as was his fourth in the Imperial Cup last season as a five-year-old – so the ground on Saturday was not in his favour.

On top of that, the Evan Williams horses are still not in scintillating form, after racing on Saturday he had only had five winners since the start of December, in contrast with 11 winners in October and 10 in November, so Lucaindubai can do better when the yard is going better. He is interesting now heading into the better ground in the spring.

7th January 2012