Escape To Glory

Escape To Glory was unlucky in the Class 2 Qatar Racing Handicap over six furlongs at Newmarket on Sunday and is a four-year-old to follow now.

He travelled nicely in the near side group in the hands of Hayley Turner, he was just about closest to the near side rail the whole way, and he was just starting to pick up right down the near side when the leader Parisian Pyramid shifted to his left going down into the Dip, carrying Jarrow with him, and that caused a concertina effect with Escape To Glory the worst sufferer as he was very badly baulked against the rail. Even after that he was trying to pick up again right against the rail when Maarek burst through and gave Jarrow a bump, forcing him onto the rail and chopping off Escape To Glory once more.

It is hard to say quite how well Escape To Glory would have fared here without any interference, but he was picking up well and it is not out of the question that he would have gone very close, especially as, after Parisian Pyramid had edged right across to his left causing all the trouble on the rail, he edged back to his right and that left Maarek with a dream run through from the back. The winner may well have struggled to find a gap but for Parisian Pyramid’s wayward tendencies, and that may have meant Escape To Glory would have finished in front of his rivals on the near side.

Mikael Magnusson’s horse had been a little unlucky to finish second on his previous run at Windsor as well in a race that is working out really well – the winner followed up in listed company next time, the fourth and fifth have both won since, as has the horse who finished 14th, and several others who finished in behind that day have gone close since too. He is a relatively lightly-raced, well-bred four-year-old sprinter (he is a half-brother to Benbaun), and he can win one of these big handicaps soon.

6th May 2012