No Heretic

No Heretic looks like a horse who might be worth following now after his win in the Class 2 handicap over a mile and a half on 1000 Guineas day at Newmarket on Sunday.

He was free to post, he sweated up beforehand and he was free through the early part of the race, yet he still won fairly convincingly. The pace was generous for the first four or five furlongs, he travelled well on the near side, and he was able to improve when the pace just slackened a little in front after five furlongs or so. He took a bit of stoking up when the pace lifted, but he picked up nicely into the Dip and he saw out the trip really well, picking up again when the second and third got to his quarters 50 yards from home. He won in a god time, the quickest of the four races beyond a mile on the day, and he looked to have more left if more had been required.

William Buick said afterwards that, while he gets further, you can ride up close to the pace over a mile and a half and that suits him. He should be even better when he starts to settle earlier in his races and, given how worked up he got beforehand, you have to think he would improve for this first run of the season. Indeed, David Simcock had said beforehand that he would come on for the run, and he was well below par on his first run of last season (although the soft ground probably played a part then too).

He is five but he is lightly raced, this was just the eighth run of his life, and he can progress again. He is a brother to Michelangelo who was third to Encke and Camelot in last year’s St Leger, his dam is a half-sister to Aussie Rules and she is out of a Sun Chariot and Nassau Stakes winner, so No Heretic has plenty of scope to improve further. He is at his best on fast ground, that poor run on his reappearance last year was the only time he has encountered easy ground, and, while the handicapper will have his say now, he will still be of interest next time as long as the ground remains fast. Longer term, he could be an Ebor horse, we know he stays a mile and three quarters.

5th May 2013