G Force

G Force ran a lot better than appears to have been generally appreciated in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.

Slowly away, he raced in rear in the early stages, just behind even habitual hold-up horse Sole Power. He was still stone last passing the furlong pole, but he picked up really well from there, just behind Sole Power. 150 yards out, they actually went for the same gap. If Sole Power had gone to the left of Moviesta, between Moviesta and Stepper Point, G Force could have gone to the right of Moviesta, between him and Hot Streak, and he could have gone really close. As it was, Sole Power went to the right of Moviesta, and G Force had to be checked and taken back. That effectively ended any chance that he had of winning the race. He did get going again after that deep inside the last 100 yards, and he ran on to finish sixth, beaten a total of a length and a half. If he had got that gap, he would have been a lot closer than that.

David O’Meara’s horse is obviously an exciting sprinter. He is only three, but he has progressed all the way through this season, and he has the potential to be top class. He has not won since he won a Class 3 handicap at York’s Dante meeting in May, but he has run some fine races in defeat. He was only beaten a length by subsequent King George Stakes winner Take Cover in a listed race back at York in July, and he didn’t run badly in that King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, when he saw daylight plenty early enough and raced away from the main action as Take Cover and Extortionist duelled on the far side.

Friday’s run was his best yet, however, and he should be able to progress again. All his runs as a three-year-old have been over five furlongs and, while he races like he will get another furlong, he seems to be well suited to the fast pace that they invariably go over the minimum trip. There is no great need to step him up to six, not yet anyway.

It is a pity that he is not entered in the Flying Five at The Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend, as that could have been a good race for him, but the Prix de l’Abbaye should be his end-of-season target. He would be a viable outsider in the race. Three-year-olds do not have a great record in the Abbaye, but Total Gallery won it in 2009 as a three-year-old, and G Force would be fully deserving of his place in the line-up.

22nd August 2014