Moviesta

Moviesta ran a nice race to finish third in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes over five furlongs at The Curragh on Saturday.

Settled just behind the leaders and towards the favoured stands rail through the early stages of the race, Eddie Lynam’s horse moved well for Wayne Lordan through the race. The only horse still on the bridle as they passed the two-furlong pole, he had to move to the far side of Mecca’s Angel to deliver his challenge and, while he couldn’t get past the filly, he ran all the way to the line on the far side, finishing three parts of a length behind the favourite, who was in turn a neck behind the winner Stepper Point.

This was a really encouraging run from Moviesta on just his second run since joining Eddie Lynam. The Hard Spun gelding was a high-class three-year-old sprinter for Bryan Smart two years ago, when he won the Group 2 King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and finished second in big sprint handicaps at York and Newmarket. He didn’t win last year, but he was third in the King George Stakes and he was an unlucky third in the Prix de l’Abbaye, going down by a head and the same to Move In Time and Rangali.

He was well beaten on his debut for Lynam, but that was in the Diamond Jubilee, so you can allow him that. This run was much more encouraging. It should bring him forward nicely for another tilt at the King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, a race that has surely been on Lynam’s radar for him since he got him. Five furlongs is his trip, and he obviously goes well at Goodwood. He will be of big interest if he lines up there again this year.

18th July 2015