Chemical Charge

Chemical Charge ran a cracker to finish second to Muntahaa in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes at Newbury last Saturday.

Held up towards the rear of the field through the early stages of the race behind a strong pace set by Frankie Dettori on Dylan Mouth, he moved up nicely at the top of the home straight, and he moved through to join the leaders at the two-furlong pole. When he hit the front on the run to the furlong marker, it looked likely that he would go on and win his race decisively, but he appeared to tire or idle through the closing stages of the race, and that allowed Muntahaa get back at him and nail him on the line.

It was still a fine run from Ralph Beckett’s horse. He travelled like the best horse in the race up the home straight, but he was wearing cheekpieces here for the first time, it may be that his challenge needs to be delayed a little longer than it was here. When he won on his debut this term at Doncaster, when he had Muntahaa behind him in third, he didn’t hit the front until they hit the furlong marker.

The Qatar Racing horse has now won three of his nine races, and, remarkably, he has finished second in the other six. He handled soft ground well when he was with Ger Lyons last season, but he is probably at his best on this good, fast ground. He stays this 12-furlong trip well, this was probably a career-best in his first-time cheekpieces, and he will be of interest again at this type of level and ridden just a little more patiently.

22^nd April 2017