Rapid Applause

Rapid Applause did well to finish as close as he did in the six-furlong handicap at The Curragh on Saturday, given how the race was run.

Settled back behind mid-division by Shane Kelly and in the centre of the track through the early stages of the race, he was niggled along a little at the three-furlong pole. He had to move towards the far side in order to get racing room, and that was not ideal, as the race between Rattling Jewel and Petticoatgovernment developed towards the near side, which is usually the favoured side on the straight track at The Curragh. Even so, Rapid Applause picked up nicely out in the centre and he finished off his race well. He came away nicely from the horses who raced out in the centre, he finished about five lengths clear of Golden Pearl, who was the next horse home in the centre of the track and sixth overall, and just three lengths behind the winner Rattling Jewel.

It was a fine run from Michael O’Callaghan’s horse. It was difficult to make ground from the rear in the conditions all day at The Curragh, and you usually want to be close enough to the stands side on the straight track, so he probably did well to make the ground that he did from the rear, racing out in the centre. He has had plenty of racing this year already, this was his sixth run of 2017, but his previous two runs – a win at Naas and a close-up fourth behind Petticoatgovernment at Navan – were up there with his best since he turned three.

The handicapper raised him 2lb to a mark of 88, but that was fair, and it still leaves him 22lb lower than his peak as a youngster. He had high-class Pattern race form as a juvenile, he finished third behind Dick Whittington and Toscanini in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes and he split Cappella Sansevero and War Envoy in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at The Curragh as a juvenile, so he is obviously talented. Probably at his best on easyish ground, there could be a good sprint handicap in him now off this mark.

The Curragh, 27^th May 2017