Dark Pearl

Dark Pearl did well to finish third behind Royal Associate and Niblawi in the one-and-a-half-mile handicap at Ascot last Saturday. Ed Walker’s horse was a little keener than ideal through the early stages of the race on the soft ground, so it was not a huge surprise that his effort flattened out after he had made progress early in the home straight. Even so, he kept on well to take third place, the first three clear.

It was a good run by the Born To Sea colt, taking on his elders and a highly progressive fellow three-year-old in Royal Associate, given that he was keen through the early stages of the race. It was a big step up in grade from his maiden win at Chepstow at the end of June. His first two runs were on soft ground, but he was impressive in winning that Chepstow maiden on fast ground, so he shouldn’t mind a return to faster conditions. This was just his fourth run, so there could be plenty more to come from him. He should be able to go beyond his new mark of 83.

29^th July 2017