Caradoc

Caradoc put up another good performance to finish third in the 12-furlong handicap. Oisin Murphy allowed him find his rhythm early from stall two along the inside, and he settled into a nice racing rhythm towards the rear of the field. He got caught in a little bit of traffic around the home turn, and he had a lot of ground to make up still as they passed the two-furlong marker but, switched to the near side, he picked up well. It looked like he might get there, but his run flattened out a little close home. He still finished a close third, beaten just a head and the same by Tamreer and Corelli.

Ed Walker’s horse remains progressive. He had won two of his four runs this season going into the race, his first season as a gelding, and he put up an impressive performance on his previous run, when he landed a 10-furlong handicap at Windsor by almost three lengths. He was racing under a 5lb penalty here, he was 1lb well-in on a mark of 94, and the handicapper raised him by just another 2lb for this run to a mark of 96. That is a mark on which he remains of interest. This was just his eighth run, so he has the potential to continue to progress. Also, it may be that a mile and a half stretched him to his limit, it was his first attempt at the trip and he seemed to flatten out a little close home, so it may be that he will do better again returned to 10 furlongs. He holds an entry in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap over that trip at Newbury on Saturday, and he will be of interest if he lines up in that.

York, 23^rd August 2019