Golden Horde

Golden Horde ran a big race to finish third in the Betfair Sprint Cup. Fast away from stall six, he led the group of seven horses who raced on the far side. He travelled well to the two-furlong marker in front and, when Adam Kirby gave him a squeeze, he picked up well and came away from his rivals on the far side. He was run down deep inside the final furlong by Dream Of Dreams who raced in the near side group, but he kept on well enough to retain third place.

This was a day on which it was probably an advantage to race towards the near side on the straight track. Specifically, in the Sprint Cup, six horses raced on the stands side, and four of them filled four of the first five places. Golden Horde was the only horse who got in among them from the far side group.

Clive Cox’s horse is a top class and hugely likeable sprinter. He won the Commonwealth Cup on his debut this season, and he finished close up in both the July Cup and the Prix Maurice de Gheest on his two runs in the interim. He is only three, and there should be more Group 1 prizes to be won with him. He handles this easy ground well, but he also goes well on better ground, and he has raced exclsively over six or six and a half furlongs.

Haydock, 5^th September 2020