Sovereign Gold

Sovereign Gold kept on well to finish second to Minella Till Dawn in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at Naas on Saturday. Held up early on towards the rear and towards the outside by Rachael Blackmore, her jumping was generally good for one so inexperienced. She made nice progress over the three fences at the bottom of the track, despite getting in tight to the second of those fences, travelled well into the home straight and moved up into second place behind Minella Till Dawn. He travelled better than her on the run to the second last fence and, while it never really looked like she was going to get past him, she kept on well on the near side to finish a clear second.

This was a good step forward by Henry de Bromhead’s mare. Minella Till Dawn is a talented chaser on his day, and she did well to finish a clear second behind him. Sovereign Gold had been well beaten behind Aramax and Port Stanley at Fairyhouse on her previous run, but that was over two miles, and it was a race in which it was difficult for the hold-up horses to get into it. A dual point-to-point winner, she stays this two-and-a-half-mile trip well. The handicapper raised her by 2lb to a mark of 118, and that is a mark off which she will remain of interest. She is only seven and this was just her third chase and just her fifth run under Rules, so she has plenty of potential for further progression.
Naas, 13^th February 2021