Jack’s Point

Jack’s Point only finished 13th in the Victoria Cup at Ascot on Saturday, but the first 12 home raced on the near side, he did best of the nine horses who raced on the far side, and he can be marked up at least a little on the bare form of the run. As well as that, he led his far-side group from early, and he did well to keep on as well as he did to finish 13th, just six lengths behind the overall winner River Nymph.
He travelled well into his race too. Even though he led the far-side group, he was the only one of that group who was still on the bridle as they raced to the two-furlong marker. He came under pressure then, but he found plenty for pressure. He couldn’t get competitive with the horses who raced on the near side, and he may have been headed by Cold Star or Fox Champion on the far side, but he was strong all the way to the line to get back ahead of those two rivals close home to win the ‘race’ on the far side.

It was a good run by the Slade Power gelding on this, his first run for Tom Clover. He won over seven furlongs at Newmarket on his debut last season off a mark of 91, and he finished second to Motakhayyel in the re-instated Buckingham Palace Handicap at Royal Ascot last year off a mark of 96, when he almost made all down the near side, a really difficult thing to do in a big-field handicap on the straight track at Ascot, before running in the Wokingham too later in the week. Motakhayyel added ballast to that form by winning the Bunbury Cup next time off a 7lb higher mark.

Jack’s Point obviously goes well at Ascot, and he will be of interest if he goes to Royal Ascot again this year, but he will be of at least as much interest at a track that favours his forward-going running style more, like Sandown or Newmarket, where he has run well in the past. All his best runs have been over seven furlongs.
Ascot, 8^th May 2021