Mondammej

Mondommej did well to get as close as he did to the winner Copper Knight in that five-furlong handicap that opened proceedings at York on Thursday. He fly-jumped a little out of the stalls, with the result that he was well back in the field early on. Disputing second last place after they had gone a furlong, Antony Britain’s horse travelled up well through his race to the two-furlong marker. Rider Cam Hardie had to wait for the gaps to appear and, when Illusionist moved a little to his right at the two-furlong marker, Mondammej had the pace to get into the gap and to move up in behind the leaders Copper Knight and Jawwaal. Those two converged in front of him a little though on the run to the furlong marker, with the result that Mondammej had to ease off for a few strides. He got going again deep inside the final furlong, however, and he closed to within three parts of a length of the winner by the time they reached the winning line.

This was another step forward by the Lope De Vega gelding. He didn’t make his racecourse debut until last November, when he won a six-furlong novice stakes at Newcastle, and all his runs were on all-weather until he went to Pontefract last month and won a five-furlong handicap off a mark of 79. Raised by 7lb for that, he missed the break and he was too keen next time at Chester, in the race that Jabbarockie won and in which Count D’Orsay finished second, and this run proved that he didn’t give his true running at Chester. He is a progressive sprinter who could still be well handicapped on a mark of 88, 2lb higher than his York mark, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next. A fast-run five furlongs seems to suit him well, ideally at a stiff track, but he could be worth another try over six.
York, 13^th May 2021