Emperor Spirit

Emperor Spirit only finished 13th in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot on Thursday, but he ran much better than that. Drawn in stall 12 towards the far side, he wasn’t that sharply away but he was fast through the first 100 yards, with the result that he quickly moved to the front on the far side and crossed to the far side rail. The early pace was fast, and John and Thady Gosden’s horse led the far side group through much of the race. Around three lengths ahead of his closest pursuer over there as they raced inside the three-furlong marker, he still had a clear break on his rivals at the two-furlong pole, but he tired from there as his early exertions took their toll, and he ultimately faded to finish 13th.

This was a race that was dominated by the stands-side group, and in which the hold-up horses came to the fore. Four of the first five home races in the near-side group, and the first six home were all held up early, which is not surprising, given that the early pace was so strong, as evidenced in the sectional times, which revealed that finishing speed was just 93.47% of overall speed. Emperor Spirit is worth another chance on this basis. Winner of his maiden over a mile at Wolverhampton last December, he did well to finish second in a handicap at Ripon on his debut this season when he was keener than ideal and was just run down late on. He is a keen-going sort, and he should do better now at a track at which forward-going tactics are rewarded. There is a three-year-olds’ one-mile handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting, and that could be an ideal race for him.
Ascot, 17^th June 2021