Noble Masquerade

Noble Masquerade ran better than his finishing position suggests in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock last Saturday. He travelled well through his race in third place along the inside, just behind the leader Island Brave, he travelled best of all into the home straight and he was the only horse still on the bridle as they raced to the three-furlong marker. He looked set for victory when he moved easily into the lead on the run to the two-furlong marker. He didn’t come away from his rivals though when Hollie Doyle asked him for his effort, and he tired close home. Still just in front as they raced inside the furlong marker, he was swamped by the closers as he tired, and he finished only fifth in the end.

This was Noble Masquerade’s second attempt at a mile and six furlongs, and he just didn’t get home. Eve Johnson Houghton’s horse tired late on too on his only other attempt at the distance, over the same course and distance, last September. He will be of interest again now when he drops back down to a mile and a half, the distance over which he won a handicap at Windsor last month. The handicapper raised him by 6lb for that win, to a mark of 82, but Saturday’s run suggests that he is more than capable off that mark. He has progressed nicely this season, and he should be able to continue his progression now, dropped back down a little in trip.
Haydock, 4^th September 2021