Symbolize

Symbolize ran another big race in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Saturday in finishing second to Aldaary again. Andrew Balding’s horse raced towards the near side early on from stall 15, and he travelled well through his race just behind the pace. He picked up nicely on the near side on the run to the furlong marker to join Mathew Flinders in front on the near side, and he moved to the front on the near side deep inside the final furlong. Aldaary had picked up well on the far side though, and Symbolize couldn’t match William Haggas’ horse’s finishing kick, but he kept on admirably to finish a good second, a length ahead of the third-placed Magical Morning.

Symbolize had finished second to Aldaary too on his previous run, in the Challenge Cup over seven furlongs at Ascot two weeks earlier. There was a sense that he may have been flattered by that run, as the pair of them raced in the group of three that stayed on the far side, but Saturday’s race obviously proved that that was a solid run too. The handicapper raised him by just 2lb to a mark of 104, and that was fair. He does go well at Ascot, but he also goes well on soft ground away from Ascot, and he will be of interest if he races again now before the end of the season.
Ascot, 16^th October 2021