Saint D’Oroux

Saint D’Oroux didn’t have a lot of luck in-running in the closing stages of the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last Saturday. Last of the 11 runners early on, he made nice ground for Ben Bromley around the outside as they raced down the side of the track. He tracked the ultimate winner Cormier into the home straight, and he came widest of all around the by-passed second last flight. He was a little short of room just inside the furlong marker as Faivoir moved to his right in front of him and, switched back inside, he stayed on well to get back past Faivoir and take second place, a length and a half behind the winner.

It was a race in which it was probably an advantage to be held up, the winner, second and third were third last, second last and last early on, so that was a positive for Saint D’Oroux, but he could have gone closer if he had enjoyed a clear run up the long home straight. It wasn’t a help to him either that the last two flights were both by-passed. Winner of his maiden hurdle for Gordon Elliott as a four-year-old, and third in the Fred Winter Hurdle, he won a two-mile-five-furlong handicap hurdle on his first run for Stuart Crawford last month, and he could benefit from a step back up in trip now. He was taken out of the Coral Cup at Cheltenham at the five-day stage, but he will be of interest if he lines up in a good handicap hurdle now at any of the other spring festivals, ideally over two and a half miles.
Kelso, 5^th March 2022