Fresh

Fresh did well to finish fourth in the Victoria Cup at Ascot on Saturday from stall 13. Smartly away and quickly into his position just behind the front rank, he was a little keener than ideal through the early stages of the race. He travelled really well through his race though he was still on the bridle as they raced well inside the three-furlong marker. Switched to his left by Danny Tudhope on the run to the two-furlong pole, he moved up nicely to join the front rank out in the centre. He stayed on well for pressure too, he kept on well all the way to the line, but he just couldn’t get to Vafortino and Accidental Agent, who raced down the near side from their high draws, and he was just caught for third place by last year’s winner River Nymph, who also raced down the stands side from a high draw.

Fresh did best of the middle-to-low-drawn horses. The first three home raced, respectively, from stalls 27, 26 and 28, and remained stand side throughout, while Fresh raced from stall 13 and remained further out towards the centre of the track. Also, the ground was probably just about as fast as he wants it. He stays seven furlongs all right, but he is probably even better over six, and he goes well at Ascot. A stiff six furlongs, ideally at Ascot, ideally on soft or easy ground, probably represent optimum conditions for him. As such, the Wokingham would be a good Royal Ascot target for him now. He is only 2lb higher now than he was when he was beaten a neck by Rohaan in the race last year.
Ascot, 7^th May 2022