Lord Massusus

Lord Massusus did well to win the six-furlong premier handicap at Naas on Saturday. Settled nicely just behind the pace early on, he travelled well but didn’t have much racing room as they raced inside the two-furlong marker. Gary Carroll had to allow him ease back a little before he could switch his horse to his right and into the clear. By the time he did have racing room, he was only fourth and they had reached the furlong pole, but he showed a smart turn of foot from there to hit the front deep inside the final furlong, and he was always holding the challenge of Cash Or Crypto on the run to the winning line.

This was a fine performance by Joe Murphy’s horse, probably a career-best from a seriously progressive horse. He was progressive at the end of his two-year-old season last year, he won two of his last three races, and he started off this season by winning nicely at Gowran Park last month. This was a step forward from that, into a premier handicap and racing off a mark of 97. The handicapper has raised him by 9lb for this win to a mark of 106, and that puts him into Pattern race territory. His trainer spoke afterwards about the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, and that would be an interesting project. He won a nursery at Listowel last year over a mile, and he raced here as if the step back up to seven furlongs could suit him well.
Naas, 6^th May 2023