Scriptwriter

Scriptwriter was only just beaten by Hamish in the Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup at York last Saturday. Settled in third place early on behind a decent pace that Tashkhan set, just in front of warm favourite Hamish, he travelled well through his race and rider Clifford Lee appeared to be unperturbed when Hamish moved up on his outside as they rounded the home turn and relegated him to fourth place.  Squeezed along from the top of the home straight, he got back past Hamish two furlongs out and he got past Tashkhan to hit the front on the run to the furlong pole. He was challenged again by Hamish inside the final furlong and, in the end, he just gave best to William Haggas’ horse, going down by just a head at the line.

It was a fine performance by Milton Harris’ horse though, going down by a narrow margin to the high-class Hamish, rated 117, 14lb his superior, and receiving only 3lb from him. He has lots of potential for progression too as a stayer on the flat. This was just his sixth run on the flat, and it was just his second run since he finished fifth behind Zenta in the Grade 1 juveniles’ hurdle at Aintree in April. A 3lb hike for this was not harsh, it takes him up to a mark of 106, but he would run off his old mark of 103 in the Ebor if he takes his chance in that race, and surely that is the plan now. Winner of a one-mile maiden for Aidan O’Brien as a two-year-old, he proved here that he can go well at York, and he could be an interesting outsider if he takes his chance in the Ebor.
York, 15^th July 2023