Son Of Hypnos

Son Of Hypnos put up a good performance to win the 12-furlong handicap at Tipperary on Tuesday. Well away and settled into a nice racing rhythm by Colin Keane early on, in mid-division and along the inside, he made nice ground as they raced across the top of the track. He travelled well just behind the leaders into the home straight and, moved towards the outside, he made ground to join the leaders at the two-furlong marker. He picked up well too on the run to the furlong pole, he hit the front and he stayed on strongly all the way to the line. The game Galeola gave valiant chase – Sheila Lavery’s mare remains of interest – but it never looked like she was going to get to him.

This was a really likeable performance by Matthew Smith’s horse. He had made the running when he won an apprentices’ handicap at Galway on his previous run, he stayed on well up the hill hat day on heavy ground, but Colin Keane was obviously happy that they were going quickly enough for him up front here, he was happy to drop in and take a lead. The Morpheus gelding was up 6lb for his Galway win, but he proved that this mark of 70 was well within range.

The handicapper raised him by another 8lb for this, but he has the potential to go beyond his new mark of 78 too, and he can obviously still compete in 50-80 handicaps off that mark. Unraced as a juvenile, this was just his seventh run, and he is now two for two in cheekpieces. He stays a mile and a half well and, while he goes well on soft and heavy ground, he handled the goodish ground on Tuesday well.

Tipperary, 15^th September 2020