Spiced Rum

Spiced Rum stayed on well to win the opening juveniles’ handicap hurdle at Sandown on Saturday. On her toes in the preliminaries, she was keen enough through the early part of the race, prominent and up on the outside. She travelled well down the back straight though, up on the outside of the leaders. She moved to the front on the run to the second last flight, and she stayed on strongly from there. Favourite Kartoon And Co did close, but she was always holding him, she finished off her race strongly, despite her early exertions.

This was another step forward by Stuart Kittow’s filly. She kept on well to get off the mark over hurdles at Hereford on her previous run, when she made most of the running and came home two and a half lengths clear of the Henry de Bromhead-trained Emotivo, the pair of them miles clear. The handicapper gave her 14lb for that, but she was well able for her new mark of 109 here. Winner of a two-mile-one-furlong handicap on heavy ground on the flat, soft ground is reportedly important to her, but she will be of interest wherever she goes next as long as she can get her toe in. She could do even better when she learns to settle a little better, and there could be more to come from her over hurdles.

Sandown, 9^th March 2024