Balmacara

Balmacara gave it a really good go from the front in the 10-furlong handicap at Sandown on Saturday, just giving best to Flying Frontier in the closing stages. Smartly away and quickly into his racing rhythm in front for Charlie Bishop, he set a good pace and had the seven-runner field well stretched out by the time he got to the end of the back straight. Travelling best of all in front at the two-furlong marker as each of his rivals came under a ride, he had seen off the favourite Involvement, who had tracked him through the race, by the time he got to the furlong pole, but he just couldn’t fend off the challenge of Flying Frontier, going down by a head in the end.

This was just Balmacara’s sixth run, and it was the first time that he encountered ground that was faster than good to soft. Eve Johnson Houghton’s horse coped with it okay but, a dual winner on soft ground, and a good second in a strong handicap at Sandown on Eclipse day also on soft ground, it is likely that he will appreciate getting his toe in again. He continues to progress, he has run just six times, so he has plenty of scope for further improvement, and he will be of interest when the ground softens again as we move more deeply into the autumn. He would be of interest if he took up his engagement in the Cambridgeshire, nine furlongs at Newmarket could suit him really well, especially if the ground came up on the easy side.

Sandown, 31^st August 2024