Drumfire

Drumfire ran an eye-catching race in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last Thursday. Settled well out the back, he made ground on the outside around the home turn and challenged widest of all in the home straight. It never looked like he would get to the leaders, Cima De Triomphe and Conduit who duelled on the far side, but he made ground all the way to the line and was nearest at the finish.

This was a career-best from Mark Johnston's five-year-old, and it now looks like he will benefit from a step up in trip to a mile and a half. He is such a strong galloper who, perhaps, doesn't possess the gears necessary to be effective in this grade over 10 furlongs. Although this was only a Group 3 race, it would have been deserving of a higher status, such was the quality of the race, and Drumfire would be interesting now if he took his chance in the Hardwicke Stakes over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot. Although that is a Group 2 contest, it is often a weak enough Group 2 with the top class middle distance horses running in the Prince of Wales Stakes, and it shouldn't be any hotter than last Thursday's race. The step up in trip should bring about sufficient improvement in order for Drumfire to be a player in that race, and he may be allowed go off at a decent price.

28th May 2009

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