Suzi's Decision

Suzi's Decision was strong in the market before she won the 12-furlong listed race for fillies at Haydock on Saturday. Paul D'Arcy appeared to be hopeful enough beforehand, despite the fact that she was having her first run in 300 days, and Pat Smullen had made the trip specifically to ride her, with no other booked rides at the meeting on the day, so obviously she was expected to go close. She was a little keen in the early stages, which was perfectly understandable given that she had been off the track for so long, but Smullen got her anchored nicely at the back of the field as the set off down the back straight. Stone last of the nine runners at the top of the home straight, she made her ground nicely on the near side of the field with minimal effort. The only filly still on the bridle as they passed the three-furlong pole, she responded well when Smullen asked her to pick up at the two-furlong pole, still with her ears pricked. She joined the leader Les Fazzani just inside the furlong marker and powered away to win by an ever-extending two and a half lengths.

The daughter of Act One was most progressive throughout last summer. She got beaten in a Class 5 handicap at Newmarket at this time last year off a mark of 69, but improved markedly from there to win four of her next six races, her season culminating in a defeat of the talented Ronaldsay in a listed race at Newbury last August. The drying ground was in her favour on Saturday, she seems to like fast ground and certainly wouldn't want it any softer than good, and she seems to have kicked on again since being stepped up to a mile and a half. She saw the trip out well on Saturday after travelling well and quickened nicely, and it is probable that she is even a fair bit better than the bare form of the race. She seemed to win with a fair amount in hand, and Les Fazzani is a talented filly in her own right, a duel listed race winner, albeit on easier ground.

A 2,500gns yearling, Suzi's Decision has improved beyond all reasonable expectations already, and there could be even more to come. She is entered in the Group 3 Noblesse Stakes at Cork on 14th June, and that is a logical next step for her, as long as the ground doesn't come up too soft, which it can do for the Noblesse. Looking further ahead, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that she will develop into a Yorkshire Oaks contender. The long home straight at York would suit her galloping style (five of her six wins have been gained at tracks with long home straights, while the other was gained at Pontefract, which has a stiff uphill finish). Alternatively, she shapes as if she will stay even further than this mile and a half, in which case she could easily be one for the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster's St Leger meeting on 10th September.

© The Irish Field, 6th June 2009

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