Sonny Red

The rain and mist that was around at Ascot during racing on Saturday afternoon probably helped Sonny Red land the Class 2 five-furlong handicap there on Saturday. Settled just behind the front rank by Richard Hughes in the early stages, he was travelling relatively well but looking for a gap between runners passing the two-fulong pole. He got the gap at the furlong pole, and he picked up well to go through it and nab Group Therapy just a couple of strides from the line.

This victory was a long time coming for the son of Redback. He actually hadn't won a race since he beat Hoh Hoh Hoh in a conditions race at Nottingham in April 2008. However, he switched to the Dandy Nicholls yard at the start of this season, and that seems to have rejuvenated him, as it so often does with these older sprinters. He was a really decent sprinter in his day, and the hike of 4lb with which he has been rewarded for this performance still leaves him 9lb short of the highest mark off which he raced. He is in the Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood, and he would be of interest in that if the ground happened to come up on the soft side.

11th July 2009

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