Khateeb

Khateeb put up a fine performance on Sunday to win a listed race over a mile at Pontefract. Settled in third place by Tadhg O'Shea, just behind a decent pace that was set by the favourite Orizaba, he travelled easily the whole way to the home turn. At that point, only he and the leader had yet to come under pressure, and it looked like the pair of them would have it between them, which they duly did. O'Shea pulled Khateeb off the fence to challenge as Supaseus weakened on his outside. The son of King's Best showed a nice turn of foot to join and quickly pass the leader a furlong and a half out. He lugged in towards the rail a little once he hit the front, and he jinked a little and changed his legs inside the final 50 yards, but he continued to go forward, and he gave the impression that he won this with a fair bit in hand, a fair bit more than the length-and-a-half winning margin.

The way that the race was run suited Khateeb. He wears a cross noseband and likes to get on with things, so it was ideal that O'Shea was able to settle him in behind a decent pace, and the turn of foot that he showed was impressive. It looked like he was going to have a right tussle with Orizaba, but he quickly had his measure, and that horse kept on well enough to retain second spot from the useful Perks. He can front-run as well, as he did when he won at Nottingham on his penultimate outing. He didn't settle at all when held up over 10 furlongs in the Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot, so you can forget that run easily. A strongly-run stiff mile suits him well, and the fact that he can now come from behind as well as make the running gives him another piece of armoury in his arsenal. He is progressive and should be worth following.

26th July 2009

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