Beacon Lodge

Delegator showed a scintillating turn of foot to land the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday, but there were a couple of other performances to take out of the race, notably from Zacinto and Beacon Lodge. Beacon Lodge, in particular, was largely inconvenienced by the way the race was run. Settled out the back, last of the eight runners as they dawdled up front, he was always going to be disadvantaged when the sprint for home developed. Pulled to the outside at the two-furlong pole, he picked up impressively to be closest at the finish, closing to within just over two lengths of Delegator despite the fact that he started the sprint for home about three lengths behind. On top of all this, Beacon Lodge is at his best when he can get his toe in a little, which wasn't ideal given that it was riding on the fast side on Saturday. He is in the Solonaway Stakes over a mile at The Curragh next Sunday, and he would be interesting if he made the journey, as he would surely get his easy ground there. He is just as good over seven furlongs as he is over a mile, perhaps even better - his form with Main Aim from the John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock in May is looking even better now than it did then - and there could be a decent prize in him on easy ground before the season is out.

29th August 2009

Back