Kaolak

Kaolak put in a fine performance to land a nine-furlong handicap at Goodwood on Sunday. Bounced out of the gate and ridden up on the outside with the express objective of making the running, the American-bred son of Action This Day took them along at a fair pace, although it did help that he was left on his own up front. Kicked on at the top of the home straight, he was three lengths clear at the three-furlong pole, and was only two clear as they passed the two-furlong pole, but he came right away inside the final furlong to win, eased down, by two and a half lengths. Two of the horses who raced well out the back through the early stages, Silverglas and Suba, both came through the field to finish second and fourth respectively, so it is unlikely that the early pace played into the front-runners' hands too much. Also, Kaolak is a big long-striding horse, over 17hh apparently. While it helped that he was out in front and didn't have to race in traffic, it is unlikely that the Goodwood cambers were ideal for him, and he can probably be seen to even better effect on a flatter track.

This performance may be put down by some as the result of an enterprising ride, but I am happy to believe that Kaolak was the best horse in the race by some way. They are talking about the Cambridgeshire next for him, and that is interesting. It is not always ideal to be prominent in these big handicaps, but Tazeez was prominent all the way last year, and Chivalry and Beauchamp Pilot raced prominently to win it in recent years. The expanses of Newmarket and the straight track will suit Kaolak, and he could be an interesting outsider in the Newmarket race.

30th August 2009

Back