The Which Doctor

There is a temptation to put a line through The Which Doctor now after two disappointing runs in a row. At Epsom on Monday, everything that could have gone wrong went wrong for Jeremy Noseda's gelding. He missed the kick under Tom Queally, was rushed up on the outside into a fast pace as they climbed through the first couple of furlongs, saw plenty of daylight through the early stages, was widest of all turning for home, didn’t handle the downhill run around the bend, and ultimately faded in the closing stages. It was a disappointing effort on the face of it, but he can be easily forgiven. On his previous run at Sandown, he had been held up well out the back behind the sedate pace that Fanjura was allowed set, and he was checked in his run a couple of times on the far side when he tried to improve. He now has two disappointing efforts down on his record, his last two runs, and there is a chance that he will be under-estimated when he runs next. He is a decent handicapper, as he proved when he stayed on well to finish third to Marajaa in a good handicap run over a mile at Glorious Goodwood, and again when he was stepped up to 10 furlongs for the first time at Haydock in early August, was ridden to get the trip and finished best of all to take fifth place behind Libel Law, less than a length and a half behind good performers Nanton and Dancourt. He deserves another chance, and could be allowed go off at a decent price next time. Ten furlongs looks to be his distance now.

31st August 2009

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