The Which Doctor

The Which Doctor may be an unusual addition as a horse to follow after he finished last in a one-mile handicap at Goodwood last weekend, but he was met with no luck at all in-running and would have finished much closer than he did with a better run through the race. The five-year-old was slowly into stride, and was held up on the inside rail in the early stages. He had no room two and a half furlongs out, but Pat Dobbs persisted with a run up the rail, which wasn't working, as is frequently the case at Goodwood. He briefly got a run of sorts before he met more trouble as one of the long-time leaders Kaolak faded out of contention, and Dobbs, realising that his efforts were in vain, allowed him to come home in his own time.

This was an interesting run from Jeremy Noseda’s gelding. He ran ok on his first two starts this season and has now and has been dropped down to a mark of 85, his last winning mark. He was still full of running here at the line and is obviously better than his finishing position suggests. It is worth noting that the five-year-old was similarly unlucky in a race at Sandown last August before he came out and won a decent 10-furlong handicap at Newbury two runs later on fast ground. That was his last win, and now down to the same mark he will be of interest wherever he goes next. He has won on both all-weather and turf, and he probably would not want the ground to be too soft. He has won over a mile, but the balance of his form suggests that 10 furlongs is probably his optimum trip. He is also probably at his best on fast ground and off a fast pace.

22nd May 2010

Back