Signor Peltro

Signor Peltro was unlucky not to win a good Class 2 seven-furlong handicap at Goodwood on Monday. Strong in the market in the morning, but easy to back on-course, probably because he sweated up a little before the off, the Henry Candy-trained gelding was taken back in the early stages by Fergus Sweeney from his good draw in stall 13, just one off the inside rail, which is significant over seven furlongs at Goodwood. He settled nicely in behind, but the pace perhaps wasn't as strong as you would expect in a competitive seven-furlong handicap at Goodwood, and there were plenty of horses still travelling well passing the three-furlong pole. Sweeney was happy to sit in behind runners until the two-furlong pole, when he angled towards the outside, but he didn't actually pull the horse out and go for home until just outside the furlong pole. At that stage he had about four lengths to make up on the leaders, who weren't stopping, and faced a very difficult task, but he made up significant ground inside the final 200 yards and just failed to overhaul the mare Tropical Paradise, who battled on gamely even after she had got the better of the well-backed favourite Thebes on the far side.

Signor Peltro won just once last year, but he put in a number of worthy causes in defeat. Although he finished just 15th in the Challenge Cup at Ascot in September, he was drawn in stall two of 28, right on the stands side, all the field went far side, he couldn't get cover, he was last with a furlong and a half to run, and he finished well, putting in a much better performance than his finishing position suggested. He was well down the field on his debut this season in the Victoria Cup, back at Ascot, but that run obviously brought him on, and it is difficult to argue that he wasn't the best horse in the race on Friday. He is seven years old now, but he has slipped back down to a mark off which he can win, he runs Goodwood well (he has never been out of the first three there now in four visits) and he could be one for one of the big handicaps at Glorious Goodwood. He has never raced over a mile, he has the profile of a seven-furlong specialist, but he gets seven furlongs well, he races like he will get further, and he might be worth a try in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood on 30th July this year.

31st May 2010

© The Irish Field, 5th June 2010

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