Alsace Lorraine

Alsace Lorraine was buzzed up before the one-mile fillies' handicap at Ascot on Saturday, her first run for 224 days, and she was very weak in the market, drifting from morning prices of as short as 4/1 to an SP of 11/2. However, she travelled well out the back through the race, passed all of her rivals on the near side, and stayed on really well to get the better of Off Chance and First City to win well.

This was a nice performance, and she should improve for it. She improved a lot last year as a four-year-old, and her rider Jamie Spencer said that she was only about 80% fit for this, so it is reasonable to expect improvement. Trainer James Fanshawe said afterwards that she does tend to get buzzed up before she runs, but that it doesn't seem to affect her performance. Her trainer mentioned the Group 2 Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot as a possible next target, and that may not be flying too high. She obviously likes Ascot, she has finished second twice and won once there now in three visits, and she is nicely progressive.

8th May 2010

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