Varenar

Varenar just got a little outpaced in the final furlong of the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, but it was still a highly creditable effort. Alain De Royer-Dupre’s colt raced in the far side group, he was a bit short of room and got slightly hampered inside the first furlong, but he soon settled and raced prominently towards the outside of runners. He looked like he was going to have a say two furlongs out, but he just got done for speed from there. This was his first try over six furlongs, but he was only just over four lengths behind the winner, Starspangledbanner, and he finished third in his own far-side group.

This was a really good effort from Varenar on his first try over six furlongs. He will be better suited when stepped back up to seven furlongs, which seems to be his optimum trip, he won the Group 1 Prix de la Foret on his last start last season over that distance when he had Goldikova back in third. That ended a good year for the son of Rock Of Gibralter as a three-year-old which saw him win twice, come very close at Group 3 level twice and finish a close-up fourth in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest before he won the Foret.

He was a little bit disappointing on his comeback run this year, when he was a hot favourite for a Group 3 contest in Cologne, but he stayed on well at the end and it may be that he just needed the run. That seemed to be the case on his first run last year as well. Connections could aim him for another crack at the Prix Maurice de Gheest, he would go back there a year older and would hold a big chance over the six and a half furlongs.

19th June 2010

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