Skysurfers

I wouldn't go losing faith in Skysurfers just yet, after he got beaten by Penitent in a listed race over a mile at Sandown on Wednesday. For starters, Penitent is very good given his conditions - a mile and easy ground - which he had on Wednesday. A hugely impressive winner of the Lincoln in March, when it looked like he was destined for much bigger things, Penitent had only run once since, in the Group 3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom on Derby weekend, when the ground was too fast for him. This was his first run since, and he thrived on the easier ground. Even so, Skysurfers looked by far the most likely winner when he took it up outside the furlong pole, so much so that he traded at 1.03 in-running, but he was just worn down on the uphill climb as the combination of the hill and the ground sapped his stamina as Penitent got stronger. Even at that, he only went down by a half a length, and the pair of them finished five lengths clear of Bronze Cannon, himself on a recovery mission, with Hunt Cup runner-up Riggins back in fourth.

This was just Skysurfers seventh ever race. He ran a cracker on his previous start in a seven-furlong listed race at York, just his second in the UK this season when, weak in the market beforehand, he travelled like a winner and led well inside the final furlong before he was just run out of it by the highly talented Yaa Wayl. He may not relish a battle, he may not want the ground to be too soft, but he is classy, he held an entry in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes until the last forfeit stage, and a drop back down in trip to seven furlongs should bring out the best in him again.

15th September 2010

© The Irish Field, 18th September 2010

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