Julienas

Julienas was really well backed for a Class 2 mile Handicap at Sandown on Saturday, from a first show of 14/1 into 8/1 in the minutes before the race. He is often a front-runner but they held him up on this occasion with a couple of other confirmed pace-setters in the race. As a result he was quite keen early on from his wide draw, free enough as Adam Kirby looked for cover. He travelled well when settled in behind runners but was three horses wide around the turn. He came under pressure quite early up the straight and took a while to get going but he did make good progress in the last furlong and a half and jut failed, finishing third, beaten a neck by the winner and still seemingly full of running after the line. He was in front as they pulled up. He was further back than ideal through the early stages in a race that was dominated by those who raced handily. Interestingly, the five horses who filled the first five places through the race filled five of the first six places home. Julienas was the only one who got into it from the rear. Walter Swinburn’s gelding has form over 10 furlongs and that is probably more his trip than this mile judged on his strong finishing effort here. He is lightly raced, this was just his seventh lifetime start, and he remains on an upward curve after a clear cut success in a 0-85 handicap on the Polytrack at Kempton in September over a mile and a quarter. He will be of interest stepped back up to that trip now, he does go well at Sandown and Swinburn’s horses are just starting to run into form now after a slow start.

23rd April 2011

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