Rock A Doodle Doo

Rock A Doodle Doo had been off since June of last year when returning in the Great Metropolitan at Epsom in April, and has looked a seriously progressive colt in all three of his runs this term, his most recent performance coming in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap at Royal Ascot on Saturday where he finished fourth having experienced anything but a clear passage.

The Great Metropolitan is usually a race that is worth following from a form point of view, and this year has been no exception with the second, third and fifth all winning nicely next time out (the winner Sunny Game has yet to run again since). Rock A Doodle Doo finished third but was placed second having been impeded by the second past the post Harlestone Times, both coming from way out the back in a race that wasn’t run at a break-neck gallop. The other three horses who finished in the first five all raced prominently.

Next time out, William Jarvis's colt ran in a Class 3 0-95 handicap over Saturday's course and distance. He was well supported in the morning and he was fairly strong on course, before ultimately winning in the style of a horse who was well ahead of the assessor, bursting through late on to win by three quarters of a length despite having to come from a long way back in the straight and finding trouble in running. He was raised 8lb to a mark of 97 for that win, but that was more than fair, and he is still one to keep on the right side of following his latest run.

Settled in the rear of midfield by Olivier Peslier on Saturday, he travelled powerfully, still going well as they passed the three-furlong marker, but then had to be pulled off heels at the top of the home straight, which meant that he found himself briefly in last place. He picked up so well when switched that he soon ran into the back of two horses in front of him and Peslier had to sit up on him again at a crucial stage, the horse losing a lot of momentum, but he accelerated nicely again when switched back inside. No better than 13th or 14th a quarter of a mile from home, he finished best of all to get up for fourth place, having received just one crack from the Frenchman a furlong from home, giving the impression that he is still a fair way ahead of the assessor. There was a worry about the ground coming into this race and, while he handled it fine, he has such acceleration that he is surely going to prove better on a sounder surface, although he is not ground-dependent. He is seriously progressive still, and is only now at four discovering his true potential despite having his 14th start on Saturday. Granted better luck in running he has got to be on the shortlist for big 12-furlong handicaps in the near future, especially as he has been left on a mark of 97. It is not hard to imagine him as a Pattern performer before the season is out.

18th June 2011

Back