Tiddliwinks

Tiddliwinks, a horse who has shown his best recent form when he has been covered up until late, had no chance as it turned out in the Stewards’ Cup, as he was drawn 26 of 27 and was one of just four to race down the stands side. The rest of the runners headed over to the faster ground on the middle to far side after the result of the Stewards’ Sprint, the first race on the day, in which the first three home came from the larger group on the far side. As a horse who needs cover, Tiddliwinks had nothing in his favour as the horse who led the group of four down the stands side, Nasri, moved across to join the larger group just inside the final quarter mile. That left Tiddliwinks with nothing to take him deep into the race as the other two horses on this side, Docofthebay and High Standing, were never travelling with any purpose and couldn’t lie up with Nasri or Tiddliwinks. Docofthebay actually drifted over to the main group of runners too at the same time as Nasri and soon made a bit of progress, perhaps evidence of how much quicker the ground was in the centre.

Philip Makin was not hard on Tiddliwinks when it was apparent inside the final furlong that his chance was gone, and the horse may well be marked down for this performance. His previous form though suggests that there is a big race in him yet, he looks a better horse this year than he was last year. He ran a huge race to finish third behind Delegator and Regal Parade in the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes, then backed that up with a second in the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh, both races over six furlongs. Most of his runs have come over six, in fact his only run over five was his run before Saturday in a Listed race at Cork where his rider lost an iron and was nearly unseated so that run can be easily ignored. He is at his best when coming from just behind a fast pace. He is in the Nunthorpe Stakes and, given that he is unexposed at five furlongs, he would be an interesting outsider if were to take his chance there, back at the scene of his Duke Of York run, the best of his life. His mark had risen 12lb this season for those fine placings in Pattern company, but it is back down 2lb after Saturday and all the big handicaps remain options for him too. He should be worth keeping on side wherever he goes next.

30th July 2011

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