Thought Worthy

Thought Worthy, a full brother to Lucarno, continued his progression by winning the Listed Fairway Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

William Buick made the running on John Gosden’s Dynaformer colt, and he travelled nicely out in front. He had three of his four rivals under pressure three furlongs out, but he looked awkward on the undulations and started to hang to his right. He was headed by Farhaan two furlongs out, and looked in trouble, but Buick reorganised him and, once they reached the rising ground, his stamina really kicked in and he got back up to ultimately win a shade comfortably from Noble Mission, despite continuing to edge across to his right.

Given that there were only five runners the time was pretty good, this was only the third run of Thought Worthy’s life, and he should improve as he steps up in distance. Noble Mission was carrying a 5lb penalty for his win in the Newmarket Stakes on 2000 Guineas day, and this was a good effort by Frankel's brother in that context, but Thought Worthy just has more potential to improve when stepping up in trip.

Lucarno was unraced as a two-year-old but won this same race on his third start before going on to finish fourth in Authorized’s Derby in 2007 en route to winning the Great Voltigeur and ultimately the St Leger. By contrast, Thought Worthy did make it to the track as a two-year-old, winning a soft ground mile maiden at Newcastle in October. That race has worked out well, and he really well on his debut this term when he finished second to Imperial Monarch in the Classic Trial at Sandown. That race was run on desperate ground, and it is impossible to tell by how much Imperial Monarch was favoured (if at all) by racing wide the whole way compared to the amount of ground he gave away, but Thought Worthy was only beaten narrowly and he was well clear of the other two horses who raced down the middle to far side, both of whom had won at Newmarket’s Craven meeting.

It would be no surprise to see Thought Worthy run in the Derby now, and it would be no surprise to see him improve considerably at Epsom for the extra two furlongs. A good run there would make him a leading St Leger candidate.

19th May 2012

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