Quiz Mistress

Take nothing away from Number Theory, he put up another career-best by a fair way in recording his third win on the spin at Haydock in the Old Newton Cup on Saturday with his jockey putting up 1lb overweight, but Quiz Mistress was at least a little unlucky in second.

They didn’t seem to go overly hard up front, front-running Tepmokea kept on well for third, fourth-placed Dreamspeed was right behind the leader the whole way, and Number Theory was always fairly close up behind and moved right up to challenge early in the home straight. Quiz Mistress came from near the rear, she was three from the back on turning into the home straight, but she had Allied Powers outside her as she attempted to make ground, and there just wasn’t enough of a gap for her to get through when she needed it passing the three-furlong marker.

Nicky Mackay had to take her back and she was immediately impeded a little by Kiama Bay inside her. She had plenty of running to give, room emerged for her a furlong and a half out as Kiama Bay moved inside, but Dreamspeed soon came across in front of her and she took a couple of fairly hefty bumps from Allied Powers about a furlong out as War Poet lugged to his left on the outside and into Allied Powers. That checked Quiz Mistress in her run just as she was building momentum, she had to get going again, but she brushed that off, moved through the gap and set about chasing Number Theory with half a furlong to run. She tried valiantly but just failed, the winning margin a fast-diminishing neck at the line.

Had she not been checked she would have gone very close to beating Number Theory. She did best of those who were held up, and it was probably a disadvantage to have been held up in the race, especially given the trouble in running. This was a really good run in the circumstances.

The Doyen filly is progressive now as a four-year-old. She has had just four runs for Hughie Morrison, and three of them have been the best three of her life. The other one can be forgiven as it came on fast ground at idiosyncratic Espom and she was slowly away before being too keen without cover. She stays further than this – she was second over two miles at Kempton last season as a three-year-old – and she would be interesting if stepped up from this mile and a half to a mile and six furlongs for the Ebor, especially if the ground came up on the easy side. She is at her best when she has a decent gallop to run at, and a big handicap like the Ebor could suit her really well.

7th July 2012

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