Martin Chuzzlewit

Martin Chuzzlewit’s effort in the big mile-and-a-half handicap at York on Friday can be upgraded a fair bit as he sat close to a strong pace, and he did well to finish as close as he did in second place. The other four horses to fill the first five places all came from out the back, with two of them, the winner Kirthill and the third-placed Tropical Beat, coming from second last and last places respectively.

Having raced in a share of fourth through the first half of the race, within two and a half lengths of the leader, the three-year-old colt moved closer around the home turn. Into a narrow third at the top of the home straight, he took a bump from Expert Fighter as the Godolphin horse edged out inside him, and it looked as though he might be start to weaken at that point. Neil Callan hadn't really asked him for his effort at that point though, and he was able to re-pass Expert Fighter quite readily two furlongs out, and kick into a lead before Kirthill came at him immediately up his inside. He couldn’t hold off the strong surge of the Cumani horse, but he did impress with the manner in which he stayed on right to the line to hold off the fast-finishing Tropical Beat for second.

This was just Sir Michael Stoute’s colt’s sixth run, his first since early May, and his first in a visor, and it does appear as though the headgear has helped him. He is a €420,000 yearling and he has bags of potential now after his break. By Galileo out of an unraced dam who is a half-sister to a French Oaks runner-up, it is not surprising that he stays well, and, while he may just lack a few gears, he should continue to improve with racing. He looks the type to be even better at four. He could be an Ebor horse for next season, and, in the shorter term, he will be of interest wherever he goes next. The 3lb by which the handicapper has raised him looks lenient.

24th August 2012

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