Sagramor

Sagramor is worth noting after running really well in the Group 3 September Stakes over a mile and a half at Kempton on Saturday. He was dropped in behind horses straight away by Darryll Holland on what was his first run at a distance of in excess of a mile and a quarter. He was last of the nine as they turned into the home straight, and he had to pick up into a quickening pace when the cutaway came. He quickened impressively though, moving from last place to challenge for the lead in little more than 100 yards, but he just couldn’t carry it through to get past Dandino, who had had the complete run of the race just behind the pace. Hughie Morrison’s colt held off Modun, last year’s winner of this race, and the well-backed Mijhaar quite comfortably for second though, and he emerges with a great deal of credit.

He is out of a mare who won over a mile and three quarters, but he is by the July Cup winner Pastoral Pursuits, and given his smart run of foot, he will probably prove best back over 10 or 11 furlongs. It is difficult to know how good he could be, but he gives the impression that he is better than a Group 3 horse.

He is entered in the Group 3 Diamond Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs at Dundalk at the start of October, that could turn out to be his best trip, he goes well on an artificial surface (he now has a win and two seconds to his name from three runs at Kempton), and he would probably be difficult to beat if he took his chance at Dundalk. Morrison may have loftier targets for him though on the back of this, and he is worth consideration wherever he runs now, especially if he is dropped slightly in trip. He is also one for one at Ascot having won last year’s Britannia Handicap, and so it is interesting that he is entered in the Champion Stakes too. He wouldn’t have realistic chances of beating Frankel if Morrison let him take up his entry, but with competition starting to possibly look a little thin on the ground, he could be up to running very well in that race.

8th September 2012

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