Uxizandre

Uxizandre put up a nice performance to win a decent novices' hurdle at Newbury on Wednesday. Travelling well throughout on the inside just behind the leaders, his jumping was impressive for a horse who was having just his second run over hurdles. He made nice ground at the top of the home straight, took it up at the second last flight, and galloped on strongly all the way to the line to beat a field of useful novices in a good time, comparatively the fastest hurdle race by some way run on a good day's racing.

The fast pace that Fergall set here suited Uxizandre well, he is a strong traveller who wasn't suited by the slow early pace that they set at Market Rasen on his only previous run over hurdles in Britain. Also, he jumped a little to his left that day, so it is probable that he was also suited by returning to a left-handed track. Choc Thornton niggled him along a little on the run around the home turn, but he found lots, and quickened up nicely to come clear of a nice field. He handled the soft ground well and he saw out this two-mile-three-furlong trip well. He should be able to step up in trip in time, but a fast-run two and a half miles on easy ground is probably his optimum for now, and he can progress again.

19th December 2012

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