Cry Of Freedom

As a son of Street Cry, it is not surprising that Cry Of Freedom improved for the slightly better ground at Newbury on Saturday (the ground was more like soft for his reappearance at Musselburgh than the official good to soft), and he was probably a little unlucky not to win.

Held up in the last trio by Denis O’Regan, he travelled well through the early stages of the race, his jumping was quite quick, even if it was a little clumsy at times, and he continued to travel well into the home straight. He made nice ground over the second last but he was on the far side of the track as the race developed between Meganisi and Tango De Juilley on the near side. He had to cross all the way over and he kept on closing all the way to the line to be beaten just a length, drawing four and a half lengths clear of the rest through the final furlong.

If he had come to the near side into the straight, or worked his way across sooner, he may have won, but Meganisi was a potentially well-handicapped horse if he could get his act together over hurdles and, with the pair of them a little way clear, this looks like strong form.

This was just Cry Of Freedom’s seventh run over hurdles and his jumping is getting better. He should come on again for this run, his second one back, and he should be even better on even better ground as we get deeper into the spring. Quicker ground should certainly help his jumping.

He has gone up 6lb for this, but he could still be a well-treated horse, he was good enough to easily land a listed race as a two-year-old for Mark Johnston.

2nd March 2013

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