Moviesta

Although he couldn’t quite follow up his previous two wins, Moviesta ran a huge race in the Macmillan Charity Sprint Trophy at York on Saturday. He effectively bolted through the first two furlongs. Paul Mulrennan tried to restrain him just in behind horses as he was stepping back up to six furlongs from five furlongs, but he took a really fierce hold through the first quarter of a mile. He did settle passing the four-furlong pole, but he must have taken a huge amount of energy out of himself, and he did remarkably well to keep on as well as he did to finish second to the exciting Body And Soul.

The winner is a really talented filly, she would have been absolutely primed for this valuable prize (it was her trainer’s third win in the race in the last 10 years), she thrives in these big-field sprints (she had won the Super Sprint and the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy last season), and she settled really well just behind the leader towards the near side. Moviesta was travelling fractionally better than the winner two furlongs from home, but he just took a little while to get past the leader Storm Moon, and Body And Soul quickened up on the near side. It may not have suited Moviesta that he was a little way away from the winner initially because when he saw her he really put his head down and tried to get back up. It was a most courageous effort. Also, the time was really good, faster than standard and 1.27secs faster than the older horse 0-80 handicap later on the card.

Bryan Smart’s colt was racing off a career-high mark, and he remains really progressive. Although he clearly gets six furlongs well and he could be high-class over this trip when he learns to settle a little better, he should be even better dropped back down to five furlongs for now and allowed to jump and run. American-bred, by Hard Spun out of an A.P. Indy mare, he bounced off this quick ground and he could continue to progress through the summer.

15th June 2013

Back