My Propeller

My Propeller was unlucky in the Group 3 Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday. She travelled as well as the winner Dutch Masterpiece, if not slightly better, and they were improving together a furlong out. However, whereas the gap opened up for Dutch Masterpiece 200 yards out, My Propeller never had much room, and the gap in front of her towards the centre of the track slammed shut in her face 150 yards out. She seemed to have plenty of running in her at the time, but she had to be snatched right up, Declan McDonogh eased right up on her once her winning chance had gone, and in the end finished only seventh.

It is impossible to say quite how Peter Chapple-Hyam's filly would have fared had the gap not closed, but it is likely that she would have gone close, and there is even a chance that she would have won. The winner is a progressive young sprinter, runner-up Hamza is a solid yardstick, and the time was very fast, so this is strong form.

The Joey Barton-owned filly has always been fast. She won the Listed Roses Stakes as a juvenile, but she lost her way a little after that for a while. She is right back on track now though, she has only had one blip this season and that came in a hot renewal of the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket when she was part of the group that raced down the middle of the track away from the main action. She beat last week's Nunthorpe winner Jwala on merit in the Land O’Burns Stakes at Ayr in June before finishing close-up behind the same horse in a good race at York, and she could just be under-rated now. She is still relatively lightly-raced for a sprinter and she should be up to winning in Group company on this evidence, probably on fast ground over five furlongs.

24th August 2013

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