Cubanita

Cubanita returned from a summer break in the Listed Stand Cup over a mile and a half at Chester on Saturday and, although she was beaten eight lengths by the hugely impressive Tac De Boistron, she ran a really encouraging race.

The Ralph Beckett-trained filly was fairly strong in the market all day and, without the winner, she would have been a very good winner of this race herself. She was further back in the field than ideal on soft ground at Chester – it was difficult for horses to get involved from even a little way off the pace all day – and she was further impeded by having to negotiate her way around Montaser, who dropped back through the field in front of her three furlongs out. That cost her several lengths and, while she was never going to catch the winner, she got kick-started again after losing momentum, circled the field around the home turn and got out after the winner, coming right away from everything else. Martin Lane just nudged her out hands and heels through the final furlong, as it was obvious that she was not going to catch the winner.

Tac De Boistron was having just his second run of the season, and his second for Marco Botti. He had won a Group 2 race at Longchamp last season on soft ground, and he had made a pleasing reappearance when third to Harris Tweed and Mount Athos in the March Stakes at Goodwood. He is clearly very talented on easy ground, and it is probable that Cubanita faced an impossible task against him. She is also at her best on good or easy ground. Just like last season, she has had a nice break through the summer. She improved last season from a narrow defeat in a Goodwood handicap on her return to beat Sajjhaa, who progressed hugely subsequently, in a listed race at Doncaster in November on her second run back. After this pleasing comeback here, she is of significant interest for the remainder of the season now on easy ground.

14th September 2013

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