Coulsty

Coulsty put up a good performance to finish second to Top Of The Glas in a good seven-and-a-half-furlong handicap at Chester on Saturday.

Sean Levey secured a nice position on Richard Hannon's colt just behind the leader Ifwecan through the early stages of the race, but he had to come off the inside rail and go wide around the home turn. Even so, it always looked like he was going to get to the leader. He hit the front at the furlong pole and looked the most likely winner by far for a few strides, but he just couldn't withstand the late surge of Top Of The Glas. Brian Ellison's horse was hampered on the home turn, and he did well to recover his equilibrium, but he had had the run of the race up to that point, along the inside rail just behind the pace. He is also a progressive individual, and the pair of them came nicely clear of the rest of the field.

This seven and a half furlongs on easy ground off a fast pace may just have stretched Coulsty's stamina to its limit. Also, he has quite keen through the early stages of the race. He could do better now back at an easy seven furlongs or even a stiff six off a fast pace.

He is a classy individual, he won the King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket in May, a race that is usually a good pointer to the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. After disappointing in the Jersey, and again in a listed race at Newmarket, he is now getting his career back on track, and he had run well to finish second to Intransigent over six furlongs at Chester on his last run before Saturday.

The handicapper has raised him 3lb to a mark of 104, but that is fair, that mark could still under-estimate his ability. He will also be interesting stepped back into listed grade or even Group 3. He handles easy ground well, so he will remain of interest when the ground eases.

16th August 2014

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