Outback Traveller

Outback Traveller put up a really impressive performance to win the three-year-olds' seven-furlong handicap at Ascot on Friday.

Settled just behind the leaders in the early stages of the race, a little keen if anything, Ryan Moore moved him towards the far side of the leader Comino at the two-furlong pole in order to ensure that he would be able to deliver his challenge when he wanted to and, once his rider gave him a squeeze, he picked up really impressively. Disputing the lead a furlong and a half out, he was three lengths clear by the time he reached the furlong pole, and he won by seven. Sir Rebert Cheval, who appeared to be travelling as well as the winner at the two-furlong pole, extricated himself from traffic to give chase, and he ran on to finish a good second, but he could get nowhere near the winner.

This was a really impressive performance visually. They did not appear to go a great gallop, around four lengths would have covered the entire 13-strong field at the three-furlong pole, with plenty of riders still motionless at that point. So for Outback Traveller to show the turn of foot that he showed off that relatively sedate pace, to come as far clear as he did in such a short space of ground, marks him out as a horse who was competing way below his grade. Also, the overall time of the race was good, the fastest comparative time on the day and just 0.15secs/furlong slower than standard.

Jeremy Noseda's horse won two of his three races last season as a juvenile, and he had won twice this term before Friday. He probably put up the best performance of his career before Friday when he beat Ticking Katie and Marmoom on very fast ground at Newmarket in early August, but he handled the easyish ground well at Ascot, and he can continue to progress now. The handicapper has raised him 12lb to a mark of 105, but this performance merited a hike of that magnitude, and he could be better than a handicapper now anyway. Seven furlongs is his trip, all six of his runs this term have been over that trip, and he will be interesting next time stepped up in grade.

3rd October 2014

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