Carry On Sydney

Carry On Sydney did well to finish second to the talented Katgary in a decent two-mile-five-furlong handicap hurdle at Newbury on Thursday.

Held up out the back of the field in a race that was not run at a strong pace, he was a little out-paced when the picked up at the end of the back straight. His jumping lacked fluency throughout, which obviously wasn't helpful, but he started to stay on nicely from the top of the home straight. Moved to the stands side by Leighton Aspell, it never looked like he was going to catch the winner, but he got past the useful Chosen Well after the second last, and he stayed on really well all the way to the line to get to within a length of Katgary. It always looked like the winner had the race in safe keeping, and he was probably value for more than the bare winning margin, but not much more. He may not have had as much in hand as most people will assume.

An 87-rated horse at his peak on the flat, Oliver Sherwood's horse was a progressive juvenile last spring, but he had been largely disappointing this term in two-mile and two-and-a-quarter-mile handicap hurdles. Dropped from a peak rating of 125 last February to Thursday's mark of 113, the step up to two miles and five furlongs on the energy-sapping ground seemed to suit him well. By Notnowcato and a half-brother to Frenchmans Bay, a Group 3 winner over seven furlongs, the step up in trip was a worry going into Thursday's race, but he stayed really well. Indeed, on this evidence, he wants this type of stamina test.

It will be interesting to see what the handicapper does with him now, but he can't be too harsh, and he remains a horse of potential over staying trips. He is well worth a try at three miles on this evidence. He is only five, so he could progress further over these longer trips, over two and a half miles or further.

26th March 2015

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