Moohaarib

Moohaarib put up a really impressive performance to win a listed race over a mile at Ascot on Wednesday.

Settled nicely in, last of the eight runners, through the early stages of the race, he tracked favourite Mondialiste on the far side to the two-furlong pole. Moved outside the favourite by Martin Harley, he picked up nicely without the need for his rider to really ask him. He eased his way to the front and he quickened impressively when Harley gave him a squeeze. He won, eased down, by over a length from Hors De Combat, who got past Mondialiste for second place.

There was an awful lot to like about this performance from Marco Botti's horse. Visually, it was a taking effort, but there is also substance to it. The right horses, in Hors De Combat and Mondialiste, chased him home. Both placed horses were well fancied and well backed, they are well worth ratings of 109 and 110 respectively, 7lb and 8lb respectively superior to the winner on official ratings and they all carried the same weight here. They are both high-class horses. Also, the time of the race was good, it was just above standard and it was two seconds faster than the time that Directorship clocked in winning the apprentices' handicap run over the same course and distance later on the day.

It was interesting that trainer Marco Botti said after the race that he almost took Moohaarib out because of the fast ground. He seemed to thrive on it though, and that opens up options for him now. Botti spoke about the Lockinge Stakes and, while that would be a massive step up in class, he is progressive, and it is significant that his trainer thought enough of him to enter him in the race in the first place. He was a progressive three-year-old last season, his first season racing, and he ran well to finish third in the Lincoln on his debut this term. He has obviously improved for that run, he will be of interest wherever he runs next, and he would be an interesting outsider in the Lockinge.

29th April 2015

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