Udododontu

Udododontu ran a massive race to finish second in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot on Thursday. Sent to the far side from his low draw in stall three, and racing as one of just 11 horses who raced over there, he travelled well behind the leaders through the early stages of the race. Still going well passing the two-furlong pole, he picked up nicely when Jason Hart asked him to, but he hit the front before they reached the furlong pole, and that was just too far out in a big 1m handicap on a stiff straight mile for a horse whose best distance is probably seven and a half furlongs.

He just got run down by War Envoy in the end, he couldn't withstand the Ballydoyle horse's finishing surge, but he still kept on really well to finish second, beaten just a neck and almost two lengths clear of the next horse home in the far side group, Carry On Deryck.

This was a really good run, the Britannia is always a really strong handicap for three-year-olds, and this year's race was run in a good time, 0.03s/f faster than standard. The Britannia and the Tercentenary Stakes in which Time Test was so impressive were the only two races on the day that dipped below standard time.

The handicapper has raised Richard Guest's horse by 6lb for this run, and that is on top of the 9lb by which he raised him for his win at York on his previous run. But he remains progressive, and he is still of interest off his new mark of 94. He does get a mile, he won his maiden over a mile at Redcar in April on his debut this season, but this straight fast-run mile at a stiff track just stretched him beyond his limit. He should do better back at a stiff seven furlongs of over an easier mile and perhaps ridden a little more patiently.

He is in the Bunbury Cup, but he is unlikely to get into it, a three-year-old rated 89, given that the Classic generation get an 8lb allowance in that race. He probably needed to win the Britannia and get a penalty in order to give himself a chance. If he did happen to get into it, he would be of huge interest in it off his old mark. He would effectively be 5lb well-in, and that race would be ideal, a fast-run seven furlongs. He is also in the International Stakes, back at Ascot on King George day, back over seven furlongs. He has a better chance of getting into that race, given that it didn't close until after he was allotted his new mark of 94. That looks like a really good race for him, probably over his ideal trip and back at a track at which he is now proven.

18th June 2015

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