Plot Twist
Plot Twist belied odds of 25/1 when winning the 10-furlong maiden that brought the curtain down on The Curragh on Sunday on his racecourse debut, and he may still be an under-rated horse now going forward.
Slowly away and settled at the back of the field through the early stages of the race by Chris Hayes, a detached last of the 10 runners, Andy Oliver's horse was still last as they passed the three-furlong pole. Switched to the far side by Hayes, he picked up really nicely from the two-furlong marker. He had to do a lot of running over towards the inside rail, possibly on the worst of the ground, to get involved with the leaders, but he did. He joined Unyielding and Ashoka - who both raced out towards the centre of the track - inside the final furlong, and he finished strongly to get up and beat Unyielding by a short head.
There was a lot to like about this performance. Not only did he lose a couple of lengths at the start, but he made his ground from the rear in a race in which it was difficult to do so. The second and third both raced prominently throughout. Also, there was a lot to like about the resolve that he showed, the willing manner in which he stretched out to the line to get up and beat Unyielding and Ashoka, both of whom had had the benefit of two prior races. That pair also dominated the market. The form looks solid.
Despite is inflated odds, there was no mistaking afterwards the regard in which Andy Oliver holds the Champs Elysees gelding. The trainer said afterwards that he just about had his horse ready to run, and that his rider had said that he had blown up twice. He mentioned the Group 3 Enterprise Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend as a possible next target, and he would be an interesting outsider in that. He could still be under-rated wherever he goes next.
23rd August 2015
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