Foxcub
Foxcub did well to go as close as he did in the Pertemps Qualifier at Sandown on Saturday, given that he raced up with a fast pace from early. He only went down by a neck in the end to Simply A Legend in a driving finish, he actually looked the most likely winner 150 yards from the winning line, but he lost very little in defeat, he battled all the way to the line, and he was only just beaten by a progressive rival.
Always travelling well for James Davies just behind the front rank, the Bahri gelding came under pressure at the top of the home straight. He moved up nicely on the far side on the run to the second last flight, and he stayed on well from there. He hit the front just after the final flight and looked a likely winner as they started off up the run-in before he was just overhauled by Alan King's horse.
This was a race in which it was an advantage to be held up. The three other horses who, with Foxcub, filled the first four places were all held up. Tom Symonds' horse was the only one of the four who raced prominently, and the front four were clear. He is not especially unexposed, he is not lightly-raced, but he was racing off a career-high mark of 141 here, 7lb higher than the mark off which he won on his previous run at Bangor, and he put up a career-best performance. So a 3lb hike is not harsh. This two miles and five and a half furlongs may have stretched him, especially in a strongly-run race, and it may be that he will do better back at two and a half miles. He will be of interest wherever he goes next, ideally dropped down a little in trip.
5th December 2015
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