Petethepear

Petethepear put up a good performance to finish third behind Bangkok Pete and Billy Dutton in the three-mile handicap hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

Always up there in the firing line with Royale Knight, Stuart Edmonds' horse looked a likely winner when he hit the front at the second last flight. However, it is a long way home from there, and Bangkok Pete had made steady progress from the rear and just proved the stronger on the run to the final flight. Petethepear jumped the last well for Joshua Moore, he gave himself another chance, but he just faded a little on the tough run to the line, and he conceded second place to Billy Dutton, just holding on for third from the fast-finishing Sybarite.

This was a race in which it was probably a significant advantage to race in rear. They went hard from flagfall on the ground over the trip, and it was to Petethepear's credit that he remained there with a big chance until the run to the final flight. Three of the first four home were all held up early, while Royale Knight, the other horse who raced prominently, faded to finish fifth.

Petethepear has never won, he has run in a point-to-point, two bumpers and now four hurdle races, and he has yet to get his head in front. That is not ideal, but he remains progressive, he is still lightly-raced, he is only six, and this was probably his best run yet over the longest trip that he has ever tried. He just got run out of it in the end, but he is worth another try at the trip, perhaps ridden a little less aggressively.

The handicapper has raised him just 1lb for this to a mark of 122, and that is a mark off which he should be able to win one of these handicap hurdles. He handled this soft ground well, but he also ran well on his only attempt on good ground, in a bumper at Chepstow last September. He remains interesting.

20^th February 2016

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