Ebtihaal
Ebtihaal put up a nice performance to finish fifth in the Esher Cup at Sandown on Friday.
Slowly away and allowed drift back in the field through the early stages of the race as they went fast up front, the Godolphin colt was last of the nine runners through the early stages of the race, and he was still last as they straightened up for home. Indeed, outpaced when they quickened at the three-furlong pole, he was still last a furlong and a half out. He did start to pick up from there and, while it wasn't ideal that he hung to his right away from Paul Hanagan's whip, he did go forward. He made ground among horses towards the far side all the way to the line under just a hands and heels ride to be closest at the finish.
It was a nice return from Saeed Bin Suroor's horse. He won twice over a mile on easy ground last year as a juvenile, and he is bred for middle distances, so he should improve for a step up in trip. It may be that he will needs soft ground too to be at his best, but he could be okay on better ground as long as he has a middle-distance trip. This was just his fourth ever race, so he has masses of potential for progression. Also, Saeed Bin Suroor's yard is only starting to get going now, so he should do even better when the yard is in better form, which it inevitably will be.
22nd April 2016
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