Earth Drummer
Earth Drummer did well to finish third in the John Smith's Cup on Saturday in the circumstances.
Weak in the market beforehand, the early rain did not help David Loughnane's gelding, and this 10-furlong trip is probably just about at the outer range of his stamina. Even so, held up towards the rear of the field through the early stages of the race by Shane Kelly, he travelled into the race well on the far side at the top of the home straight. He picked up nicely from the three-furlong marker, and he looked a threat before his run just flattened out a little. Even so, he still kept on well enough to take third place, just a total of a length behind the winner Educate.
The times on the day suggest that the ground was not as soft as many people feared it would be, so he shouldn't have been disadvantaged significantly by the ground. Even so, he should be even better when he can get back on proper fast ground. Also, he did well to get as close as he did, given that he was held up off a pace that was not overly fast. He did best of the hold-up horses. The winner, second and fourth all raced fairly prominently.
The Dylan Thomas gelding is six now, but this run was up there with the best of his career. A 2lb hike takes him up to a mark of 100, but he should have at least that in hand. He could probably benefit from dropping back down to a mile or nine furlongs, and he will be of interest if he runs now at Ascot. In three runs there, he has run really well in defeat on two occasions, and he wasn't beaten far in the Royal Hunt Cup there last month on ground that should have been too soft for him.
9th July 2016
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