Custom Cut
Custom Cut ran a cracker to finish second to Awtaad in the Group 2 Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. Always handy, just behind the leader Gordon Lord Byron, David O'Meara's horse took up the running at the 2f pole and kicked for home. He was run down inside the final 1f by Awtaad, but he kept on well all the way to the line to retain second place. Also, his effort was rendered all the more meritorious because of the fact that he stayed flush against the inside rail, probably on the slowest part of the track on the day, especially on the outer track, on which this race was run.
Custom Cut obviously likes Leopardstown, he won this race last year, and he won the Group 3 Desmond Stakes there in August 2014, but he is a high-class and often under-rated performer when he has his conditions: one mile and easy ground and ideally an easy lead. He is obviously exposed, but he was beaten by a high-class horse here in Awtaad, who came wide and late, like the other three winners on the outer track on the day. It may be that he can be ungraded a fair bit on the bare form of this run, and that this was his best run for some time. He is entered in the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket next week, a race that he won in 2014 and in which he finished second to Time Test on good ground last year, and he will be of interest if he takes his chance in that, especially if the ground comes up on the easy side.
10th September 2016
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