Highland Chief

Highland Chief did well to finish third in the Chesham Stakes. Settled just behind the leaders, he picked up at the two-furlong marker when Raul da Silva asked him to, but he hung first to his left, and then back to his right. He was passed by Pinatubo on his right and by Lope Y Fernandez on his left, and he was kind of caught between them as the two converged. He wouldn't have beaten either of them, but he still had his momentum checked a little. He moved a little to his left again close home, but he kept on really well on the near side for all that through the final 100 yards to take third place, just a length and a half behind runner-up Lope Y Fernandez, and nicely clear of the fourth horse Sun Power.

It was a fine run by Paul Cole's horse on just his second run, in what could prove to be a really hot Chesham Stakes. Highland Chief's first run, a win in a Newbury maiden, was nothing special, but the Chesham is a race that Paul Cole targets, he has won it four times in the past, so Highland Chief is obviously highly regarded. This year's Chesham could be a very good race, the time was good, it was a juveniles' course record, and the first two home could be very good. Pinatubo was a good winner of the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on his previous run, while Lope Y Fernandez was an impressive winner of a good looking maiden at The Curragh on his only previous run, and Aidan O'Brien's horse was strong in the market. Highland Chief finished third behind the pair of them, nicely ahead of the fourth horse, after running a bit green. He should progress for this experience too.

Ascot, 22^nd June 2019

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