Espoir De Romay

Espoir De Romay ran well to finish third in the two-mile-six-furlong novices' hurdle. Sent to the front from flagfall by Ned Curtis, he was hassled on the front end by Victory Echo early on, with the result that he probably had to go faster than his rider wanted to go in order to retain the lead and the inside. Even so, he led into the home straight and, as his challenger faded, he looked set for victory when he went on on the run to the final flight. He just got run down though on the long pull up the run-in, first by 40/1 shot Prince Kayf, then by favourite Imperial Alcazar.

It was still a fine run by Kim Bailey's horse on just his third run ever in a race that was run in a good time. Third behind the progressive Jatiluwih at Ludlow in March on his racecourse debut, he kept on well to win a novices' hurdle over two miles and three furlongs at Worcester on his debut this term. This was another step forward from that, and he might have done even better had he enjoyed an easier time of it up front. It may be that he will do better dropped back down to two and a half miles, but he is a horse to keep on side wherever he goes. He coped with the heavy ground all right, but he could do better back on slightly better ground.

Newcastle, 30^th November 2019

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