Alsakib 

Alsakib did well to keep on as well as he did to take fourth place in the Copper Horse Handicap, the last race at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.  Slowly away from his outside draw, he was well back in the field from early, and it didn’t help that he shipped a small bump which unbalanced him a little as he was starting to make ground on the run around the home turn.

The winner Belloccio and the third horse My Mate Mozzie started their runs from a little further forward, while the runner-up Lmay was prominent from early.  Alsakib did best of the hold-up horses.  He stayed on down the outside all the way to the line, leaving the impression that he would benefit from a greater test of stamina, a faster pace at this one-mile-six-furlong trip or a step up in trip or both.

Andrew Balding's colt was progressive last season as a three-year-old, his first season to race, winning four of his six races, and he ran well in two Group 3 contests earlier this season.  In the first of those, the John Porter Stakes at Newbury in April, he got to within five and a quarter lengths of subsequent Coronation Cup runner-up Hamish, and in the second, the Ormonde Stakes at Chester in May, he kept on well from the rear to take third place behind Point Lonsdale.

He is still relatively lightly raced, this was just his 10th run, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next.  He could improve again for stepping up to two miles or even beyond.

Ascot, 18th June 2024

© Sportinglife.com, 24th June 2024

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