Three-year-old handicappers to follow: Part 5

Horse

Comment

Rating

Moxy Mares	By Motivator and out of a listed-placed sprinter in France, Moxy Mares only cost 16,500 euros as a yearling. He made a very promising debut at Doncaster where he was slowly away but stayed on very well to finish third. Four horses have come out of that race and won since. Moxy Mares then ran too bad to be true on the all-weather next time, where he did not look comfortable and didn’t suit the tight bends. He went back to Doncaster for his final run, which I think was most impressive of the three. He was held up in a slowly run race and ran on to finish third, best of the held-up horses. After these three runs he was gelded and put away for the season, probably with his three-year-old career in mind. His mark isn’t the most lenient but his third run is encouraging and the progeny of Motivator do progress well.	74
Narodowa	This horse was highly tried in three novice events between August and September. She was far too green to do herself justice in first race at Newmarket (winner since won UAE 1000 guineas trial). She produced an eye-catching second run at Salisbury, missing the break before finishing off really well into fifth. Her final race didn’t inspire confidence but she may have been running for a mark.  She might not suit Newmarket as she ran much better on her only run away from that venue at Salisbury. She is a half-sister to the useful Ransom Note, so I would expect to see a decent amount of improvement from two to three.	69
Pentland Hills	By Motivator, out of a Galileo mare who stayed 11f. Pentland Hills has a strong stamina influence is his pedigree and should progress significantly with age. He made a pleasing debut at Haydock, where he was outpaced but far from disgraced. I think the winner of that race could be very useful. He then ran in two very strong novice races at Newmarket. He looked green on his second start and given a very easy ride from about two furlongs out. He was also given a strange ride on his third start where he was ridden way off the pace and outpaced early on. He was then gelded and put away for the winter. This horse has run in three very strong novice races over trips far too short and given Chris Wall’s good record with three-year-old handicappers, is one to look out for over the longer trips in 2018.	62
Perfect Blue	Started life in a strong looking novice race at Goodwood, ending up well beaten in the end. Loxley, who dead-heated in that race was deemed good enough to be thrown into a very good renewal of the Racing Post trophy and was far from disgraced in that race. Perfect Blue stepped up nicely on next appearance, lacking a bit of pace when it mattered at Wolverhampton (winner was 1/4 that day). Final start was slightly worrying as he soon dropped away and was allowed to coast home. He is a half-brother to seven winners who generally needed a mile and a half or further. His dam was also unraced at two. He showed enough on his first two starts to suggest he will be useful once stepping up in trip into handicap company.	71
Port of Call	Given three quick runs in September to get him handicapped. Made an eye-catching debut at Sandown, when missing the break but stayed on well in a strong race, where the second, fourth, fifth, ninth and twelfth have all won since. He didn’t handle Epsom on his second start, so that effort can be ignored. No match for a decent looking winner on third start at Kempton, given a hands and heels ride once beaten. He has since been gelded and put away for the winter. The only reservation is that his pedigree doesn’t scream stamina. He looks to have some ability, based on his debut run, so he should be able to pick up a handicap off this mark on a flat galloping track.	71
Red Miracle	Made an encouraging debut at Salisbury in a decent looking event (the second, sixth and eighth have won since). She looked unsuited by the heavy ground on her second start. Her final start to date was in a strong looking maiden at Nottingham, where not many horses got into the race. She was given an easy time of it once beaten and didn’t have the pace to go with the leaders. She has loads of stamina in her pedigree - related to Keys and her dam is a sister to Clowance who finished second in an Irish Leger. She hasn’t been disgraced in some strong races to date, just lacking pace in the closing stages. She has ability and has been given a very workable mark.	62