Richard Fahey’s stable provided us with a nice winner on Saturday with Gabrial (the first leg of a 50-1 double for this column) and he can do us another good turn in Wednesday’s European Free Handicap with Garswood. Newmarket’s Craven meeting is traditionally the time to bring out the classic contenders, although many stables now prefer to go straight to the Guineas without a prep race. The Free Handicap. Mystiko was the last winner to go on to success in the Guineas back in 1991 and there is nothing of that class on show this year.
Top weight Anna’s Pearl holds a 2000 Guineas entry although he is yet to win a race in four starts. He finished his two-year-old campaign by finishing second in a Group 1 in France, a race that he nearly stole from the front in first time blinkers. He has to be respected on that form but is weighted accordingly. Richard Hannon usually has some three-year-olds ready for the Craven meeting and he runs July Stakes winner Alhebayeb. The grey looked all out to hold the fast finishing Lewisham that day and was well held in two subsequent starts. Jockey Paul Hanagan expressed the view that the colt would stay seven furlongs on better ground but it could still be on the soft side this week.
Heavy Metal and Chilworth Icon both finished behind Alhebayeb at Newmarket and both had plenty of racing at two. The pair fought out a thrilling finish at Epsom with the latter getting the verdict by a short-head. Heavy Metal was also denied in a photo-finish to the Gimcrack at York when beaten a head by Blaine. He looks a typically tough Mark Johnston runner but seven furlongs will be unknown territory. Chilworth Icon did win a Group 3 in Italy last season over six furlongs but both horses look well exposed and I prefer to look for something with more scope.
The horse that fits the bill is Garswood, winner of the Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr in September. That race was over five furlongs in heavy ground and he is unproven at seven furlongs but his style of racing gives cause for optimism. He was slowly away that day and found himself behind a wall of horses with two furlongs to run. Jockey Tony Hamilton had to steer him to the wide outside and he reeled the field in to win cleverly by three-quarters of a length.
He was again slowly into his stride when sent off a well-backed favourite for the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot in October. Although he was soon back on terms, he could not get to Bungle Inthejungle and was beaten a head with El Manati a fast-finishing third. Something was clearly amiss with the third horse on his next start when stopping to a walk at Leicester, a course where she had previously broken the course record. Bungle Inthejungle runs on Wednesday in the valuable sales race the precedes the Free Handicap and has a favourite’s chance.
All things considered, it makes Garswood an exciting prospect for the coming season. The trip is my only concern as he is by Dutch Art out of a Kyllachy mare. Dutch Art was useful up to seven furlongs and has already sired two good sorts in Caspar Netscher and classic hope Van Der Neer. Garswood runs in the same colours as last year’s July Cup winner Mayson and can take this on the way to better things.
Garswood 3.30 Newmarket (Wednesday)
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