Rapid Grey making rapid progress
Five weeks ago, Rapid Grey was an unheralded horse making up the numbers in the French Derby. With the exception of his connections, very few pundits fancied him in a race where it was difficult to look beyond the all-conquering Horseshoe Bay. How fortunes have changed in a matter of weeks. Horseshoe Bay, who ran out a convincing 4-length winner that day from Rapid Grey, has since disappointed in the Coalminer Cup whereas Rapid Grey, this week, solidified his position as one of the leading sophomores over the classic distance by adding the G.S.R. Derby-G1 to his resume.
As an ironic quirk of fate, Rapid Grey is owned/trained by the outspoken stoners who was candid in his view of the difference in the respective merit of the classic dirt and turf divisions earlier in the year. He now owns a leading candidate in both divisions, so is better placed than most to make that comparison. Has his view changed since the success of Rapid Grey? Unlikely, but I would hazard a guess that he would not swap his leading turf performer with any classic dirt horse, whose form is suspect to the roller-coaster vagaries of the main track.
Finishing behind Rapid Grey last week were three horses who I am sure we will be hearing a lot more of in the coming months. Filling the runner-up spot, Careless set out to make all the running in the race and was only denied by a horse with an electric turn of foot. The run proved he is well up to this grade and being as it was only his 3rd try on the surface he still has room for improvement. Finishing fast in 3rd was Pedro’s Speedster, an inexperienced son of Red Ransom, who looks to have a bright future over marathon trips while back in 4th was the impeccably bred Elysian, a strong but still immature son of Sadler’s Wells, having only his 8th race. Granted normal improvement, all three should be making strides in the right direction in the immediate future.
All in all, a race that was touted beforehand as being one to highlight future stars and I have a feeling that may well be the case.