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Your support makes all the difference.HAVING left his owner pounds 300,000 richer after Wednesday's Ebor Handicap, the least that Sarawat could have expected was a lie-in on Saturday morning.
Yet while his trainer, Reg Akehurst, credits a programme of love and affection with bringing out the best in the gelding, he clearly draws the line at indolence, and Sarawat will turn out again today to carry a 4lb penalty in the stayers' handicap at Sandown.
Unless Sarawat arrives at the start on a stretcher, his owner, Steve Aitken, is not going to get the fancy prices which allowed him to relieve the bookies of pounds 250,000 earlier this week. Akehurst justified the horse's quick reappearance yesterday, saying: 'He's well in himself and eaten everything we've given him, so we might as well run him before he's clobbered by the handicapper. I don't know how much he will be put up in future but it is bound to be a lot more than the 4lbs penalty he carries tomorrow.'
The problem is that while Sarawat may appear to have forgotten his York exertions already, the toll which such a race has taken on a horse often becomes apparent only when it is asked to follow up, and sensible punters will not take a short price about him. Should Sarawat prove unable to repeat his Ebor form, Hoosie (4.45) is most likely to take advantage. Last time he met a fast-improving animal in Farmer's Pet (3.30), who should give a further clue to his chance by winning again at Chester this afternoon.
The stewards at Leicester felt the need for a quiet word with Willie Haggas after LET'S GET LOST (nap 4.15) finished strongly from well off the pace on his latest outing. The colt had in fact recovered admirably to finish fourth in a fast-run race after a slight stumble on the turn for home, and barring accidents he should be rewarded today.
The most significant pointer in the sprint handicap is the result of the five-furlong dash here yesterday. The first three home were drawn three, two and one, and with a low draw offering such an advantage, even an in- form runner like Gorinsky is going to struggle from his outside stall. Farfelu (3.40) has a far better position, and may be reaching his peak after a quiet start to the season.
Some of the entries for the juvenile conditions event might have found more worthwhile employment chasing the place money in yesterday's three-runner Solario Stakes. Silver Wedge and Reprehend have been performing solidly, but Classic Sky (next best 3.10) should prove sufficiently superior to give them 4lb.
The most prestigious race of the weekend is at Deauville tomorrow, where Solar Wagon takes as steep a rise in class as the season will see in the Group One Prix Morny.
Roger Charlton's juvenile will be making only his second racecourse appearance, having won a maiden at Ripon by seven lengths, and a more probable winner is Criquette Head's Psychobabble, impressive winner of the Prix Robert Papin last time and the latest prime performer to carry the silks of Stavros Niarchos.
(Photograph omitted)
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