‘Caballo’ is born to run
YOUNGSTERS: THREE-YEAR-OLDS COULD HAVE EDGE IN COMPETITIVE RACE
Elevated and Le Havre look the main dangers.
Atrio of talented threeyear-old will take on their elders in Race 6, a MR 80 Handicap over 1200m at Kenilworth tomorrow, and look likely to strike a blow for the younger set.
When Le Havre won on debut he was well supported in the betting to go off a 5-2 favourite and the word was out he was loaded with ability.
Caballo Blanco was also having his first run and ran third to Le Havre on that occasion, beaten 1.40 lengths.
Trained by Mike Bass, when the son of Querari returned to the race track he was sent off a 9-20 favourite and easily beat Starflash by 1.50 lengths.
Elevated found no betting support in his debut over 800m early in the two-year-old season and finished a 5.05-length fourth behind Var Ahead but followed up by beating Over Drive by 2.50 lengths.
All three have been gelded since but Elevated had two more races as a juvenile, finishing a one-length second behind Bishop’s Bounty and then a very useful 2.25-length second to Attenborough in the Listed Somerset 1200.
He went off second favourite at 19-10 and had favourite Sergeant Hardy 2.75 lengths behind him.
The problem is that he has been rested since that 8 May race and Caballo Blanco last ran on 2 April so both could be in need of a run.
Le Havre has run once and despite having been gelded, still displayed some of his previous neuroses at the start and finished a 3.50-length second behind Olympian.
The concern with this son of Var is he will be trying 1200m for the first time.
So, despite the 154-day break, Caballo Blanco could still have the edge over the other two as the form has worked out well.
He beat Starflash who has come out to win while Oceans Trip who ran second in that race, has also gone on to win, further franking the form.
He also gets 2kg from Le Havre, and 2.5kg from Elevated which could also give him an edge.
Grant van Niekerk takes the ride.
For the record the name of this horse coms from American ultrarunner from Boulder, Colorado, Micah True, was known as Caballo Blanco.
He received attention because of his depiction as a central character in Christopher McDougall’s book, Born To Run, which hopefully applies to this son of Querari.
With Le Havre antics at the start possibly affecting his performance, Elevated could be the better second choice.
Of the older horses Nevada and Captain Courteous look the main dangers.