Newmarket preview: Tathqeef can fend off Feilden rivals
David Metcalf | April 12, 2016
Tathqeef looks tasty in Feliden Stakes
Tathqeef looks to hold leading claims of providing trainer John Gosden with back-to-back successes in the Listed 1m 1f Feilden Stakes at Newmarket (15.55).
Gosden saddled subsequent Investec Derby winner and champion three-year-old Golden Horn to win the race 12 months ago, and in Tathqeef has a colt who created a huge impression when winning his sole start as a juvenile.
That success came on the Tapeta surface at Wolverhampton where the 1.1 million dollar yearling overcame distinct signs of greenness to score in impressive fashion.
After being slowly-away as the gates opened, Tathqeef looked clueless in the early stages and was soon pushed along.
Jockey Paul Hanagan then switched the colt out wide five from home to get some daylight, and Tathqeef finally grabbed hold of the bit two from home when the penny began to drop.
The son of Tapit then came with a surging run to take up the running entering the final furlong, before finding plenty to win going away by 2 1/4 lengths.
Although Tathqeef may not have beaten much, the manner of the victory suggested he had a huge engine and the potential to make up into a very useful three-year-old.
Gamesome weighted to go well
In the 6f handicap (15.20), Gamesome is a fascinating contender on his first start for trainer Paul Midgley.
The five-year-old’s sole win so far came as a juvenile on good-to-soft ground over 6f at Nottingham when trained by Olly Stevens.
Gamesome was then far from disgraced in three starts as a three-year-old, and shaped well in some ultra-competitive contests last season.
They included a staying on sixth of 11 to Astaire in a Listed 6f contest at this venue on seasonal reappearance, and a solid fifth of 22 to Eastern Impact at the track off a mark of 100.
Gamesome also ran a stormer when sixth of 25 to Interception in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot off the same mark, and judge on those efforts looks a big player in this off a rating of 99.
The son of Rock Of Gibraltar has also been gelded since his last run, and has joined a trainer who has a terrific record with his sprinters and has done well with similar types in the past.
Selections
14.10: Swiss Range
14.45: Tabarrak
15.20: Gamesome (NB)
15.55: Tathqeef (NAP)
16.30: Nathra
17.05: Fawaareq
17.40: Juste Pour Nous
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