First runner of 2015 – thoughts on Trimoulet

Trimoulet has his third run in the 2.50 at Southwell tomorrow (Tuesday 6th of January). Steve Drowne will ride the gelding in the mile maiden stakes on the Fibresand surface. Trimoulet came back a little jarred up from his second run at Haydock in the summer and has been given time to recover and come to himself since. A very big horse who only just squeezes into the stalls he ought to be better suited to the layout of Southwell than some of the all weather tracks but as ever with Southwell there is the question of handling the surface which is always a bit of an unknown until a horse tries. He has trained on a Fibresand gallop at home so should have some idea of the surface. His sire Teofilo also has a good strike rate on the surface which gives encouragement. The trip is as sharp as Trimoulet would want it, however options are somewhat limited for an older maiden and there will be more choice for races once he qualifies for handicap mark.

The race itself is open with some of the lightly raced runners open to improvement such as Belahodood who was a well beaten second first time out and should have learned about racing that day. Walk Like A Giant has had more racing but was a solid third in handicap company over course and distance last time out on his first start for current connections and critically on his first start at Southwell and is the only proven quantity on the track, once suspects though there may be a coupe with a bit more class unless he steps up on that performance.