Winner – Outgate

Outgate showed a “wicked turn of foot” to win the £101,000 feature of Saturday’s card at Chester. The progressive three year old was recording his fourth victory of his nine race career. He has been out of the frame just once. Derby winning jockey and old ally Richard Kingscote was aboard the colt as he enjoyed a good run around the turns of the Roodee. He took full advantage of stall 2 in the seven and a half furlong handicap. Entering the straight the gap he needed came and once Richard hooked him out wide of the pace setters he moved smoothly to the front to win with a bit in hand.

Full credit to all the team who have developed this colt, particularly Jan Kasecky who cares for him at home and Lauren Webb who rides him most of the time. Thanks also to the team owner breeders Gary & Lesley Middlebrook’s Wood Farm for their hard work raising these horses. Gary puts a huge amount of research and effort into his matings. Lesley oversees the day to day care of the horses.

There are lots of options going forward for Outgate. We will review his next step once we see what his new handicap mark is. He has shown the ability to be competitive in stakes races. “Black type” is valuable to any breeding operation so it could be he looks to that route before long. Handicap wise something like the Moet & Chandon International Stakes at Ascot’s King George meeting could be interesting or possibly the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood. He is also subject of significant interest to race abroad, particularly the Hong Kong market.

For those looking for pointers for Royal Ascot, Godolphin’s Tranquil Night could be an interesting contender in the Britannia Stakes. Outgate finished second to him at Newmarket in handicap at the Craven meeting that has worked out well. Whoputfiftyinyou is another whose form ties in closely with Outgate in that race.