Horse Racing
Pensando A Te puts case for Group-race assignments
Pensando A Te could be set for much bigger things after impressively breaking her maiden in the tote £75K Guaranteed Placepot Today EBF ‘Confined’ Mdn Fillies’ Stakes at Ascot.
La Pittura made the early running in the six-furlong contest with 6-5 favourite Pensando A Te racing prominently in her shadow.
The Blackbeard filly was switched to the outside by Silvestre de Sousa and hit the front a furlong out and gradually pulled clear to win by a going-away length and three-quarters.
Botti said: “She wants the top of the ground and this is her trip. Our plan was to let the other fillies take her into the race because we know she has that turn of foot.
“She picked up immediately and I hope she has a bright future as she won with a little bit in hand.
“She’s in the Cheveley Park which would be reaching high and top of the ground is essential.”
Turty Tree benefited from a drop in grade as he just held on to land the £100,000 tote.co.uk Money Back 2nd Handicap.
Ancestor had the rail and bowled along at the front but he weakened out of proceedings as the race began to take shape approaching the furlong marker.
The Andrew Balding-trained Turty Tree (20-1) finished sixth of nine in a Clairefontaine Listed race last month and back in handicap company he did not have it all his own way in the hands of David Probert.
The New Bay colt had to bide his time with no clear run, but he squeezed through the smallest of gaps to hit the front with half a furlong to go and just held off Decade Of Time by a head.
Balding said: “He finished off his race well in Listed company in France, while at the beginning of the year I contemplated running him in a Derby trial. He just wants something to aim at and things to drop right.
“He’s in the Horses In Training Sale at the end of the year.”
Probert added: “This horse Andrew held in high regard at the beginning of the year, but he’s just been a little bit tricky to win with. He probably hasn’t had things go his way.
“He enjoys passing horses and with the strong, even tempo today I was able to smuggle him into the race quite well. Even going up to the line he’s having a look around. He’s a horse who has more to give and should take a step forward and gain a bit of confidence.
“I didn’t want to wing him on the outside and put his head in the breeze too soon. That suited him quite well and I could see the inside was opening out and the horses in front of him were getting tired and wandering around, so I had an option to go that way.”
