TROPICS loves it around Chelmsford these days and he recorded his fifth win at the track last night which brought up win number five for the stable during the last seven days.
The veteran sprinter, 11-years young, was one of seven runners in the valuable five furlong sprint for and was the mount of seven pound claimer and one of the stable’s apprentices, Sophie Ralston, who has been in red hot form for the yard this year.
The son of Speightstown likes to front run and was well drawn in three for one who likes to make the running. He broke well and chased the leader, Just That Lord and two furlongs out was a length second. A furlong from home it looked as though he might struggle to get in the first three but driven by Sophie, he ran on to lead half a furlong from home and went clear, winning by a length and a quarter from Royal Birth.
What a star this horse is and he was racing off a mark of 103 last night which was 13lb below his best…but that was five years ago! Yesterday’s race was run in a very fast time, 57.99secs, so the ‘ol boy still has what it takes. He has now won 14 races in 58 starts, a 24% strike rate and has accrued £590,000 in prize money…and to think he went through the ring for 2,500 guineas in 2011, having cost $700,000 as a yearling!
Well done to Sophie Ralston, for whom this was not only her second win within a week for the yard but her fourth win for the stable at a remarkable 29% strike rate.
Tropics’ win brought up the 23rd win for Harper Lodge Farm, the same number as wins as last year by the end of June (but with 10 days to go!) So we’re on course for achieving a record number of wins.