Global Exceed headed back to Lingfield yesterday and we were hopeful that a return to the scene of his close second last month would see him return to form. He had run well on the soft ground there before and so we were hopefully that he would handle the rain softened ground once more.
Silvestre De Sousa soon got cover on the son of Exceed And Excel and he travelled noticeably well in the early exchanges. He continued to tow his jockey into the race and he made ground easily from the two furlong pole before he hit the front just before the furlong marker. He hung left as he hit the front but De Sousa straightened him up on the far rail and he won comfortably by two and a half lengths.
Sparte Quercus dropped back in trip at Chepstow yesterday to ten furlongs and he had run well there recently when fading late on to finish third behind two improving sorts. He travelled sweetly in the early exchanges under Franny Norton as he sat in behind the leaders. He continued to travel well up the home straight and when asked to go and win his race, the gelding responded and soon put daylight between himself and the field. The winning margin ended up being over four lengths and the son of Canford Cliffs appeared to relish the slight ease in the ground.
The handicapper will more than likely give both horses a reasonable hike in the weights and we may have to run them again next week if they come out of their races well. Global Exceed beat a horse that was running two pounds well in at the weights and Sparte Quercus won by a wide margin, both races could have been stronger but the manner in which both horses won suggests they are progressive.
Congratulations to Dr Johnny Hon who owns Global Exceed and Mr Hui Sai Fun who owns Sparte Quercus. We were delighted to get a double yesterday and we hope that both horses can win again in the near future. Well done to the team at La Grange, the horses remain in good form and this brought the season’s total up to thirty seven.