There is little doubt about the most rapidly improving horse housed at La Grange Stables at present – his name is Global Gift. The three-year-old son of Invincible Spirit recorded his third consecutive victory at Doncaster yesterday afternoon, completing his hat-trick just 28 days after breaking his maiden on handicap debut at Carlisle, and doing so from a 10 pounds higher mark than from which he started winning. Perhaps the most exciting element of the victory is the tangible sense that the horse has more to give.
A select field of six went to post for this mile 0-95 handicap, though Global Gift was notably friendless in the betting as lots of money came for the favourite Fox Leciester. Perhaps there was a doubt over the drying ground, as Gift had won his two previous races on significantly easier surfaces, but as a good moving son of Invincible Spirit stable confidence was high that he would handle this slightly quicker terrain.
Fox Leicester was sent immediately to the lead by SDS after the gates opened, as Gerald Mosse tried to settle Global Gift at the rear of the field. The horse was a little keen in the first half of the race, but Gerald was able to find a good position tracking Ginger Fox, who had also been very well backed in the pre-race exchanges.
As they turned into the home straight the hooded Global Gift was pulled out and given some daylight, and with two and a half furlongs left to travel he was urged into action and went from the back of the pack to challenging for the lead in a matter of strides. It was a most taking move, although as Fox Leicester faltered on the rail it was clear that Ginger Fox was going with Global Gift and was not going to go down without a fight. The pair set down for a sustained tussle inside the final furlong, with Gift just leaning a little to his left, requiring Gerald to take corrective action. However, the further they went the better he got and by the line he was a length and a half ahead of the second, and they had pulled a little way clear of the rest. With some very useful sorts in behind, this has to go down as a smart effort.
Once again Global Gift gave the impression that he might stay a little further in time, though it is worth remembering that he is from the family of serious speedsters such as Cassandra Go, Theann and Do The Honours, whilst his sire was of course a six-furlong Gr.1 winner. He is surely happy to stay at a mile for the time being and as he learns to settle better he will surely find a little more improvement. Future plans will be dictated once again by the handicapper’s re-assessment of him, but it might well be time for him to have a tilt at a more prestigious sort of contest.
This was yet another winner in the familiar silks of Dr Johnny Hon, and hopefully we can continue the good work in the weeks to come. A big thank you once again to all our staff who continue to work extremely hard in this changeable weather. It was horribly wet not so long ago and now it is abrasively warm. We are never happy!