Leadman
Leadman did well to get as close as he did in the Clipper Handicap at York on Thursday. This is a race in which the prominent racers have dominated in the recent past, and that proved to be the case again this year. The horses who filled the first five places raced in five of the first seven places from early. Leadman was held up early on by Danny Tudhope, as he usually is. He was 14th of the 17 runners with half a mile to run, and he stayed on well down the outside to finish within three and a half lengths of the winner Bullet Point. He was second fastest through the final two furlongs.
This was Leadman's second run in the space of five days. Beaten just a head by Lou Lou's Gift at Newbury on his previous run over seven furlongs, a trip that is probably just on the sharp side for him, when, again, he finished off his race well, David O'Meara's horse was racing here off a 1lb lower mark of 87, but there was always a chance that the race was coming quickly enough for him. He is back up to his new mark of 91 now but, after a nice break now and freshened up, he should be more than capable off that mark. He remains progressive. He has gone well at Newbury and Newmarket in the past, but he may do even better at a track at which hold-up tactics are rewarded. He will be of interest though wherever he goes next, but he will be of particular interest if he is aimed at one of the big handicaps on the straight track at Ascot over seven furlongs or a mile between now and the end of the season.
York, 21st August 2025
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