Simon has looked at races from Kempton in this week's Sectional Debrief
In the first of a new series, Simon Rowlands picks out horses to be interested in (and to avoid) based on sectionals analysis.
There has been increased interest in sectionals in British racing in recent years, and, while no official ones exist outside a few high-profile events, this has gone hand in hand with a wider acceptance that sectionals have merit, for all the effort and complexities sometimes involved.
If you think that how a horse got from A to B in a given time matters, and not just what that given time was, then this series of sectional debriefs is for you. Over the next few months, Timeform's team will be taking sectionals by hand, for individual horses and not just winners, at suitable meetings and will then be passing on their findings. The main purpose will be to shed light on how races unfolded and on sectionals themselves, but hopefully a few winners will be identified along the way also.
The Kempton meeting on Saturday April 13 provided some competitive racing and quality performers. Not one race was run at a strong pace, as the following figures for leaders/winners show, though a few were run at a respectable gallop.
The opening race won by Montaigne prompted a reasonable timefigure despite a pace that was fair at best and looks decent form by early-season juvenile standards. The chief eyecatcher was second-placed Fig Roll, who came from about three lengths back at the sectional and was closing well at the line. Her sectional rating of 81 on what was her debut makes her a banker for a maiden (not necessarily one restricted to her sex, either) and a valid contender for better races. Rough Courte beat only one home but did some good late running and has place prospects next time (sectional rating of 65).
The seven-furlong handicap produced a disappointing timefigure in view of the run of the race. Grey Mirage was a deserving winner on sectionals, but not to a great degree, while Head of Steam (sectional rating of 83) shaped best of those coming from further back. Front-running Bravo Echo (81) was only sixth-best on sectionals and probably a bit flattered in third.
There was little to get excited about in One Word More's race, either, though the first two were better still than their rivals judged on sectionals, and Glean (91) might have beaten the winner narrowly with a bit less to do.
The listed fillies' race won by Lily's Angel was more interesting, with a respectable timefigure backed up with a significant sectional mark-up. Lily's Angel won on merit, and has prospects back in a higher grade, but runner-up Stirring Ballad (106) finished even better and can make amends at this sort of level. Further back, Burke's Rock (99) comes out clear third-best on sectionals.
The mile handicap won by Es Que Love was slowly-run and could prove questionable form, with the test of speed possibly favouring the winner. Loving Spirit (85) shaped best but seldom wins and needed to do a bit more to be of definite interest. There were no obvious excuses for short-priced Solar Deity (74).
Zurigha had little to beat in the mile fillies' race but did so easily and with a striking turn of foot, recording the fastest last three furlongs on the card and probably of the year at the track. Despite the poor timefigure, her sectionals mark her up significantly, and she should hold her own in listed and Group 3 company.
Ideally, you need more than one sectional for long-distance races like the two-mile handicap won by Desert Recluse, but the signs are that the horse got the run of things up front and would be no certainty to confirm the form with second, third or fifth.
To follow: Fig Roll, Stirring Ballad, Zurigha
To oppose: Bravo Echo, Es Que Love, Desert Recluse
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