Consistent Rochester House Can Return to Winners Enclosure
After seven career starts, the Mark Johnston trained Rochester House has not finished outside of the first four. He has managed one win during that time, but continues to stay on and run well, usually behind pretty good horses. He has good form with Summer Moon and Moon King in his last few starts, both of which are continuing to impress us and go through the ranks. He now steps up to the trip of two miles at Beverley on Tuesday and I think that can be enough to get him back in front and in the winners enclosure for a second time.
The three year old did not race until April this season, missing out his whole two year old campaign but there is no doubt he has quickly got going and turned into a nice horse. You will struggle to find a more consistent horse than him right now, and he certainly deserves to get another win under his belt.
The sharp track at Beverley is ideal for those stepping up in trip and based on how he has ran so far, I am not worried at all about him getting the two mile trip. Mark Johnston always makes sure his horses are tough and able to battle and if this horse gets to the front like I think he will, I am not sure anything in this field will be able to pass him.
The obvious danger in the race is Celestial Force, a horse that has good recent course form and also a good recent run elsewhere. He ran at Ascot just three days ago, finishing third over 1m6f in a race that was as good as this if not better. His win at Beverley was over 1m4f but that was not a very good race, certainly not as good as this one. He doesn’t appear to be crying out for this trip either, I am not sure he will stay it and if he is to stay it then he will have to settle a lot better than we have seen in the past.
A combination of the new trip that I am not sure about and the fact he ran at Ascot over 1m6f just three days ago is enough to put me off him, but I do think in the right races down at 1m4f or 1m6f he can win more.
However, I don’t think that Beverley will be the day for him, I think this is finally the day where Rochester House can pick up his second win of his career and hopefully kick on to win again over the new trip of two miles, one that I really think will suit him.