Steady shows plenty of pace for Wokingham second

Steady Pace produced a pulsating finish in the 27-runner Wokingham Heritage Handicap to be second, beaten a half-length by Out Do on the final day of Royal Ascot, Saturday, June 24.

The four-year-old, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Josephine Gordon, raced on the far side with the winner in the famous six-furlong contest.

He was held up towards the rear before making good progress with two furlongs remaining and was switched left at the distance to come with a great late run into second, without quite getting to Out Do who won in 1m 13.02s.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Josephine gave Steady Pace a very good ride. She’s had good results for me from the end of last year and this year."

“We’ll find another handicap race for Steady Pace next, over the same six-furlong distance.”

Josephine Gordon added: “Steady Pace actually probably just missed the beat a little bit. Saeed likes his horses to be nice and handy but they went a bit quick early doors and Steady Pace couldn’t quite go with them.

“I think that probably suited him and he liked coming through other horses. Probably half a furlong out, I thought I might just get there but it wasn’t to be.”

New Approach colt Masar, trained by Charlie Appleby and partnered by William Buick, ran well when finishing third in the seven-furlong Listed Chesham Stakes for two-year-olds, while Kidmenever (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) and Maverick Wave (John Gosden/James Doyle) were third and fourth in the Listed Wolferton Handicap over 10 furlongs.