BUCEPHALAS

On April 28th, the horse ran a dirt trial over 1200m (3-4-3) with two furlongs to the last, securing a third place finish. Four weeks ago in a similar race, he performed poorly, taking too long to get going from the barrier and running towards the rear; his closing speed weakened in the final stages, resulting in a heavy defeat. After running another trial, there was some minor improvement shown. This time he will carry an extra 12 pounds. His form indicator is weak, his draw is unfavorable, and his finishing kick is slightly inferior. The partnership between jockey and trainer is not particularly cohesive, with early speed being the main asset for taking an assertive position; while he has shown ability in this distance, placing high expectations is difficult.