A Stayer Of Great Potential

Every now and then a performance jumps out at you and screams that a horse has to be followed. When Tactic romped away with a competitive listed race at York in May I was convinced that he was a horse to keep on the right side and nothing he has done since has lessened that conviction, writes Elliot Slater.

I was at the Curragh when Tactic made his most recent appearance when taking a further step up in class in the Group2 At The Races Curragh Cup, and he looked well in the preliminaries. Although the form book screamed that the Sadlers Wells gelding had plenty to find with the proven group performer Profound Beauty, I was more than optimistic he would prevail and could not have been more delighted with the manner of his success in handing out a two-length beating to the favourite who loomed up to join him at the distance, only for Tactic to find extra reserves and win going away in the last 100 yards.

I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Dunlop’s charge doesn’t continue to improve through the grades and make his presence felt in our ‘Cup’ races, but the event I have in mind is the Melbourne Cup, a two-mile international handicap run at Flemington in early November that looks tailor-made for Tactic’s prominent style of racing and gutsy manner.

Tactic’s owner Sheik Hamdan al Makhtoum has won the race before (in 1994 with Jeune), and would doubtless like to get his hands on the coveted trophy again. If Dunlop plans a campaign to take in the big Australian race the Sheik may well end up back in the winners’ enclosure according to the racing tips for today.

At current ante-post odds of 25/1 with most racing tips, Tactic is, in my opinion, well worth a speculative interest.

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